A rezoning request at 605 E. University Ave. to build a proposed 28-unit apartment complex, known as College View Apartments, failed to get enough votes Nov. 24 to receive City Council approval.

Because of protests from neighboring property owners, the request required at least six council votes to be approved. Council members voted 4-3, with Keith Brainard, Rachael Jonrowe and Anna Eby voting against the rezoning request.

Developer Lee MacIntosh requested to rezone the former Georgetown Hospital Property from local commercial zoning to about 1 acre of a planned unit development, or PUD, with a base multifamily 2 zoning and 0.16 acres to single-family residential zoning to build the multifamily development. The 0.16 acres is home to a historic house, which was built in 1880 and would remain on the property, according to city documents.

The proposed development included several deviations from the city’s zoning regulations, including exceeding the city’s height restrictions and maximum density of 24 units per acre.

The original proposal included 33 units.

“I’m trying to offer an olive branch of piece,” McIntosh said about reducing the number of proposed units. “What we have today—the 28-unit proposal is where we’ve ended up. … That’s a significant reduction, and we are doing that to try to accommodate our neighbors.”

Several residents from the Old Town neighborhood spoke against the project at the Nov. 24 council meeting.

“A vast majority [of residents] are opposed to this [project],” resident Pam Mitchell said. “It’s not good for the community, and it’s not in line with the [city’s] codes.”

Eby said she could not support the project because of the variances to the code that were being requested.

“This corner has been an eye sore for years,” Eby said. “Something desperately needs to be done here, but that doesn’t mean just anything.”

The property has been vacant since 2010, Georgetown Planning Director Sofia Nelson said.

During its Nov. 17 meeting, members of the Planning & Zoning Commission voted 3-2 to recommend City Council approve the project upon the condition the project be modified to meet city code requirements, including height and density regulations.