Concerns over density made the difference Tuesday as Fayetteville Planning & Zoning commissioners voted to deny a request to rezone 57.88 acres from R-30 to R-22 PUD (Planned Unit Development).

At issue was the placement of 17 additional homes on The Homestead development at Beauregard and Ramah Road that the R-22 PUD designation would have provided.

Representing Oddo Publishing, Inc., Tom Hardy had originally decreased the number of homes that would have been allowed under R-22 PUD zoning from 109 homes to 101. The current R-30 zoning would allow construction of 84 homes.

Hardy had previously agreed to provide 43 percent open space and a number of amenities throughout the development in addition to helping adjacent neighbors in Quail Hollow subdivision solve long-standing stormwater runoff problems.

At the end of the night, significant concerns by commissioners over increased density, from 84 homes under R-30 to 101 homes under the R-22 PUD proposal, could not muster the votes needed for approval.

“In the quantitative analysis there doesn’t seem to be a reason to deny,” Commissioner Bill Talley said prior to the vote.

But a majority of commissioners disagreed. The decision on the rezoning request came on a 3-2-1 vote, with Chairman Sarah Murphy breaking the tie after commissioners Allan Feldman and Mike Menchinger vote in favor of the motion to deny, commissioners Derryll Anderson and Bill Talley voted against the measure and Commissioner Chet Enigenburg abstained.