The Cranston City Council passed the Garden City Center Development District ordinance, with a couple new amendments, by a 6-3 vote on Monday night.

If passed as drafted the ordinance would have introduced a 100-foot height restriction, rather than the current limit of 35, but City-wide Councilman Ken Hopkins and Vice President Michael Favicchio sponsored amendments.

Ward 1 Councilman Steven Stycos recommended the ordinance be returned to committee for further review, but this proposal was voted down, 6-3.

Hopkins suggested limiting Midway Road’s height restriction to the existing 35-foot limit and restricting the strip to residential development. This area sits directly above the Hollows, the affectionate name for the community directly below Garden City. His suggestion was met with general agreement from the crowd, which at times numbered more than 50.

“We are not here today with any concrete measures,” Bob Murray, who is representing Garden City, said. “We have an established track record and nobody, the management, will do anything to jeopardize it. We have the paradigm of shopping centers in the Northeast. We’re asking to work with us in the future and we will deliver on our promise to make a more iconic shopping center.”

City-wide Councilman John Lanni Jr. argued that there could still be houses put there even if the amendment was passed, but Hopkins countered the central focus was “eliminating retail and limiting height.”

That amendment passed by a 7-2 vote before Favicchio added his own. Having heard the public comment from those who would be affected, he recommended an alteration to the height limit, reducing it to 75 feet rather than 100 feet.

“Plans for a 100-foot building can change the entire atmosphere, but frankly for those living in the Hollows, the current 35 feet can be high,” said Stephanie Powell, who had met with Garden City General Manager Joe Koechel and Murray to address her concerns earlier in the week.

“I certainly understand the developer’s need to stay competitive in the market, but the Garden City Center Development area is different than commercial areas on the south side of Sockanosset Cross Road.”

The vote on the second amendment was slightly more contentious, as it just passed with a 5-4 decision before the council voted on the entire ordinance. The ordinance, as it was amended, would allow buildings up to 75 feet in height; different signage proportions for each building and the ability to add electronic signage; a variation to the off-street parking requirements; and a slew of different potential uses, ranging from a yacht club to a wholesale bakery, to a hotel and multi-family dwellings.

Voices from the community came out in universal disapproval of the ordinance, with concerns ranging from the displacement of wild animals to increased traffic and over development.

“I’m not sure if these plans call for further development of undeveloped land, and wild animals are appearing in our neighborhoods,” Carol Fowler said. “There is an infestation of turkeys in the Whitewood Drive area. As many as four deer appear in our yard during winter. There is developed area to such an extent that there isn’t an area for animals to live in.”

Bill Katz appeared at both the ordinance committee meeting and the full council, and his worries extended into the future. He is nervous that future development could affect the property value of his home and others in the Hollows.

“Why do we want to give them carte blanche to go solicit a 100-foot hotel, to solicit a drive-thru,” Katz said. “They built L.A. Fitness, that’s fine, when they want to build more they can do it. When they want to build more, they can come before you. We have a wonderful amount of people who have been there their entire lives. What they’re doing right now can change the sharp of the residential area.”

Stycos, Lanni and Councilman Paul McAuley were moved by the public outcry. Stycos said that passing the ordinance gave Garden City “close-to-blank check,” and Lanni argued that “it’s not helping the people of Garden City.” Both comments were met with applause.

“We’re going to give these developers a blank check to put these buildings where they want without any consideration of the public’s opinion or the council’s opinion,” Stycos said. “I think this will be a mistake down the line, if it’s solid to someone else. One person’s tasteful is another person’s horrible. That’s what we’re supposed to be making a decision on.”

Council President Michael Farina, who voted in favor of the ordinance, posited a different theory. He said the councilmen were elected to listen to all parties and make decisions. The City Council had also heard the opinions of the planning department, which issued a positive recommendation of the ordinance.

The chambers virtually cleared following the 6-3 vote, with Stycos, Lanni and McAuley voting against the amended ordinance.

Mayor Allan Fung’s office sent a statement to the Herald on Tuesday morning offering the mayor’s backing of the ordinance.

“Mayor Fung supports giving Garden City Center flexibility to build out their property,” the statement read. “He has always been supportive of all businesses and the removal of barriers and red-tape that would impede their growth potential. Garden City’s expansion will continue to help our booming city to create more jobs and to further enhance one of the state’s premiere shopping areas. While development districts don’t make sense for every area of Cranston, Garden City Center is a prime example of where it will work.”