To the editor:
Joe Marshall’s Oct. 7 column in the Collegian, “Rental licensing
a good idea,” accurately characterizes off-campus student housing
in Fort Collins.
Most homeowners are not prejudiced against responsible students.
We have some great students as neighbors, and a few who are not so
great. The latter adversely impact the lives of many neighbors, and
they undeservedly give students a bad reputation. Tolerance is
wearing thin for blatant violations of municipal law and students’
code of conduct. It should be no surprise when Fort Collins
families become vocal when confronted with these behaviors
Marshall is correct: Rental licensing is not primarily intended
to address behavioral problems. Rather, it is intended to better
enforce long-standing laws dealing with residential safety,
habitability, upkeep and yes, the three-unrelated ordinance.
I believe that truly enforcing the three-unrelated ordinance is
critically important to preserving low- to middle-income,
single-family neighborhoods in Fort Collins. This benefits the
university by offering students, faculty and staff convenient and
high-quality neighborhoods to raise their families and invest in
their future.
Fort Collins City Council recently expressed interest in an
“overlay” land use concept. Details are sketchy, but portions of
the city might be eligible for a rental license that allows four or
more unrelated adults to legally share a single-family residence.
Inspections would assure minimum standards for safety and
habitability. This overlay concept makes sense if the public is
truly part of the decision-making process used to delineate the
overlay. And CSU students are an important public in Fort
Collins.
Raymond L. Czaplewski
Fort Collins resident
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