Here’s what State College Borough Council decided on issue pitting marching band vs. neighbors
.JPG "For decades, State College Area’s marching band practiced in the South Parking Lot — as seen here in this 2011 photo — until construction for the new high school eliminated the spot. The band’s new spot, at the South Track Facility, is what’s irking some neighbors.")
Nearly a dozen high school students and community members awaited their turns to speak at Monday night’s borough council meeting, before finding out the State College Area High School marching band could stay put at its current practice location and continue at its current practice times.
The decision isn’t what either side wanted — band supporters sought more practice time; neighbors made the case for less due to noise and lights — but borough council ultimately allowed last year’s operating agreement to remain in place for another year. A compromise could still be reached in the meantime.
“We’re going to talk about it; we’re going to find a way forward that works,” Mayor Ezra Nanes said. “Because we don’t want anybody leaving this feeling furious and angry and really not taken care of. So let’s figure it out.”
The current agreement, which council opted not to terminate, means the marching band will be permitted to practice twice a week at the South Track Facility, with an 8 p.m. end time one day and an 8:30 p.m. end time the other. (The district wanted two 8:45 p.m. end times; some neighbors asked for practice to end 8 p.m. one day and for the band to find a different location for the next.)
Nearby residents complained the twice-a-week, two-hour practices between August and October made their homes by the South Track Facility nearly unlivable at times. But parents within the State College Area School District showed little sympathy, pointing out that — newer practice location or not, louder music or not — homeowners chose to live near a high school.
For decades, the marching band practiced on the South Parking Lot without issue. But that practice spot was eliminated during construction and renovation — and, even if it wasn’t, one school board official intimated that setup would no longer be acceptable. Something needed to change.
“When I joined the school board, I learned the marching band was marching on asphalt. This is unacceptable,” said Amy Bader, board vice president. “It’s a health risk. It causes shin splints. It was unequitable for those students. For a long time, SCASD prioritized athletics and did not give fair treatment to band.”
Some nearby homeowners said their own children took part in the 130-member marching band and complimented their music. But, they added, they’re not trying to disband them — just trying to move them to another place, farther away from homes and neighbors.
“I could write a dissertation on how much I liked the band and the positive influence that it’s had on our kid. This approach misses the point,” said Curtis English, who lives on Edgewood Circle, the area most impacted by the band. “It’s not OK to practice several hundred feet from our homes multiple times a week with the ultimate goal of having no restrictions on this field whatsoever.”
Monday’s decision appears to be more of a short-term fix than a long-term solution. Not only is neither side celebrating the move, but the school district has basically started a monthslong process that — if it succeeds — would allow the marching band and other groups to use the South Track Facility until as late as 11 p.m., if no other exceptions are made.
SCASD is asking the borough’s Planning Commission to hear its argument for eliminating the need for an operations agreement. Without that, the band could practice until existing ordinances allow — meaning likely around 11 p.m. The commission could then offer a recommendation to borough council.
A lot could still change in the coming months.
“To be continued,” Nanes said at the conclusion of Monday’s discussion.
