HOBOKEN — The city council on Tuesday night approved plans to redevelop the Hoboken rail yards, the latest step in a process that has dragged on for more than a decade.

Eight out of nine council members voted in favor of the plan, saying that it represented a necessary step to negotiate plans for each parcel of land involved in the project. The next move is to enter an interim cost agreement with NJ Transit or its designated developer, LCOR. Council members stressed that the redevelopment plan isn't the final say for the property, since much of the details will be negotiated prior to finalizing redevelopment agreements.

"This is literally a beginning. It's not an end," Councilman Ravider Bhalla said before the vote.

Councilwoman Beth Mason voted against the plan.

"This plan is too big for Hoboken," she said. "I believe there is definitely a more common sense plan."

Some council members voiced concern that not passing the latest iteration of the redevelopment plan would open the door for NJ Transit to introduce a larger scale, less agreeable vision — such as a plan introduced in 2008 that called for a 9 million square foot project featuring a 70-story tower.

Councilman David Mello said that he felt pressured to act on the current redevelopment plan.

"For me, NJ Transit is shoving this process down our throats," he said. "Shame on NJ Transit for taking their eye off what they are supposed to do and putting their eye on a money grab."

An NJ Transit representative at the council meeting declined to comment, directing all questions to the agency's press office.

Other council members said the plan was carefully constructed to create a positive addition to Hoboken, one that includes indoor public space, minimum requirements for three-bedroom housing units and affordable housing.

"I believe this is good plan," said Councilman Timothy Occhipinti. "The revitalization of Warrington Plaza? I can't wait."

The council's vote came after the city planning board green-lighted the plan earlier this month and compiled 13 recommendations for the council to consider, based on a public hearing. Residents on Tuesday night again voiced concern over the proposed height of the project and how it would affect traffic in the area

Helen Manogue, coordinator for Hoboken Quality of Life Coalition, said the plan threatens the “small-scale charm of city.”

“The traffic this plan will generate and the impact on our infrastructure will be considerable,” she said.

The council on Tuesday night also passed a resolution to accept the board's recommendations. The council, however, revised the resolution to make clear that it may revisit the issue of the project's height in the future — a previous version of the resolution indicated that the council would not review issue. Also as part of the resolution, a traffic study will be conducted prior to the city entering into a redevelopment agreement.

The latest redevelopment plan, introduced in October, calls for a 2.2 million square foot mixed-use project, two-thirds of which would be office buildings reaching a maximum of 22 stories tall— 24 if LEED certification is met. Residential buildings would be up to 13 stories tall under the proposed plans.

In a memo sent out Tuesday afternoon, Mayor Dawn Zimmer urged the council to approve the plan. She said it will bring jobs to Hoboken, add affordable housing and encourage the use of public transit. She noted that the city has battled NJ Transit's previous plans for the site, one of which called for a 9.2 million square foot project.

"While I respect the voices of our citizen activists, we as elected officials have an obligation to look at all the factors and understand that a plan that is not economically feasible will put the city at risk in any possible legal or legislative challenge," she said.

Kathryn Brenzel may be reached at kbrenzel@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @katiebrenzel. Find NJ.com on Facebook.