Lafayette College unveiled revised plans Wednesday for new dormitories proposed just beyond the traditional Easton campus border.

But neighbors say there are still too many unanswered questions about parking and other quality of life issues to give the college the sweeping zoning changes it's looking for.

So college attorney Daniel Cohen agreed to table the plan until April. But he wants a decision from the Easton Planning Commission at that time.

The college says the new dormitories along McCartney Streets and at the corner of Cattell and High streets will help it achieve its goal to become "need blind." Increasing the enrollment will bring in enough revenue that the school will not have to turn away any student due to an inability to pay.

The college needs zoning rules revised to allow more developed area, higher buildings, relaxed parking rules, more residents per unit and to allow for dormitories in that area.

After criticism from residents, the college scrapped a plan for flat-roofed dorms and replaced them with pitched roofs, brick fronts and dormer windows. The dorms will be 53 feet tall, a tad shorter than the 55-foot-tall previous proposal.

Residents also complained about students taking up their parking spaces. College Vice President Roger Demareski said the college would agree to reduce the number of city parking permits for students from 250 to 190. The college says most students would park in a new 300-space lot on Bushkill Drive.

But residents felt they didn't have enough time to digest the revisions or their impact on the environment, parking or traffic.

"My personal recommendation is that you slow this process way down," said resident Carol Inman.

"We've only had a few months to talk about an extraordinarily important project for our neighbor and I think we need more time," said Village on College Hill representative Paul Felder.

"There needs to be a plan and it needs to be clear and it needs to be presented in advance before any possible zoning change occurs," said resident Curt Ehly.

Most of the dozen residents in the standing-room-only crowd of more than 50 spoke against the plan. Like a similar meeting in December, discussion ran late into the night with no resolution.

Some of the seven planning commission members tipped their hand as to which way they might vote.

"I think the overall plans look good," said member Charles Elliott.

"I look at this and I think it's a top notch plan," said member Robert Shipman.

Commission member Robert Sun doesn't understand why the community should bend over backwards to help Lafayette achieve its "need blind" goal.

"There's plenty of demand there by people who can pay the full tab," he said.

Some suggested the college look elsewhere for the dorms, including its property in Forks Township. That confused College Hill Neighborhood Association representative Hubert Etchison.

Why Lafayette College's dorm plan needs more work

"I think about the concept of taking a $50 million investment and telling it to go to Forks and I scratch my head at that," he said.

Demareski said the college doesn't have any sinister motives behind its plans. It offers the community the amenities of a bookstore, diner and wellness center with the dorms.

He said the college went out of its way to seek input from neighbors, particularly the College Hill Neighborhood Association and the Village on College Hill.

"This plan gives the community, the city and the college the best benefits," he said.

Rudy Miller may be reached at rmiller@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @RudyMillerLV. Find Easton area news on Facebook.

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