The Longmont City Council will hold a public hearing on Jan. 28 for a development proposal that could generate a maximum of 310 residential units.

The roughly 17.3-acre site where the project would be constructed is located south of Quail Road, north of Clover Basin Drive, west of Wildfire Court and east of Airport Road.

The land is currently zoned “agricultural” in unincorporated Boulder County and the applicant has requested a “residential mixed neighborhood” zoning.

The Longmont Planning & Zoning Commission previously recommended approval of the proposed annexation in a 4 to 1 vote.

During its regular meeting Tuesday, the City Council voted 4-2 to move the 8902 Quail Road annexation and concept plan forward to a second reading and public hearing in two weeks.

Councilmembers Diane Crist and Sean McCoy voted against it.

McCoy cited a recent community survey where residents repeatedly brought up concerns about growth.

“I am hearing derogatory terms about Longmont being apartmentmont,” McCoy said.

“Quite frankly, I’m sick of it.”

City staff indicated that the developer, at this time, does not plan to offer any for-sale units, just rentals.

Longmont has an inclusionary housing requirement that requires all residential developments seeking a permit to ensure that 12% of the total units are available to low- and moderate-income residents.

However, the requirement may be satisfied if the developer pays a fee-in-lieu, donates land to the city or a nonprofit housing developer or a combination of options as approved by the City Council.

The applicant’s representative, Ryan McBreen of Norris Design, said in a letter to the City Council that the applicant has been working with Habitat for Humanity to provide additional opportunities for housing units on the property to satisfy the inclusionary housing requirement. It may give a portion of the land to Habitat for Humanity.

If the applicant builds 310 housing units as proposed, the gross density would be approximately 17.9 dwelling units per acre, which is consistent with the proposed residential mixed neighborhood zoning district, according to a council memo.

The residential mixed neighborhood zoning district allows single-family attached, single-family detached and multifamily housing.

In a follow-up email Wednesday, Longmont Senior Planner Phil Taylor said the housing product has not been finalized and that annexations consider zoning and density but not product.

Many of the nearby residences are single-family homes.

Some people in attendance at Tuesday’s meeting who are opposed to the project held up green signs that read “More Housing Yes” but also red signs that said “More Rentals No.”

“We may not like this development but the reality is, it is following our code,” Longmont Mayor Joan Peck said.