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Politics & Government

Planners Give Green Light to Lafayette Apartments

College still hopes to complete its Watson Hall courtyard and Pardee Drive projects by fall as well.

Depsite concerns from neighbors, Easton's Planning Commission on Wednesday approved Lafayette College's building on March Street.

The revised plan for the mid-rise apartment building at 512 March that is to replace the existing structure at the address reduces the number of rooms in the building by four to make way for a required second staircase. The building will house seven three-bedroom apartments and five two-bedroom apartments, for a total of 31 residents.

The design was also changed to better reflect the character of the neighborhood, as the commission had requested at a previous meeting.

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“I think it looks better, more fitting in the neighborhood,” said planning commission member James Bloom.

Member Robert Sun abstained from the vote.

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In a 4-1 vote, with member Dennis Leib opposing the approval, the commission also gave preliminary final approval for the college's plan to convert tennis courts on Pierce Street into two parking lots, housing a total of 42 cars.

Residents again expressed concerns, particularly about the lots' lighting plan.

Adjacent neighbor Jan Aponavicius said the planned 12-foot tall poles on which the lights will be mounted are excessively tall and said she fears the light will bleed into her yard and windows.

“I can't believe it won't impact us,” she said, asking the college consider shorter poles. “I mean, no one's going to bump into it at eight feet high.

“We really do care. We don't want that light in our backyards,” Aponavicius added. “I know what's going to happen. Once it's built, then we'll be stuck with it. Couldn't you get a shorter light?”

Neighbor Mary Ann Barrett echoed the sentiment.

“Night is dark. Night is supposed to be dark,” Barrett said, also asking if the college would consider other types of lighting.

Michael Nisheiwat also expressed concerns there would be no recourse if the parking lot lights turned out to be too bright.

“Once it's done, there's nothing you can do. What do you do? Pull down the shades?” he asked.

Nisheiwat also said he feels the college is foisting their parking issues on the public.

“Forty-two cars? Is it going to solve the (parking) problem? No,” he said, adding that he feels the college is responsible for their own parking woes and that they are motivated by money.

“It's a money issue,” Nisheiwat said. “Every parking spot is dollars.”

Nisheiwat added that the neighborhood will also be losing the tennis courts themselves. Though they are in some disrepair, he said residents still use the space, but will be considered to be trespassing when they are transformed into parking.

Lafayette College Vice President Mitchell Wein denied the college makes a profit on student parking.

“We do charge students...but it's to discourage students (from bringing their cars to school). We don't make money from parking,” Wein said.

On the lighting issue, he said the design was conservative for college standards.

“Even low-level lighting is not up to safety standards,” Wein said.

Engineer for the project, Jonathan Ceci said the poles were the shortest of that standard available, adding, “The lower the fixtures, the more you need.”

“Can we come to you and say, 'hey, this isn't working'?” Aponavicius asked.

Wein said if necessary, the college would add more trees.

“Can you get taller holly trees (now)?” Aponavicius asked. “So we don't have to wait (the estimated) four years for them to grow?”

“Yes, will do,” Wein replied. “We'll purchase taller trees.”

“We'll look for 12- to 14-foot trees, but 10- to 12-foot is more likely,” added Ceci.

Though ultimately voting in favor of approval, Sun said he had concerns about the college's motives.

“I do have a concern that your strategy is to take parking and push it off-campus and onto the residents,” Sun said.

Member Ron Shipman disagreed.

“I don't think these lots are going to solve the parking problems during a basketball game...but I do think it's going to solve an eyesore,” Shipman said.

Lieb said he dissented because he doesn't feel a parking lot, which required a special exception for the use, will serve the neighborhood well.

“I don't think it's the highest and best use for the property,” he said. “They're externalizing their problem onto the neighborhood.”

City Planning Director Becky Bradley added that the project will generate $15,995 in development fees earmarked for the parks and recreation department.

“This money would be used for a park in the vicinity of or on College Hill,” she said.

College officials also updated the commission on their Pardee Drive and Watson Hall courtyard plans, though no action was requested or taken.

“We're still hopeful for much of the work to be done by the time students return to campus,” Wein said.

“We've been working...to put together a design that will satisfy the fire department's need for access,” Ceci said. “We're working together with (the fire department) to come up with something that's both aesthetic and safe.”

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