Butler City Council on Thursday approved rezoning the proposed Ritts Historic and Architectural District to an R-1 zone for single-family homes.

Council members voted 4-1 in favor of rezoning the 12-block area in the North McKean Street area.

The vote came after several residents of the neighborhood told council at Tuesday’s forum meeting that they did not support the change and members of the planning and zoning commission unanimously voted against it.

Councilman Michael Walter cast the dissenting vote, saying he had mixed emotions about the rezoning but wasn’t necessarily against it.

The neighborhood was a mixture of R-1, R-2 medium-density, R-3 high-density and C-2 commercial districts.

Rezoning the neighborhood to R-1 prohibits converting homes into apartments or adding apartment to existing homes, but homeowners who currently have apartments in their homes can keep them.

The historic and architectural district, which has not yet been established, would require homeowners to maintain the Victorian and colonial revival exteriors of their homes. A review board would be formed to approve exterior changes.