My Plan to Solve the Student Renter Issues
Baltimore County is very fortunate to have several nationally accredited universities within its geographic boundary. These Universities are tremendous revenue generators by virtue of how many students attend the university and also live in our local communities.
Specific to the 5th council manic district are Towson University and Goucher College. As the next councilman for the 5th council district, I intend to employ a very specific strategy that will not only take advantage of the benefits that these universities provide but also will control the negative impacts that these colleges have within our local communities. Students can have a positive impact on a community but the can also cause tremendous problems within a neighborhood. Although there have been many patchwork ideas, I have a plan that would be more effective than any other plans that have ever been proposed solving the issues.
Students behave on campus. They do so because if not, there are consequences to their actions. However, their behavior off campus is not monitored. With regard to Towson University, I propose that we draw a Towson University overlay district establishing an area similar to a “Hospital Quiet Zone”. Once this zone is established, I will work with my fellow State employees, elected officials and the Board of Towson University to expand the University Police beyond just the campus to the areas located in the overlay district.
Working with the University and Zoning Office, we will create a database with any student renting off campus. This will develop a cross reference system to help monitor the students’ activities. As the campus police routinely do on their campus grounds, we will have the same routine of patrols in our overlay district, especially on the nights when activities are more common. Not only will this help with our neighborhoods well being, it will free up the Baltimore County police and allow them to focus on other needs in the community. The burden of student behavioral issues should not fall on Baltimore County, but a combine effort would not only control the problems in our neighborhoods and make Towson a even safer place.
The University police, with the backing of the Towson University, are the authority controlling the students’ behavior on the campus grounds. By extending their authority into our overlay district, we will expand upon a recent bill that addressed the problem. Bill 63-10 put a frame around a problem and will help with renter issues throughout Baltimore County. Combined with my overlay plan, we will keep communities inside the overlay safer and will make a lasting positive effect on all neighborhoods in Baltimore County. I will gather all the respected parties, including Towson University, the Office of Zoning and Permits, the Baltimore County Police, community and neighborhood leaders to come up with clear guidelines and take bill 63-10 to the next level establishing enforceable law violations, including expelling the students with repeat violations.
Bill Paulshock
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