The City of Williamsburg’s Focus Group on Rental Properties Near the College met for the first time Monday evening.
The focus group will be meeting for the next several weeks to discuss possible alterations to the three-person ordinance. The ordinance prevents more than three unrelated residents from sharing a housing unit.
Two College of William and Mary students, Student Assembly Secretary of Public Affairs David Witkowsky ’11 and Nick Fitzgerald ’09, are members of the focus group.
“I think it’s time to stop fighting and beating up on one another,” said Michael J. Fox, the College’s representative at the focus group.
Fox is an assistant to College President Taylor Reveley.
In addition to the College’s two appointed representatives, the group includes seven members of the Williamsburg community, as well as individuals representing homeowners, landlords and the city.
“I know that you have differing opinions,” Williamsburg Mayor Jeanne Zeidler said. “That’s a good thing.”
Zeidler said that she chose the members of the task force based on their abilities to represent their respective constituencies.
Little was discussed during the meeting. Instead, the group’s first meeting served as an opportunity for the members to get to know each other and establish ground rules on procedure and conduct.
The group will be meeting on Thursdays at 7:30 p.m. at the city’s municipal building, located at 401 Lafayette St.
The next meeting is on Feb. 19.
