A citizens petition signed by 36 Freeland residents during the past few weeks asked the Freeland Sub Area Planning Committee to recommend low-density zoning for the 10-acre parcel known as Freeland hill.

Committee members voted last month to rezone it from low to high density, which prompted Freeland residents Louis and Emily Malzone to seek signatures from nearby neighbors asking for a return to the low-density designation, which allows one to three houses to be built per acre. High density is six to 12 houses per acre.

Committee members met the petitioners halfway at a meeting this week and agreed to designate the parcel as medium density, which is three to six houses per acre.

Malzone said in his opinion there was no compelling reason to change the proposed zoning in the first place.

“They could have restored the proposed zoning for this 10-acre parcel to low density and still have met the maximum county-mandated growth projections for Freeland,” he said this week.

Malzone said the proposed change would exceed growth projections for Freeland, would have an environmental impact from septic drainage and storm water runoff to the properties below, including his own. He also said development would significantly impact the character of Freeland and result in a loss of habitat.

He further stated that he hopes the Board of Island County Commissioners withhold from changing the zoning until such time as they have received a complete development plan that complies with design standards and growth projections set forth by the sub area planning committee. He also wants such a decision to be contingent upon availability of sewer and storm water hookups.

The Malzones, who live on Pleasantview Lane, became concerned when the committee voted to identify the area in its land use plan as high density.

Malzone presented the letters and signatures to the board recently during a meeting of the planning committee meeting at Trinity Lutheran Church.

The parcel in question is 10 acres adjoining the Freeland Library property and Maple Ridge, the senior housing development. The parcel also adjoins a three-acre property currently zoned rural center.

Sub-area committee member Rocky Knickerbocker said the county’s storm water plan should take care of any problems.

During an interview this week Tom Handy, a commercial real estate agent in Freeland, said he would like to have more affordable housing on the island and to locate it near the business center of Freeland makes good sense.

“There aren’t enough homes in the $150,000 price range,” he said.