The Cobleskill Village Planning Board will tackle the complex issue of where college housing should and shouldn't be at a special meeting Monday night.
Set for 7pm at the village office, the meeting is open to the public and follows concerns by Washington Avenue residents that their street may be open to student rentals.
Planning Board Chair Jamie Bautochka said the meeting will be a discussion, including public comment, and the board probably won't take action that night.
"We'll discuss definitions and places where college housing will or won't be allowed," Ms. Bautochka said.
"And we'll look at codes and ideas from other college towns."
Washington Avenue residents recently became worried when a new homeowner displayed a sign for "student rooms" to rent.
Residents on Washington aren't concerned only about their street, but also about others with single-family homes, according to Tim Snyder, who lives on Washington.
"We've seen the results of it," Mr. Snyder said. "Once it's there, it's there.
"We want to keep single-family neighborhoods desirable to live in."
But banning student housing in single-family neighborhoods could be difficult. Defining a "family" is one hurdle.
"Regulating the number of unrelated people who live in one household works in some areas but not in others," said Deputy Mayor Howard Burt.
Also to be considered are the rights of property owners and the students themselves.
"Despite what some people think, college students are people, too," Mr. Burt said.
At issue is finding a common ground that solves the problem and is still fair to all, a point that may be hard to reach.
"Everything you do has a reverse side to it," Mr. Burt said. "If you do something, there's the potential that it may cause a problem."
He hopes the planning board can find an answer, as does Ms. Bautochka.
"Everybody's got to work together," she said. "There might be ideas that come up that are healthy and good for everybody."