Spring Break
The Daily OrangeHousing debate shows tensions in campus area
By Eddie Jacovino
Posted: 3/2/07, 12:51 AM EST Section: News
Contrary to the current belief, there is no legislation being debated in front of the Syracuse Common Council to force additional students out of their off-campus houses.
More than 200 students, faculty, landlords and permanent residents filled a City Hall meeting room to more than capacity Thursday night. They debated the South East Neighborhood Association's petition to limit the number of unrelated people signing a lease and living in an apartment or house from five to three.
Many Syracuse University and State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry students seemed to believe the Syracuse Common Council was considering such an amendment to the city's zoning codes, but Bill Ryan, councilor at large, explained this is not the case.
There is no legislation of any kind being debated, and the council is not prepared to do anything anti-student, Ryan said.
The community polarized on whether density is a problem in the neighborhood east of campus at Thursday night's public meeting. Few residents living outside the east neighborhood and Berkeley Park sought the floor, despite the fact such an ordinance would affect the entire city.
While there is currently no legislation before the common council, advocates for and against the zoning law amendment traded one-minute turns to persuade the council whether such a law could solve problems of trash, noise and parking. Most speakers were cut off by Kathleen Joy, councilor at large, who ran the meeting.
Because of the large turnout, those who wanted to speak were told to put their names on slips of paper, Joy said. The papers were then shuffled, and attendees were asked to the floor in groups of three, with one minute given to each speaker.
Student Association President Ryan Kelly said he expected more time with the floor in an interview after the meeting. Kelly prepared a four-page speech, which he said would have presented a united opposition to five-to-three legislation when coupled with the positions of ESF and the New York Public Interest Research Group, a student-run political organization.
More than 200 students, faculty, landlords and permanent residents filled a City Hall meeting room to more than capacity Thursday night. They debated the South East Neighborhood Association's petition to limit the number of unrelated people signing a lease and living in an apartment or house from five to three.
Many Syracuse University and State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry students seemed to believe the Syracuse Common Council was considering such an amendment to the city's zoning codes, but Bill Ryan, councilor at large, explained this is not the case.
There is no legislation of any kind being debated, and the council is not prepared to do anything anti-student, Ryan said.
The community polarized on whether density is a problem in the neighborhood east of campus at Thursday night's public meeting. Few residents living outside the east neighborhood and Berkeley Park sought the floor, despite the fact such an ordinance would affect the entire city.
While there is currently no legislation before the common council, advocates for and against the zoning law amendment traded one-minute turns to persuade the council whether such a law could solve problems of trash, noise and parking. Most speakers were cut off by Kathleen Joy, councilor at large, who ran the meeting.
Because of the large turnout, those who wanted to speak were told to put their names on slips of paper, Joy said. The papers were then shuffled, and attendees were asked to the floor in groups of three, with one minute given to each speaker.
Student Association President Ryan Kelly said he expected more time with the floor in an interview after the meeting. Kelly prepared a four-page speech, which he said would have presented a united opposition to five-to-three legislation when coupled with the positions of ESF and the New York Public Interest Research Group, a student-run political organization.
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Westcott Nation Denizen
posted 3/02/07 @ 10:00 AM EST
If ALL residents in the University area (not just students) regularly picked up trash in front of their homes (whether or not they put it there), regularly shoveled their sidewalks, and regularly followed the parking laws, this wouldn't be an issue. (Continued…)
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