Following this week’s city council meeting, after an arduous discussion resulting in a project being bounced back yet again to two city advisory bodies, Pacific Courtyards’ developers are regrouping and assessing what to do next. The experience underscores the challenges of infill development in the historic downtown. Mission Medical Patagona LLC and builders Robbins Reed had already gone to five public hearings on architecture and made costly project modifications based on city advisory body recommendations and concerns shared by neighbors of the proposed project. Located in the Old Town Historic District on the current parking lot at 1321 and 1327 Osos St. between Morro and Osos streets, the proposed Pacific Courtyards would include nine condominium units and 8,000 sq. ft. of office space. Rezoning of the site was approved in June 2013, followed by a denial of the plans this past summer by the Cultural Heritage Committee (CHC). The project was recently awarded final design approval from the Architectural Review Commission (ARC) which concluded that the project had been substantially modified to be compatible with surrounding development and consistent with community design guidelines. However, neighbors have appealed those decisions citing the overall scale, reduction in the parking space requirements and rooftop balconies becoming havens for student renters. If the project proponents decide to move forward, they will likely return to a joint hearing with both advisory bodies in attendance to try and reach a consensus between the conflicted advisory bodies before returning to council again.