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NEW ROCHELLE, N.Y. – A possible extension to allow 150 more students to be housed in Iona College's dorms west of campus for five more years makes New Rochelle resident Jim Morris unhappy.
The increase in the number of students is ruining the quality of life throughout the neighborhoods that surround the college, Morris said.
“Let Iona come up with a new revised plan of how they can improve the quality of life,” he said at a public hearing Tuesday night held by the City Council.
The City Council voted to increase the number of people allowed to live in the school’s dorm’s for two years starting in September.
City zoning laws allow the dorms to house 696 students. Iona has budgeted for an extra 150 students for the buildings. That exceeds the zoning rules but falls below the number of people allowed by New York State's fire and safety codes.
The college's planning committee — made up of neighborhood representatives, Iona College officials and city staff — extended talks on this issue for six months in May.
Resident Ann Lambert also said she was disappointed with how the quality of life had deteriorated in the city, particularly citing the sewer system.
“This is not a problem. This is a nightmare,” she said.
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