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by KRISTIN LARMORE
Intern News Reporter
The Boone Town Council denied Appalachian State University’s request to rezone a piece of university property from single family residential, S-1 to university, U-1, Aug. 21. The town council said stating the change would give the university too many building permits that might negatively affect surrounding residents.
The land west of the Broyhill Inn & Conference Center will remain under S-1 classification for now, and the town can still place conditions on its intensity regulations, such as building height and parking.
Lynne Mason, Boone Mayor Pro-Tem, said general rezoning also known as U-1 classification, cannot obligate the university to do anything in particular when building, such as addressing neighbor concerns.
“I think all of us are very much in support of expanding student housing [but] I have a real strong commitment to reserving single family neighborhoods,” she said.
Mason said Appalachian should adopt a system of conditional district zoning.
The university would have less building restrictions, but would still be required to meet particular requests of Boone residents.
It is what she called a “win-win situation.”
Vice Chancellor of Business Affairs Greg Lovins said they would face the buildings inwards away from the neighborhood to reduce noise and disruptions.
He said they also have committed to a 100-foot buffer, which falls under R-1 regulations.
Vice Chancellor of Student Development Cindy A. Wallace said the university would like to address any resident concerns that are brought to the table.
In response to questions about time frame, she said the university does not plan to build until 2009, in preparation for possible completion of the facility in August 2010.
Wallace said the university needs the new apartment complex and the residence hall, projected to hold 300 to 350 beds each.
Lovins said he is not certain the university would allow a conditional zoning district at this time because it involves an entirely separate process.
Therefore, Appalachian is pushing general zoning to alleviate the time crunch and meet their goal of 2010, he said.
“The demand for student housing has never been higher…now, what we’re hearing…students want to be on campus,” Lovins said.
Since the initial plan proved to be far too expensive, Wallace said, the university is moving to plan B.
“The need for housing has not diminished at all…we are really in a quandary,” she said.
Mason said she sees the project moving forward once the plans are more definite, and the town council will continue to work with the university closely on this issue.
“Planning never does well rushed. When it involves all parties, you can have very good outcomes,” she said.
Both Wallace and Lovins said they are positive about future relations with Boone.
“We are making some real headway. It’s fun to see progress made,” Lovins said.
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