ALBANY - Nearly 40 people gathered outside City Hall on a blustery Monday evening chanting “What does Albany need? Responsible development.”

Across the street in Academy Park about 25 people held up signs promoting a walkable city, which means “lower property taxes, less congestion, better health, reduced greenhouse gas emissions, more desirable neighborhoods,” according to one sign.

The two groups later crowded into Common Council chambers weighing in on the latest developments in Albany. Solutions ranged from stopping projects until issues are addressed to encouraging denser development.

Some uptown residents want to halt several housing proposals in their neighborhoods, which they say aren’t following proper regulations, will put stress on the city’s infrastructure, and will drastically change the character of their neighborhoods.

Chief among those concerns is the height of buildings, prompting Eagle Hill resident Vincent Riguso to start the "Stop the Stories" campaign.

Winthrop Avenue resident Tim Looker spoke out against the projects, expressing concern over exacerbated sewage overflows with the six-story apartment complex proposed at 1211 Western Ave.

“I am asking this common council to put a moratorium on these projects,” he said. “If you do not, consider what might happen if these overloaded sewers overflow into the Hudson River with larger flows.”

Others, however, say the housing proposals will make Albany more walkable and help increase the city’s tax base.

Brendan Woodruff, who rents an apartment on Broadway, said he moved to Albany for a job about five years ago and initially lived in Pine Hills. He sometimes had to drive his car to work, but when he moved to Broadway he could change that lifestyle, he said.

If there is a moratorium on new development near job centers in the city of Albany, then the opportunity to walk goes away, Woodruff said.

Those opposed to these projects also question who will live in the buildings, pointing out that rents aren’t affordable.

Millennials and baby boomers have been cited as the reasons for increases in apartment buildings, with the former less interested in homeownership than previous generations and the latter looking to downsize. Both groups are looking for walkable neighborhoods, fueling a return to city living.

There are approximately 1,193 units of housing that are under review, have been approved by the planning board, or are under construction in Albany, planning Commissioner Chris Spencer said. This number is an estimate as there could be projects that aren’t moving forward. It does not include proposals that are still conceptual, he said.

An additional 1,076 units are being rehabbed or converted into housing, Spencer said.

Community activists estimate the total units are much higher, hovering near 6,000. Those figures appear to include projects completed in the last few years, or are years away from completion, including projects expected to be done in phases dependent upon need.

Councilmember Tom Hoey, who represents the 15th Ward that includes the Eagle Hill neighborhood, joined the Stop the Stories rally prior to the Monday council meeting encouraging residents to speak out and push for a moratorium.

“We’re not saying stop them forever, but let’s stop them for now,” he said. “Let’s do some smart planning. Let’s get what we need to get done, done to make this a safe and livable city.”

Melrose neighborhood resident Catina Mavodones cut to the chase: “I’m not a NIMBY (not-in-my-back-yard), I want no more sewage in my basement.”

The Melrose neighborhood and several other Albany neighborhoods have dealt with combined sewer backups for years, which occur during heavy rains when the combined sewer and stormwater system becomes inundated with water. The capital city, along with several other Capital Region cities, are under a state order to address their combined sewage overflows into the Hudson River.

Andrew Neidhardt, founder of Walkable Albany and organizer of a counter rally to show support for dense development, said the city needs to be building for its future as well as dealing with climate change. For that, dense development is the way to go, he said.

“People need options, so forcing one single type of option for everybody and trying to make our city be like it was in 1950 is not going to lead us to success in the future,” Neidhardt said. “We want to give people the ability to live near the places they want to go.”

Correction: An earlier version of this article misidentified the park where people gathered to discuss development in Albany. The location is Academy Park. It also incorrectly spelled a resident's name. The Melrose neighborhood resident is Catina Mavodones.