MARIETTA - Kennesaw State University, the third largest university in the state, is bursting at the seams. The school topped 20,000 students last fall, but a number of nearby homeowners don't want the student population spilling into their neighborhoods.

The Cobb Planning and Zoning Board, for the third time, has recommended denying an application for a land-use permit to allow homeowners to rent to more than two unrelated people. All three applications involve renting residential homes near the campus to KSU students.

The most recent applicant, Richard R. Kuhne, wanted to rent his 2,600-square foot home in the Pinetree subdivision to a maximum of four unrelated people.

Kuhne said the two major objections he's heard is the impact on home values and "greedy neighbors moving into the neighborhood."

Referencing a study published in Business Week, Kuhne said home prices in his type of neighborhood typically haven't gone down because of an increase in rentals.

But a dozen homeowners in the Kennesaw subdivision attended Tuesday's planning meeting, opposing Kuhne's request.

"I know what happens in student housing," homeowner Ty Kataja said.

Kataja said homes being rented by students are places of frequent parties, increased traffic, parking on both sides of the road, noise at all hours of the night and litter in the yards.

In February, the Planning Commissioners recommended denying two similar land-use permit applications by Gary Binette and his son, Derek, seeking to allow more than two unrelated people to occupy a home.

"I do not see why this particular petition deserves any different consideration," Kataja said.

Board member Bob Hovey agreed.

"I don't see anything different from the previous cases," he said. "If we start allowing this use, it's reasonable to expect the use could intensify."

Board members Christi Trombetti and Judy Williams expressed frustration concerning all three applications because they said none of the applicants have told the board why the houses would be good to rent to two unrelated people.

"I don't think the applicant did his homework and the homeowners did," Williams said.

The Cobb Commissioners unanimously approved code changes in July that allow only two non-family members and their children or grandchildren to live in a home. Each adult occupant must have 390 square feet of living space, rather than the 50 square feet of sleeping space that was previously required.

The changes were originally criticized by people who said they might target specific groups, such as Hispanic immigrants. But rental homes near the KSU campus have been affected by the code changes.

The application will go before the Board of Commissioners at their planning and zoning meeting on April 15. The Commission unanimously denied the two similar applications in February.

ahungerford@mdjonline.com

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