By JOANNA TURNER

For The Red & Black

For residents, living in an Athens neighborhood could mean living next door to a house full of college students or even an entire house of fraternity boys.

Athens is a diverse town composed of students, University employees and local residents who aren’t affiliated with the school. Many neighborhoods in Athens are made up of diverse groups of people, including college students, families and older couples who have retired.

Most college students are just beginning their evening festivities when many local residents are calling it a night. The question of whether college students make good neighbors is important to people who move into neighborhoods near campus.

Kathy Hoard, the district 7 county commissioner in Athens and the administrative specialist for the University’s vice president for public service and research.

Hoard has lived for more than 30 years on Springdale Street, in front of Towne Club Apartments, a well known rental area for students.

“College students make the same neighbors as anyone else,” Hoard said. “There are good and bad neighbors of all occupations and ages.”

Hoard said some problems arise, but she handles them face to face, and of the problems are usually resolved quickly.

“Lifestyle differences can be an issue,” Hoard said. “Students who move away from home that are not use to doing yard work, for example.”

Hoard said most college students aren’t aware of the ordinances dealing with yard up-keep, parking issues and noise.

“Once people are aware of these ordinances then they change,” Hoard said. “They want to be good neighbors.”

Hoard said many bad experiences that have occurred over the years have been alcohol-related.

Cardee Kilpatrick, a neighbor of the Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity house for 33 years, had nothing but positive remarks about the fraternity.

“They are really great neighbors,” Kilpatrick said. “When they have a party they park on the road, allowing their guest to park in the parking lot so that when they leave we don’t hear them and are awakened.”

A frequent issue that comes up in neighborhoods is parking issues. Though many cars park on the street, Kilpatrick says that as long as students park close to the curb then it is fine.

Beverly Montgomery said she has lived on Cloverhurst Avenue for 40 years and enjoyed living among college students.

Montgomery said the streets can get clogged, but students are respectful neighbors.

“I just went out to get my mail today, and it is clear as a bell out there,” she said.

Pat Allen, the director of Community Relations for the University’s Office of Government Relations, says the issue of neighborhood parking concerns many neighbors.

Allen said parking is not necessarily a student issue, but a lack of space issue. Many neighborhoods located off Milledge Avenue have houses that don’t have driveways, making parking a problem.

“The majority of people who live in these neighbors enjoy having students live there,” Allen said. “What they don’t want is being awaken at 2 a.m. or trashed yards.”

“I think a lot of it is just communication,” said Hoard. “There are a small percentage of people who are going to be intolerable or bad neighbors who don’t care.”