Alpine's City Council chamber was filled to capacity Tuesday night, and concerned citizens watched even from the hallway to see the fate of the Vista Meadows subdivision.

But after a night filled with debate, there was no resolution. The council ultimately tabled the item to be brought back at their next meeting on the recommendation of councilman Tracy Wallace.

Meeting notes put together by city staff say that the subdivision was recommended for final approval by the planning commission at a meeting on Sept. 4, 2007.

The City Council then recommended that the planning commission not continue because of public health and safety concerns at their meeting one week later.

Planning Commission then recommended final approval on Oct. 16, 2007, but the item did not come before the council until now.

When the developer initially applied for approval, the city's ordinance gave the planning commission power to approve. Since then the ordinance has been changed to allow the city council the final approval.

Retaining walls abound on the proposed subdivision, and the majority of citizens are opposed to them. It is now the council's obligation to make a decision about whether the subdivision should be held to the new or old ordinance. Either way can open the city up to legal action from the developer or aggrieved citizens.

"This doesn't make sense for Alpine," council member Kimberly Bryant said. "It is a safety issue and it is a financial issue."

Kent Hastings made a motion that the council could not give final approval because it has taken two years to come before the council and the council still needed to review it. The motion was seconded by Kimberly Bryant. Hastings and Bryant voted yea with Wallace, Thomas Whitchurch and Jim Tracy voting nay. The motion failed.

Tracy then made a motion to grant final approval of the subdivision which was seconded by Wallace.

Mayor Hunt Willoughby then opened the motion up to comment from the audience.

"You were elected because they thought you were smart," Ellen Hall said. Hall is originally from Yorba Linda, Calif., and mentioned retaining walls approved in her area and corruption on the city councils that approved them. She said she would look into possible conflict of interest between the members of this council and the developer.

"Developing is always a risk but I don't think it's fair to risk our lives," Cindi Savage said. "He has the right to make money but he bought the side of a hill."

"We elect our leaders for vision and leadership," planning commissioner and audience member Troy Stout said. "I advise you to exercise those two things."

The motion was then defeated with only Tracy voting for it. This topic was tabled until the next meeting on Oct. 27.

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