Students expressed their concerns with over-occupancy laws and the proposed alcohol special ban to Ames City Council members Thursday night at a joint meeting of the Government of the Student Body and the City Council.

Mayor Ted Tedesco said conflicts between students and Ames residents is “not uncommon to university communities.”

Tedesco said the major concerns with over-occupancy in Ames are in low density areas.

“Those areas are intended to be very family oriented,” he said.

Riad Mahayni, council member, said neighbor complaints about lack of parking, unsightly garbage and snow removal problems led to stricter enforcement of the laws. Mahayni is a professor of community and regional planning.

T.J. Schneider, GSB president, said over-occupancy in low density areas could be solved by making more living spaces available near campus.

“There is a need for the student population to live as close as possible to the university,” he said.

Sixty-one of the 15,000 students living off-campus have received over-occupancy fines, said Peter Englin, dean of students.

Student concerns with the proposed alcohol specials ban were also addressed.

Many students said the ban would not stop binge drinking; it would simply move it “underground.”

“A bar closes at 2 [a.m.]. A house party never closes,” said Kari Hoefer, director of public information for GSB.

Hoefer, sophomore in art and design, said the City Council could compromise with students and bar owners by allowing drink specials for a limited time each night.

Schneider said the meeting was the City Council’s attempt to consider students’ opinions on issues that affect them.

“This was a very unique opportunity,” he said. “Many of the issues may have been discussed before but not in this type of informal setting. This helped foster communication.”