The new student housing zoning overlay district is now a reality, following city council’s 7-0 approval March 3.

The change is an effort by Mayor Robert Donchez’s administration to “address the locations of housing units occupied by multiple college students and related noise, litter, other nuisances, overcrowding and parking problems.”

While the problems exist, Bethlehem also recognizes that, according to the supporting documents provided by the city, the new overlay will deal with the idea that the city’s student population “brings vitality and economic stability to both downtowns” – meaning center city and the Southside Arts District.

Through the new student housing zoning overlay, according to the zoning amendment, the city recognizes “that housing of college students often causes different challenges than housing for other persons.”

It also seeks to “stabilize and protect neighborhoods throughout the city by providing for student housing, while maintaining the supply of housing that is affordable to families.”

Another purpose of the amended zoning code is to “promote the development of additional on-campus housing by colleges and universities within the Institutional Zoning District.”

The last stated purpose of the student housing overlay is to “direct concentrations of housing [for] college students to locations [near] a college, and [to] where public transit services are available, [and] to minimize parking shortages and to reduce congestion.”

The zoning amendment made some new or revised definitions that apply to residential homes in the new zoning overlay.

A “regulated rental unit” is a home or apartment occupied by three or more, but not more than five, unrelated people under one rental agreement.

A “student home,” subject to the maximum occupancy limits set forth in the amendment, is a home or apartment occupied by three or more students but not more than five and who are 18-years old or older, who are not related to each other and each of whom is enrolled at an official degree granting college or university.

Just because students live in a house or apartment does mean that it is a “student home” under the new zoning overlay. That depends on how many students live there.

“A [house or apartment] occupied by [one or two] college students shall be treated the same as any other housing unit of the same housing type, and shall not be considered a Student Home,” according to the newly amended zoning code.

To be a “student home,” the house or apartment must be the residence only students enrolled in degree-granting college or university.

The legal definition of “student home” does not apply to the homes or apartments of college students living within the Institutional Zoning District which are the districts where colleges and universities may be located.

In other business, City Council ended with a 0-7 vote developer Abraham Atiyeh’s quest to rezone his property at Center Street and Dewberry Avenue in order to build a grocery store on the property.

Donchez reported that as of March 1 the city has had 6,705 cases of COVID-19 resulting in 99 deaths. He said 14,637 people have been vaccinated, but second shots of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine may have to be postponed because of a shortage of the Moderna brand vaccine. He said that he would know more about that possibly soon.

Donchez said the Bethlehem Health Bureau is working with Bethlehem Area School District Superintendent Dr. Joseph Roy on a school reopening plan.

The Bethlehem Health Bureau is working with Northeast Ministries (now officially Northeast Community Center) to vaccinate residents.

“We have vaccinated 10 senior living facilities in Bethlehem during February,” said Donchez. He said they should get their second dose in March.

“That was a big accomplishment at the high-rises throughout the city,” said Donchez.