Council approves rezoning of 1808 King College Road to Planned Residential District after public criticism

The Bristol City Council on June 2 approved an ordinance rezoning roughly 132.536 acres of a 152‑acre parcel at 1808 King College Road from R1A/R2 to PRD (Planned Residential District).

Ross Peters, interim community development and planning director, opened the public hearing and told council the planning commission recommended the change on March 23, 2026. Peters said PRD zoning requires a minimum of 10 acres, allows a mix of housing types (single‑family, two‑family, duplex and multifamily in varied configurations), and will require follow‑on steps if the rezoning stands: a preliminary plat, final plat and impact studies covering transportation, stormwater, electric service, solid waste, and water and sanitary sewer. Peters noted staff expects developers to fund any required infrastructure and that an impact study will be required once development begins.

Residents who spoke at the podium urged caution. "This second reading is a legal formality. You've already made your decision to do this," said David Winship, a neighbor, who argued council was "deciding to sacrifice and destroy" a longstanding neighborhood and invoked historical displacement of local Black neighborhoods as context for his opposition. Hunter Hills resident Joanna Blankenship asked specifically about school capacity, traffic impacts, and whether tax‑increment or other funding would be used to pay for needed infrastructure; she also said recent property tax increases made her wary of new costs for residents.

Council members discussed the procedural protections and next steps that remain even after rezoning. One council member noted that PRD zoning gives the planning commission an ongoing role in shaping the development’s layout and perimeter buffers, which provides additional public meetings and opportunities for input before construction permits are issued.

The ordinance passed on council action after the public hearing. Staff and the developer will still need to submit the detailed plats and the required impact studies before major site work proceeds. The council vote completes the zoning step; it does not by itself authorize construction or infrastructure spending.

What happens next: a developer‑led preliminary plat and required transportation, school and stormwater impact studies will be submitted to city staff and the planning commission for further review. The council’s approval changes allowable zoning but preserves future opportunities for public input at the planning‑commission and permitting stages.