The town council voted Thursday to change part of its Northwest Area Plan from low density to medium density.

Located on the southwest corner of Green Level to Durham Road and Courtland View Lane, the council originally held the 12.85 acre section to a Low Density Residential (LDR) zoning, or one to three units per acre.

By a 4-3 margin, the plan is now planned to be a Medium Density Residential (MDR) zoning with a maximum of 5.5 units per acre.

Council members will have to approve a rezoning of the property at a future meeting, which seems poised to be a lively debate on growth issues in Cary.

"I think we've changed the plan too much," Mayor Harold Weinbrecht said about the proposed changes.

The council debated the issue for nearly 30 minutes, with each member giving their reasons for support or opposition.

(Click on the video above to see a shortened version of Thursday's debate.)

Councilman Jack Smith said he thought the development was a "fair transition."

"I understand that people may have looked at a plan, but by definition a plan is not a piece of concrete," Smith said. "It's a plan."

Smith voted in favor of the change along with Council members Don Frantz, Erv Portman and Jennifer Robinson.

Some council members felt changing the plan would put them behind on developments needed to support population growth of a certain size.

"I'm concerned that by increasing the density to even double what the low density is just puts us that much more behind the eight ball," Councilwoman Julie Robison said.