8 - THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
NEWS
WEDNESDAY,JULY9.2003
DEVELOPMENT
Neighbors wary of greek invasion
By Maggie Newcomer mnewcomer@kansan.com Kansan staff writer
One battle is finished, but the war between greek organizations and Lawrence residents isn't over.
At their meeting last week, city commissioners gave Alpha Gamma Delta sorority the go-ahead to build a new house at 1520 Sigma Nu Place, to the disenchantment of the sorority's new neighbors.
Commissioner Dennis "Boog" Highberger gave Alpha Gamma Delta the edge in the 3-2 vote. He was the only commissioner to change his mind since the sorority's earlier proposal, which was defeated 2-3.
Rick Stein, a neighbor on Avalon Road, said he had wanted a different outcome and was disappointed.
Although Highberger passed this vote, the commissioner said he would be reluctant to approve the building of another dormitory-style house on the adjacent empty lot, also zoned for residential dormitory housing. That lot is also for sale by Sigma Nu fraternity.
Highberger said he thought the house was too much of a contrast with the singlefamily homes it borders. But,he said,it was approved because the proposal met all guidelines for residential dormitory zones,such as having parking for each resident.
Stein said he would not oppose another greek house in the neighborhood, but he wanted the house to be smaller and for fewer students.
"How much noise do we have to hear?" Stein said. "How much litter are we going to have to pick up out of our yards?"
Stein said he was concerned with the greek organizations disrupting the neighborhood lifestyle. He said neighborhood residents had not experienced any problems with existing Greek organizations in the neighborhood, but were concerned about the increase in traffic on their streets.
The city commission decided to require sorority members living at Alpha Gamma Delta to put identifying stickers on their cars so neighbors would know if they were parking on their streets.
Neighborhood residents were prepared
to ask the city commission to re-zone Alpha Gamma Delta's lot to prevent building, but when the commission passed the sorority's proposal, re-zoning became moot.
Stein said residents would try to re-zone the second lot as well to bar additional density problems in the neighborhood.
Highberger said he preferred a compromise between residents and greek organizations to re-zoning.
Sigma Nu, which sold the lot to Alpha Gamma Delta two years ago, still owns the lot north of Alpha Gamma Delta's building site.
Chris Schumm, alumni representative of Sigma Nu, said at last week's commission meeting that the fraternity planned to sell the second lot to finance a renovation.
Schumm said the fraternity's house had already been renovated and the members were depending on money from the sale of the second lot to replenish their funds.
Sigma Nu representatives could not be reached for comment.
— Edited by Saju Ng'alla
STATE
Board plans discussion on evolution guidelines
TOPEKA — Evolution could become a hot topic again for the State Board of Education.
Board members planned to discuss today whether they want to review science testing standards in place for the past two years, which made evolution an important topic for students to learn.
The alternative is a limited, internal review of how students are performing on science tests.
Andy Tompkins, education commissioner, said Kansas law required the board to conduct some sort of review starting this year but suggested a limited one, with a more thorough review in 2005.
Reviewing the science testing standards themselves would involve a lengthier process and appointment of a committee of educators.
The Associated Press
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