Residents who demanded a halt on development in the Northside and Pine Knolls neighborhoods earlier this year are discussing a long-term policy regarding student housing.
At the May 23 town council meeting, the board passed a temporary moratorium in the historically black and low-income communities in response to resident complaints that student housing was overtaking the neighborhood.
But the moratorium expires in January — and the neighborhoods hope to form and implement a new plan for growth before that happens.
At an outreach meeting Tuesday, community members and town officials met to discuss solutions to ongoing issues the neighborhoods face.
“The main issue is protecting the character of the neighborhood,” said Loryn Clark, town neighborhood and community services manager in the planning department. “We hope to address some of the key issues of things like affordable housing, affordability of property, cultural and historic preservation, enforcement of regulations and zoning.”
Residents of Northside and Pine Knolls, which border the University, have seen an increase in student housing during the past two decades that some residents say can take away from neighborhood’s character and safety.
And many residents believe increasing student housing is causing gentrification within the community, raising housing costs and forcing traditional residents to leave.
Kim Hoppin, a Northside resident, attended the meeting.
She said students often are not considerate of their neighbors.
“It’s like a dorm,” she said. “When I was a student, I didn’t behave that way.”
Kathe Reusing, another Northside resident, said she thinks the problem stems from a difference in lifestyles.
