A good neighbor goes a long way

TO THE EDITOR:

No one wants an adversarial relationship with a neighbor.

Andrew Powell should encourage tenants who exceed occupancy limits to be considerate and respectful.

This will have far greater impact than attempting to repeal the law.

The town of Chapel Hill gets revenue from tax-paying homeowners.

The ordinance is in place to protect their interests. If change is needed to expand housing opportunities for students, create a proposal to re-zone specific neighborhoods for higher occupancy.

For four years, I have lived in a Chapel Hill neighborhood where homes sell for $350,000 to $1 million.

From 2010-12, a fraternity occupied the single-family home next door.

Despite numerous police visits for late night noise ordinance violations, vandalism to my property and cars blocking my driveway access, town of Chapel Hill personnel took no action to verify the number of occupants or their relationship.

It took a mediation with the Office of Fraternity & Sorority Life and Community Involvement to motivate the fraternity to relocate.

The following year, six undergraduates moved in with four dogs.

Luckily, the guys were friendly, considerate neighbors.

Because I was never disturbed by late night festivities and had no issues with parking or vandalism, I had no desire to enforce the excessive occupancy ordinance.

Today, at least seven unrelated people live next door.

Because they are respectful neighbors, I’m not bothered by the violation.

My advice to students living in single-family housing is to follow the golden rule, “do unto others as you would have them do unto you.”

Monica McCarty
Chapel Hill, N.C.