TO THE EDITOR:
It is understandable that students would object to the town’s ordinance restricting the number of unrelated people who may occupy a house. In your Nov. 22 editorial you point out that this may increase costs for students, but be careful in reaching a glib conclusion that the ordinance is therefore “unfair.”
You are presumably aware of the reasons why this ordinance exists. Surely you do not believe that a simple editorial comment, “Students should be aware that they live near families and town residents,” will solve all the problems that certain areas of town have to deal with.
We live on a narrow residential street. Three of the houses are occupied by students. In most cases they have been friendly, quiet and respectful. For us, a house occupied by six students need be no more disruptive than a house occupied by a family with four children, with one exception: It is unfortunate that every student seems to require his or her own vehicle.
A large number of vehicles on a narrow lane creates concerns for access, safety and congestion. Other areas of town encounter different problems that are engendered by accommodations occupied by large numbers of students. If you intend to lobby for a change in ordinances, you must address in your lobbying the full range of issues that are entailed here.
Gordon Pitz
JoAnn Pitz
Chapel Hill
