Residents who live adjacent to the former Rosewood Elementary site told the City Council on Nov. 6 they want any rezoning to be carefully limited so it matches the scale and character of the neighborhood and preserves civic uses.

Kim Barker, a neighborhood representative, asked the council to “rezone only as much as is appropriate with the character and scale of the adjacent properties,” and requested that a restrictive covenant be used to lock in the developer’s verbal commitments, including retention of the historic school building on the site and community use.

Speakers said the site has long been used for civic purposes and urged that any new development include community uses, preserve the historic structure and limit vehicular access to major streets rather than pushing cut‑through traffic and curb cuts onto small neighborhood streets. Sam Golub (spoke as a neighbor) and Christopher Page (community speaker) described a loss of public assets over time — library closures, school projects delayed — and warned that the neighborhood’s civic network is fragile.

On the council floor, zoning staff offered a second‑reading approval for two related items (items 40 and 41). Councilmember Duchin asked to be recorded as abstaining on those two items; the motion advanced both items for final consideration at a later date. Neighbors said they will continue to press for a restrictive covenant and clearer, written commitments from the applicant before final action.

Ending note: The items advanced on second reading only; community leaders expect more conversation and said they will continue to seek a binding covenant that protects the historic school building and limits neighborhood traffic impacts.