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HOMEWOOD, Alabama — The Homewood City Council’s Planning and Development Committee Monday night delayed a recommendation on a controversial rezoning request by Samford University.

The committee voted 3-1 to meet before the July 25 regular council meeting to discuss Samford’s request to rezone 10 lots along Lakeshore Drive from neighborhood preservation to institutional.

The committee wanted to give Samford more time to outline the concessions it made to residents to get the rezoning approved by the full council.

Councilwoman Jackie Langlow, planning and development committee chair, said even if the committee doesn’t reach an agreement, she will forward the issue to the 11-member council for a vote next Monday.

More than 100 people attended the committee meeting Monday night at City Hall. Samford wants to rezone the 10 lots — on which seven houses sit — to build parking lots for three proposed new dormitories.

Many residents surrounding Samford’s campus oppose the plan to rezone the lots. They resent Samford buying neighborhood homes and renting them out to students who bring additional traffic and noise.

They say Samford’s actions take away from the residential beauty and stability they seek for their neighborhood. “You can tell the houses they bought,” said Richard McManus, 436 Lakewood Drive. “The hedges are around the roof line.”

Residents fear the city will sacrifice the neighborhood preservation zoning for one of its major institutions.

But Samford officials say they do not seek out residential properties, but homeowners approach them when they are read to sell. They also say they maintain their properties and have strict guidelines for students using those homes.

University officials say they have met with neighbors during their efforts to build new dormitories at the western end of campus. Samford officials also say they have negotiated with neighbors on buffers, such as making trees taller, and on the height of buildings.

Samford officials offered more concessions if the zoning is approved, including a seven-year moratorium on requesting any more neighborhood preservation rezoning and for 10 years not to open a north entrance to their campus.

Samford also agreed last night to cap the total number of students it has living in off-campus homes owned by the school from 44 to 32. “We’ll have to talk to the council to understand any additional proffers they want us to make,” said Sara Latham, Samford’s vice president of operations and planning.

Councilman Pat McClusky said he wanted to give residents time to understand the concessions Samford has offered. Samford offered the concessions at a meeting last week, but not all residents at Monday’s meeting were aware of Samford’s offer, he said.

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