College Township to Hold Special Meeting On Hilltop Rezoning Tonight

After months of controversy, evictions, and a bid to build more student housing, the debate over the Hilltop Mobile Home Park could be settled once and for all tonight.

The College Township Council is set to vote on a rezoning request from the developer who wants to turn the land into luxury student housing. 

Matthew Rooke, a spokesman for the Hilltop Residence Association says he and some of his former neighbors hope the council “outright rejects” the rezoning request from Lafayette, Ind.-based Trinitas Ventures. He believes the land could be a viable mobile home park again, if it’s marketed correctly. 

“The site should remain a mobile home park … not all affordable housing is the same. We’re trying to make the case that manufactured housing serves a purpose, and that it can sometimes be a bridge to owning a home,” Rooke says. 

“It’s a unique, stable community for people who need something different that a month-to-month rental. Manufactured communities allow people to invest in something,” he says. 

Rooke will be at the College Township meeting tonight and says some former Hilltop residents may be there, too. 

“They wanted to remain involved, but unfortunately a lot of people had to relocate out-of-town so it makes it difficult for them to make it to these things,” Rooke says.

In September 2012, Hilltop residents were told they had to move out by February. The former owners, Kenneth and Sharon Mayes, sold the land to Trinitas Ventures. Many families had nowhere to go. Many had moved to Hilltop because it was the closest affordable housing around and made their commute to work easier. A “Save Hilltop” movement started, and many supporters attended College Township Council meetings, urging council members to vote against the rezoning request. 

By February, there was still no vote on the rezoning request, and Hilltop residents were forced to move out. Their efforts to find affordable housing in the State College area continue on the “Save Hilltop” website. In March, a local realtor told council he was talking to investors who were interested in buying the Hilltop land and maintaining it as a mobile home park. 

Travis Vencel, Vice President for Development at Trinitas, fired back and said there was nothing any investors could do because Trinitas owns the land now. At the time, the plans for the grounds were to turn it into housing that could accommodate 300 students. Trinitas also planned a pool and a fitness center.

Vencel did not return calls for comment. 

Two weeks ago, the College Township Planning Commission voted to recommend to the council that they deny the request. Senior Planner Mark Holdren said this commission doesn’t think Trinitas’ proposal is “appropriate at this time.”

A special meeting is planned for 7 p.m. tonight at the Township Building, 1481 E. College Ave. It is open to the public.

Related coverage: 

• Hilltop Residents Voice Concern Over Potential Sale of Land (Dec. 6)

• Surprising ‘Development’ in Hilltop Mobile Home Park Saga: Is White Knight Riding to the Rescue? (March 8)

• Developer’s Plans for Former Hilltop Mobile Home Park Hits Snag (June 12)