State College Borough Council narrows mixed‑use incentives for West End, votes R‑3 buffer on Beaver Avenue

State College Borough Council members spent more than two hours debating the proposed comprehensive zoning ordinance’s mixed‑use provisions and a set of incentives intended to steer development toward non‑student and more affordable housing.

Planning Director Ed LeClere told council the mixed‑use district in the draft had evolved into what staff called “the Hopes, Wishes, And Dreams District,” with a stack of incentives that could allow much taller buildings without guaranteeing deed‑restricted workforce housing. “If you really want that outcome, remember that the market doesn’t want to build it,” LeClere said, urging clearer rules rather than a long incentive menu.

Council ultimately approved a revised incentive stack that staff will apply only to the West End mixed‑use box on the draft map. The adopted stack sets a base height of two stories, retains underground off‑street parking as an incentive, leaves mixed‑use design as an incentive (not a requirement), requires that the first incentive taken…