BERKELEY — North Berkeley’s character may change from mostly older houses if plans progress for a transit-oriented development at the BART station parking lot.

BART hasn’t put forth any plans for developments in the 822-space parking lot, but has expressed interest in finding a developer to build there. Some proposals offered by local urban planners and architects have drawn concern from some neighbors, who fear a towering development could disrupt the neighborhood zoned almost exclusively for houses.

Other neighbors, as well as housing activists, see the parking lot as an opportunity to address Berkeley’s dire need for affordable housing.

The regional transit agency and the city have been holding community meetings for the better part of a year to gauge neighbors’ feelings about possible housing going there, and what kind of developments they would like to see.

“We are really in a listening and learning phase,” BART board Vice President Rebecca Saltzman said at the meeting. “I’m very grateful that you are hearing this and discussing this tonight, because this is exactly where we want to be.”

A bill signed into law in 2018 allows BART to bypass local zoning authorities on its property surrounding stations, fast-tracking housing development. In 2016, BART adopted a goal of building 20,000 housing units throughout the system by 2040 — with 7,000 units, or 35 percent, to be offered at below market-rate.

“What I have heard overwhelmingly in all the public meetings that we’ve had in the last year on this issue is the desire for housing at this location,” said Mayor Jesse Arreguin at a special City Council meeting Tuesday. The details are important, and that’s what we need to figure out.”

Tuesday’s meeting was intended for council members to hear residents’ concerns and hopes for the future of the parking lot, and the council directed city staff to come back to a council meeting with formal project proposals. The crowd packed the Berkeley Unified school board chambers — where the council now meets — at 1231 Addison St., and speakers sounded off on potential developments.

“We live in a 1923 house that fit the neighborhood fabric for what people needed then, which was worker housing,” said Blaine Merker, who lives near the station.”What we need now is something totally different. Frankly, my neighborhood doesn’t need any parking garages, or big shared driveways; we need places for people.”

Several speakers said they would like to see the development with 100 percent affordable housing, not a mix of mostly market-rate apartments and some affordable units.

Concept proposals — which are available on Arreguin’s website — range from smaller developments of less than four stories to a “Hanging Gardens” tower with more than 1,000 apartments and a theater.

Some residents are concerned that a development such as the Hanging Gardens would “overrun our resources,” said neighbor Vicky Summer.

“It’s not in your best interest for North Berkeley to take on more of the housing crisis that’s been imposed upon us that our neighborhood can’t absorb,” Summer said at the meeting.

Some neighbors also were concerned that taking out some of the available parking in the lot would cause cars to park on residential streets, making it harder for people to park in front of their homes. Others were concerned that buildings much taller than the houses in the neighborhood would block their views.

“As you are developing this housing, be mindful that this is a residential neighborhood, not, as BART has classified it, an urban city center,” Rebecca Bert said. “I walked around since this proposal came around, and I have not seen buildings close to us that are more than three stories, maybe some with four. But most of us would like it not to be seven stories.”

Arreguin said developers could find a way to balance both neighbors’ concerns and provide much-needed housing.

“I don’t think this is a zero-sum game,” Arreguin said. “We can respect the neighborhood and have housing at the same time.”

Under the new law, Berkeley has until 2020 to zone the parcel, Arreguin said.