BATON ROUGE - The East Baton Rouge Metro Council voted to approve a developer's request to change, what some residents describe as part of Baton Rouge's last rural area along Hoo Shoo Too road.

The plan is to build a large sub-division there.

“With the actions of the council tonight, it looks like we're going to continue that very nasty, negative legacy,” Councilman Dwight Hudson said.

The  council coming together for their monthly zoning meeting. 

The hot topic of Wednesday night's meeting would allow for land on Hoo Shoo Too Road to be rezoned from rural to residential, and it passed eight to three. 

Dozens showed up to the meeting, some in favor of the change. 

“The Woodhill Subdivision will have a major positive impact on all of East Baton Rouge Parish but especially for future home buyers looking for upscale homes,” Robert Snowden said during public comment. 

And some in opposition.

“The real problem we have is the character of the neighborhood. The character of Hoo Shoo Too Road is going to be seriously diminished. This is a rural agricultural area, and for those of us who live out there that's the way we want it and that's the way we want it maintained,” resident Alfred Pickett said.

Also in opposition was councilman Dwight Hudson, who is the councilman for the area. 

“The vote tonight was not about the merits of the case, it was about politics. Unfortunately... that has costs us when it comes to development in the past and us growing in an unsmart, unsafe way."

But the proposal passed.