Letters: Voice your opinion on State College’s zoning changes
Voice your opinion on State College’s zoning changes
The State College Borough is in the process of changing the zoning in all of the Borough except the UP (PSU) District. Of particular interest are changes to the West End. This is the area on both sides of West College from about Atherton to the edge of the Borough at the old Houts site.
The draft map shows that both sides of West College Ave will be rezoned to West End (WE). This would allow development of up to three stories/84 feet if the new building includes various optional incentives like good energy efficiency. This could produce West College Gulley similar to Beaver Canyon.
The West College streetscape is considered an attractive feature of State College. These old homes are a significant part of the charisma of the Borough. Almost all are in the Holmes-Foster/Highlands Historic District; however Borough Council could allow demolition of each and every one of these historic buildings if the current or a future elected Borough council sees fit to grant permission. With this new zoning, any current or future Council may encourage demolition to provide even more student housing along West College. (Any demolition plans would require approval by the Historical Architectural Review Board, but HARB’s decision can simply be overruled by the majority of Council.)
If, as I hope, you do not want West College Ave razed, please submit written comments to Borough Council and be prepared to be heard by Council when this rezoning is being discussed.
Eric Boeldt, State College
When public ‘punishment’ doesn’t fit the crime
An adult takes a homerun ball away from a kid and it’s caught on camera. The outrage is immediate. The act was selfish and perhaps worthy of a modest public rebuke. But the media-driven hurling of stones is disproportionate and the “punishment” does not fit the crime.
Most of us can recall times when our poor choices were witnessed by few, and we are thankful there is no video record of our shame. Perhaps we still relive the embarrassment in our minds years later. Now imagine what it must be like to have millions of people as witnesses who judge you mercilessly, and now you are forever known as the person who did that awful thing.
The sad truth is that humans do love a public “execution.” We apparently have a primal need for a scapegoat to punish so we can justify ourselves at their expense. This is nothing new, but technology has supercharged it. However, the scapegoat is typically a group of people from different religions, races, political parties, gender identities or immigrants. If the goal is to divide, secure group loyalty and maintain power, then finding the right scapegoat is the perfect strategy. It is a tried and true method with a successful, albeit notorious track record.
Unfortunately, many who call themselves Christians seem to have forgotten the words of Christ these days. ”He that is without sin, let him cast the first stone” and “blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy” come to mind.
Patrick Gallagher, Port Matilda
Road to ‘third-world country’
TACO man lies again, cautioning we will become a third-world country if he doesn’t get his way. He might even hold his breath until he turns blue!
America is already on the road to third-worldhood because of him — a despotic dictator, contemptuous of laws and decency, a malignant liar and fabulist who wants to nationalize industry, turn the military into his hit squad, politicize the Supreme Court, and criminalize criticism of himself.
Trump is a bad person in all conceivable dimensions — just as he himself says of everyone other than himself. Look in the mirror, Jack.
Paul Dombrowski, Bellefonte