Richardson ISD officials have scrapped plans to build a new White Rock-area elementary school as they continue to search for the best way to address overcrowding in Lake Highlands, district officials said.

After months of discussions to figure out a way to address overcrowding, particularly at White Rock Elementary, the board had moved forward with a plan to build a new White Rock-area elementary school. But after fierce pushback from the community, district officials announced earlier this month they were "no longer pursuing" the site to address enrollment growth.

At a board meeting, interim Superintendent Jeannie Stone said the district was indefinitely suspending the plan to build a new elementary school at the intersection of White Rock Trail and Walnut Hill Lane to alleviate overcrowding at nearby White Rock Elementary.

"It's important that the White Rock community be part of the solution to address enrollment growth at White Rock Elementary," Stone said. "The site at White Rock Trail has been a divisive issue, and I'd like our focus to be on working with our community and planning consultants to identify a solution that addresses growth in a way that lets us move forward together."

Richardson ISD's proposed elementary school at intersection of White Rock Trail and Walnut Hill Lane was controversial among community members. (Courtesy/Richardson ISD)

Community members have been divided over the location of the new school, with opponents saying they were concerned about the size of the school, children's safety, traffic, parking and the cost to taxpayers.

The new school also would have forced the board to draw new boundary lines from the existing boundaries of White Rock Elementary, something many families have vehemently opposed, saying they believe the new lines would split neighborhoods.

Rahul Yodh, a resident who led a group opposed to the location of the new school, said he was pleased by the district's decision to no longer pursue the site.

"It should now be abundantly clear that our community does not support a school at White Rock Trail. The site was not safe, was not walkable and would have been a significant traffic problem for our community," he said in a statement.

But other residents who had supported the district's plan said that while the location isn't perfect, it was the only viable option to alleviate an overcrowding problem that is expected to worsen.

Here's the Richardson ISD elementary school-by-school enrollment.

A statement from district officials said there are "no plans or intent" to submit an application to the city of Dallas for a building permit. The district had already submitted a permit to tear down the existing structure but said they plan only to bring the site up to code and then leave the land unused.

"The only way RISD would utilize the White Rock Trail site for a school is if the community supported it as part of the growth planning process," district officials said in a statement.

In September, Stone paused the project to get more community input, as well as engage a consulting firm to help create new attendance boundaries.

In a letter to the district, Stone said she had been "troubled by how the issue divided many in the White Rock community."

The district is working with the consulting firm to come up with a new plan, though it's likely the district will face challenges accommodating students for next school year. White Rock Elementary is expected to be at 111 percent of its 912-student capacity in five years.

Stone said the district was working in the short term to accommodate White Rock elementary students, including members of the incoming kindergarten class. It was not clear what those short-term plans were, though officials said those details would be released by the end of the semester.