Ferguson Supervisors to Take Input on Penn State Facility Proposal

The Ferguson Township supervisors are scheduled to take public input Monday night regarding a Penn State proposal along West College Avenue.

Township planning commissioners this month already panned the concept, which would convert the former Kissell Motorsports property, 1445 W. College Ave., for use largely as a university golf-course-maintenance facility and a golf-related retail operation.

Penn State bought the former Kissell property for $2.6 million in May 2010, adding to its acreage along the West College Avenue corridor. The maintenance-and-retail concept would be meant as a temporary land use there, adjacent to the Penn State golf courses, the university has told the township.

But the reported problem, at least from the municipal Planning Commission’s perspective, is connected to zoning. In February, the township supervisors created a ‘terraced street-scape district’ along West College Avenue near the State College borough line. The district is meant largely to help foster a pedestrian-oriented climate, with street-level retail and business development.

Under the Penn State proposal for the former Kissell property, well more than half the existing building there would be used for maintenance functions — something that doesn’t fit with the ‘terraced street-scape’ vision, township officials have said. As a result, the university will need conditional-use approval from the township supervisors if its plan is to advance.

Township supervisors are slated to hold a public hearing on the matter at their regular meeting Monday. The meeting is to begin at 7 p.m. at the township building, 3147 Research Drive.

Also Monday, the supervisors are scheduled to hold a public hearing on a ballot-referendum item proposed for the Nov. 8 general election. The item — if advanced by the supervisors — would allow township voters to decide whether residents between the ages of 18 and 20 should be permitted to serve on the supervisors board. Right now, the minimum age is 21.

The age question arose after the May primary, when Elliott Killian, 19, received enough write-in votes to secure both major parties’ nominations for the Ward III board seat. Killian is continuing a bid for the position and hopes to win election in November, the Centre Daily Times has reported.

Related content

• Penn State Facility Plan Panned in Ferguson Township (July 18, 2011)