Butler residents Tuesday voiced overwhelming opposition to zoning changes in the proposed Ritts Historic and Architectural District.

A majority of the residents of the proposed 12-block district in the North McKean Street area who attended a City Council hearing said they do not support rezoning the area for single-family homes only.

The hearing, which was held before council’s forum meeting, was conducted to accept comments on rezoning the entire area — which now consists of R-1 low-density residential, R-2 medium density residential, R-3 high-density residential and C-2 central business zones — to R-1, which primarily permits single-family housing.

Members of the planning and zoning commission said they unanimously voted against recommending the rezoning at a recent meeting. They also said the city could create the historic and architectural district without rezoning the area.

North McKean Street resident Martin O’Brien said the R-1 zone places too many restrictions on how residents can use their properties and amending the zoning ordinance would not address the city’s illegal drug use problem.

“This ordinance is not the answer to the Butler drug problem,” O’Brien said.

Chuck Davey and Kevin Caparosa, who led the effort to create the district and rezone the area, were the only two people who attended the hearing to speak in favor of it.

Davey said the changes would increase property values and stabilize the neighborhood, but acknowledged that 72 percent of the homes in the area are occupied by the owners.

Caparosa said homes with apartments would be grandfathered and allowed to remain, but the rezoning would prohibit creating more apartments in the future.

He said many homes in the neighborhood that had apartments have been converted back to single-family homes.

“It seems to be a solution looking for a problem,” said Bob Dandoy of North McKean Street.

Rezoning isn’t needed if homes with apartments are being converted to single-family homes and it wouldn’t address the city’s problem with absentee landlords, Dandoy said.

Other residents said creating the historic and architectural district is a good idea, but rezoning the neighborhood to R-1 would result in higher home prices that would prevent young buyers from moving in.

Some said they bought their homes in the neighborhood because they have apartments and the income from those rentals is what made the home affordable.

John Mossman, of a member of the planning and zoning commission, said the commission unanimously voted against the rezoning and recommended keeping the R-1 zone intact and changing the rest of the neighborhood to R-2, which allows for duplexes.

He said zoning ordinance rules for lot sizes and parking make it impossible to convert the majority of houses in the neighborhood to multifamily dwellings.

Jill Krause, another commission member, said the city could create the district without rezoning the neighborhood.

Mayor Ben Smith said the rezoning was the only issue before council and creating the district would require more study.

He indicated that he agreed with the commission’s recommendation. He said zoning regulations would prohibit converting homes to multifamily dwellings.

Council members will vote on the proposed ordinance at Thursday’s regular meeting.