The State College Borough Concil will hold a conditional use hearing tonight, Nov. 6, at 7:30 p.m. in the Council Room of the Municipal Building at 243 S. Allen Street. The hearing will evaluate a request from the State College Area School District to reduce its required parking in relation to the expansion of the high school north building.
The conditional use hearing will be different from the regular public hearings held by the borough council. The specific procedures and limitations for conditional use hearings are established by state law and court precedents.
Unlike public hearings, residents’ opinions and arguments will not be considered by the council. At tonight’s hearing, there will be an appointed Hearing Officer, and witnesses are required to take an oath to tell the truth and are subject to cross examination. Also in conditional hearings, testimony is limited to “non-repititive statement of fact.”
The hearing is open to the public, but opinions regarding the plans for renovating the high school facilities from members of the audience will not be valid as part of the trial.
Officials stressed that any resident comments on the plan should focus on whether it will affect the health, safety or welfare of the borough and focus specifically on the parking request that is the topic of tonight’s conditional hearing.
