FARGO — The family of an NDSU football player is taking the next step in their fight to keep their son and his four teammates in their North Fargo home — despite a city ordinance that limits unrelated occupants to three per household.

On Tuesday, Feb. 4, homeowner Brad McCaslin, along with NDSU head football coach Tim Polasek and a supportive neighbor, made their case before the Fargo Planning Commission. But despite their testimonies, the commission denied their request for a Conditional Use Permit (CUP), which would have allowed them to stay.

McCaslin purchased and renovated the home in May 2024, just 1.5 miles from NDSU’s campus. He and the student-athletes living there have since worked to be active members of the community, he said.

“These young men have made a significant and positive impact, not just on their street but in the broader community,” McCaslin said.

A woman who lives next door to the players, vouched for them.

“If I need help with something around my house, in my yard, I will not hesitate to grab one of these boys and see if they can help me,” she said.

Polasek also spoke on the players’ behalf.

“These guys are high achievers who follow team rules and our core values and standards,” he said.

However, city officials cited complaints from other neighbors, who alleged the group misrepresented the number of occupants in the home and regularly overcrowded the street with up to nine vehicles.

Nathan Hayes, who lives in the house, pushed back, saying the group has made it a priority to maintain good behavior.

“One of our first goals when we first moved in was to just be the best neighbors we can be,” Hayes said. “We just have a lot of structure in our lives and we don’t really have time for all the nonsense that, you know, a typical 20- or 21-year-old may have.”

McCaslin and the athletes now plan to appeal the decision.

“If there’s ever a reason to pass a CUP, this is one of those reasons that makes perfect sense,” McCaslin said.

The city ordinance in question was established in 1998. A planning committee member noted that Fargo is in the process of reviewing its land development code, with household density being a key topic in future discussions.