The Denver City Council unanimously passed an ordinance Monday night changing the zoning on three residences to allow construction of a Sunflower Farmers Market grocery store in the City Park neighborhood.

The vote followed more than two hours of public testimony from an overflow crowd that included 68 people signed up to speak.

“This was tough for me. The folks who are against it have some valid points,” said Councilman Albus Brooks, whose district stands to gain the store, which would be located on the north side of East Colfax Avenue between Monroe and Garfield streets. “But this is a great opportunity to spark development all the way to Colorado Boulevard, and we’re talking 90 to 110 jobs.”

Only four speakers expressed opposition to the project, which involves tearing down three residences to build a parking lot for the supermarket. Those who stood in opposition acknowledged the potential benefits of the development but thought the store would overwhelm the neighborhood.

Barbara Ford, who lives directly across the street from the site, said she longed for a grocery store but not at the cost of tearing down housing to make room for a parking lot.

“I’m filled with anxiety,” she said. “Our neighborhood is fragile enough. It won’t take much to make this a neighborhood of change rather than one of stability.”

Added Marjorie Parkis: “It’s like being offered a free couch, only to discover that it fills the entire living room — and it comes with a brother-in-law who sleeps on it all the time.”

However, Sean Mandel of Rosen Properties, the development group overseeing the project, said that at 26,000 square feet, the store would be slightly smaller than the Sunflower Market store in northwest Denver’s Highland neighborhood. In addition, he said his group already had committed more than $100,000 in concessions — such as limiting delivery times to the store and the size of the vehicles making those deliveries — in order to address some neighborhood concerns.

At one point, Brooks, who said before the meeting that he was trying to come up with a “win-win” scenario, asked Mandel whether it was possible to put the parking lot elsewhere in an effort to save the homes.

“We’ve entertained every possible parking plan under the sun — above ground, below ground, everything,” said Mandel, who added that putting the lot on top of the building, for example, would triple the costs.

Brooks then asked whether the project would go forward if the Denver City Council were to vote against it.

“I don’t think the neighborhood or the tenant would be satisfied with that situation,” he said.

Throughout the hearing, members in favor of the project often sat next to those opposed in what was cited by many council members as an extremely civil discussion.

“I was looking for a red flag for this, and I didn’t see one,” said Councilman Christopher Herndon. “I didn’t because I think the developer was really looking out for the community.”

At least 10 members of the council needed to vote in favor of the project for the rezoning to pass. A super majority was required because 20 percent of the landowners within 200 feet of the property opposed the zoning change.

This story has been corrected in this online archive. Originally, this story incorrectly described the size difference between the proposed Sunflower Market on Colfax and in the Highland neighborhood. It also incorrectly described why the city council voted on the rezoning.