Ferguson Township board meeting discusses changes to district ordinance

FERGUSON TOWNSHIP, Pa. (WTAJ)– At the Ferguson Township Board of Supervisors meeting Tuesday night, the board discussed changes that could be coming to the Terraced Streetscape District.

The district includes parts of College Avenue in downtown State College. The biggest change could be the allowed height of new residential and business buildings.

Through former meetings and public, the public’s response has been clear: they don’t want any more high rises. Representatives from Mackin Engineering have been assisting the township in adjusting their current ordinance and prepared a presentation outlining their proposed recommendations.

“For our recommendation tonight, buildings fronting West College will have a maximum height of 45 feet with a ten-foot incentive for providing workforce housing, as defined and regulated in your ordinance,” one of the representatives said.

Through the new ordinance, the changes would only apply to new buildings and those that are going through significant expansion or renovations. However, all board members were in agreement that 45 feet still seems too high, and are opting for a 35-foot max.

“I’m not in favor of having a height incentive for this,” Chair of the Board Lisa Strickland said. “Maybe something else. When we were looking at the green building incentives, we were talking about increasing pervious coverage so maybe that would be a conversation.”

For now, the board will wait to approve or adjust any of their current ordinances until another public hearing is held on September 19.