At Tuesday's meeting, the Carrboro Board of Aldermen voted to discuss changes to the town's land-use ordinance at a May 21 public hearing, and at least one town official believes the modifications will not come easily.
"Some could be fairly controversial in the impact they have on the community," said Patricia McGuire, the town's planning administrator.
Last spring, a group of Pine Street residents approached the board with concerns about new student group houses at 106 and 108 Pine St. The residents said the board needed to address the parking, traffic and noise levels associated with the housing.
Tensions between residents and their student neighbors mounted last summer. At an Aug. 28 public hearing, Armin Leith, the owner of the two properties, said residents created an "atmosphere of hostility" for his student tenants. Residents disagreed but asked the town to modify its land-use ordinance to avoid similar group house situations in the future.
On Tuesday, town staff presented the board with some proposed changes to the ordinance. The board balked at a modification that redefined a "rooming house" as a unit housing a group of unrelated residents. The proposed change will not be considered at the upcoming hearing.
"All of us have made the statement that we're not interested in defining families," said alderman Diana McDuffee.
The board also discussed requiring new residents to obtain a special-use permit if their home has more than four bedrooms. The measure, modeled after a similar Chapel Hill ordinance, would not affect existing residents.
This measure also met with resistance but remains on the May 21 agenda.
"If you buy the house and you own it, I don't think you should have to get a permit to do so," said alderman Joal Broun. "I just don't."
