Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, March 30, 1990 TAG: 9003300311
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: B3 EDITION: STATE
SOURCE: DEBORAH SENSABAUGH SPECIAL TO THE ROANOKE TIMES & WORLD-NEWS
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Two zoning ordinance changes that would permit the program will go to the city Planning Commission for an official recommendation, now that two public hearings have been held. Council ultimately must approve the proposals.
Citizens and City Council members at the hearing seemed to favor adding language that would provide for regulating fraternities and sororities.
The university is seeking revisions of its master plan in the zoning ordinance, one to include fraternities and sororities and the other to add four properties to the "institutional zoning" category that comprises the university holdings.
Under the renaissance program, the university would assume ownership of fraternity properties and would renovate them.
The suggestion to more closely regulate fraternities was spawned by citizens' concerns about fraternity behavior and ways to govern it.
W&L spokesman Leroy "Buddy" Atkins agreed with City Council member Louise Moore that official recognition and regulation of the fraternities was not provided for in the revisions as legally as council and the Planning Commission might like.
"We don't want [to be] stuck with the situation," Moore said, adding that future administrations at the university might not be as understanding of fraternity-citizen relations.
Council also discussed regulating fraternities and sororities with conditional-use permits.
One resident, Jean Dunbar, said she was concerned that citizens had no forum when it came to problems with neighboring fraternities. Larry Broomall, W&L treasurer, said a committee to discuss those issues would be formed this summer.
John McNutt, another resident, requested from council a strict accounting of possible tax money lost when the university takes over the fraternity property. Mayor H.E. "Buddy" Derrick said that while the fraternities pay a little more than $30,000 annually, the university has guaranteed $65,750 in payments to the city every year once it owns the fraternity property.
by CNB