City could convert former Delta Chi house into official RSO house
Pi Kappa Phi fraternity letters adorn 1007 S. Main St. in Mount Pleasant on Sept. 1, 2015. Twelve members of the Greek Life organization moved in over the summer.
At least 12 members of Pi Kappa Phi are living in the former Delta Chi house, which has remained fraternity-free since 2014.
Pi Kappa Phi fraternity members moved into the duplex at 1007 S. Main St. from a smaller house in June. The group is renting the house as a room and board dwelling because the house is not zoned for a Registered Student Organization.
Pi Kappa Phi adviser David Barberi requested a special use permit last month to turn 1007 S. Main St. back into an RSO dwelling. The house was rezoned after Delta Chi was ousted from the property in summer 2014.
The Mount Pleasant Planning Commission will discuss the zoning change at its upcoming Thursday meeting. A public hearing is scheduled for residents and students to comment or voice concerns.
David McCatty is the house historian for Pi Kappa Phi. He said the move is a benefit to the fraternity. The group's old house could fit just five members who shared its paltry one-and-a-half bathrooms for nearly three years.
Their new house holds 12 people with more space and six bathrooms.
"It feels nice," McCatty said. "We have more room for things. We were even able to put in a pool table."
Mount Pleasant city government expressed concerns throughout the summer about the expansion of student or RSO housing in residential areas north of campus, working on possible amendments that could change the guidelines of living in certain areas. Residents commented at various city meetings regarding student behavior in or around residential neighborhoods.
McCatty said residents will have little to worry about from his group.
"We've always tried to give back to the community and be respectful of any residents," he said. "We have leaders across the college as well. Some did (Leadership) Safari; we had three members who were orientation guides this year."
Both McCatty and house manager Dalton Thompson said having an RSO back in a formerly notorious campus house shouldn't alarm residents.
"That was the past," McCatty said. "We're just looking forward and are happy about the future (of our organization)."
