Frontier School parents, neighbors and school officials flooded City Council chambers Tuesday night for a public hearing over a proposed zone change near the elementary school in northwest Hanford.

The concerned residents showed up questioning a zoning change proposed by Carmel-based Cal Clark Farms that would allow an apartment-type development nearby and voiced angst over the possibility of overwhelming population growth, traffic and safety concerns in the school zone and negative impact on property values.

Also turning out were school leaders, who said the year-old school is already at two-thirds capacity and that it was designed based on the city’s own general plan, which didn’t factor in high-density developments in the area.

The chambers and the hallway outside were full. A dozen residents stood against the back wall to stay in the meeting room.

In the end, Frontier School parents, neighbors and school officials didn’t exactly get what they wanted, as the council — just before 11:30 p.m. and more than 90 minutes after the hearing began — approved the zoning change.

The vote was 3-1 with Councilman Dave Thomas opposing. Thomas said he would side with the constituents, as he promised when he ran for office.

But the opponents’ concerns weren’t ignored.

After hearing more than a dozen people speak in opposition, the council directed staff to ensure residents’ involvement in the process of reviewing any project that may come as a result of the rezoning.

Meanwhile, the landowner vowed to work with the school district and neighbors, leaving some hope for a mutually beneficial solution.

“I was glad that so many residents came to speak,” said Stuart Clark, president of Cal Clark Farms of Carmel. “I hope what came out of this meeting was that the residents understand that we want to be a good neighbor and we want to build something that is only going to be beneficial to the community. We will make sure that we’ll be talking with the school district.”

Pioneer Union Elementary School District Superintendent Diane Cox said she had hoped the council would delay its decision until a specific plan is presented. But she said Clark’s willingness to work with the district and the council’s commitment to ensure that communication channel was “positive.”

At issue was the general plan amendment that would allow a 4.4-acre multi-family residential development at Berkshire and Centennial in addition to a 35-acre single-family housing development north of Berkshire.

Clark said the corner parcel like this can’t be developed as single-family residences, saying an apartment complex remains the ”only viable alternative for the property.”

Linda Wright, president of the Pioneer board of trustees, said when the school was built, it was based on the city’s own premise that only single-family residences would be built around the school. “We understand that things change in this economy, but Pioneer is in a predicament. We’re at two-thirds capacity at Frontier.”

Clark said his goal is to put a senior apartment complex on the difficult-to-develop property. “That would take care of most of your concerns ... but can I guarantee that? No I can’t,” he said.

The reporter can be reached at 583-2429.