The Austin City Council gave preliminary approval Thursday to the redevelopment of student housing apartment complexes in a large controversial project know pejoratively as the "Domain on Riverside."

The council vote moved forward a zoning case for the 4700 Riverside project, which would transform five apartment complexes near the northeast corner of Riverside Drive and Pleasant Valley Road into a 97-acre mixed-use development.

The project has faced fervent public backlash from the Defend Our Hoodz group. Several members of the group disrupted the council meeting hours before the vote. They were escorted out of City Hall by police, and five were arrested on charges of disrupting a public meeting, Austin police said.

The development appeared on its way to full approval Thursday until Council Member Greg Casar invoked the highly contested zoning deliberations that surrounded the Grove, the Central Austin development that took months of debate before it was approved in December 2016.

On the Grove project, council members debated for months, Casar said: "I know this is uncomfortable, but the idea of approving this on all three readings, it just smacks of inequity to me."

The Riverside project zoning case was approved 9-2, with Council Member Delia Garza and Casar against.

Developers intend to raze 1,300 housing units on the site and build 4,700 new housing units, 4 million square feet of office space and 600 hotel rooms in buildings that could be as tall as 15 stories. Developers Presidium Group and Nimes Real Estate have promised to build between 400 and 565 affordable housing units at the site.

University of Texas student Alex Meed said because the city needs more housing capacity, he supported the project, but only if the developers promised tenant protections for residents who might be displaced. While developers did offer such protections, Meed said the timing of the hearing was unacceptable because many students who live at the affected complexes are out of town while school is not in session.

"We can't have a serious conversation about student housing without the students," Meed said. "It is a travesty."

If the apartments are demolished, current residents would be offered a compensation package and first crack at new apartments built in place of where they lived. The package includes $500 in moving expenses, full refund of deposits, up to $1,200 toward the tenant’s new lease and $500 toward a new lease if the tenant decides to return to the redeveloped complex, according to a document outlining the package.

The case will be heard for second reading at the council's Aug. 22 meeting.

Gun violence resolution

The council also passed a resolution Thursday that calls on state and federal lawmakers to take immediate action to end gun violence. The resolution from Council Member Alison Alter was in response to last weekend's shootings in El Paso and Dayton, Ohio, that left 32 dead.

"We have to shout out loud that because of the restrictions at the state and federal level, we need those leaders to take the responsibility here and now to act," said Council Member Alison Alter, the lead sponsor of the resolution.

The resolution calls on Gov. Greg Abbott to call a special legislative session to address gun violence. It also implores the U.S. Senate to pass gun control legislation passed in the House.