By unanimous vote this week, the Alpine Planning Commission rejected allowing construction of Mountainville Academy on about seven acres near 365 E. 100 South.

Now the contentious issue will go before the City Council, which is scheduled to decide Tuesday whether to go along with the Planning Commission's recommendation.

Some neighbors now are optimistic they can stop the 675-student school from coming to their area.

“We feel good about our chances before the City Council,” Mountainville opponent Martin Southwick said Wednesday.

Southwick and other critics worry the charter school will clog residential streets and jeopardize children's safety. They further note the proposed site for the 50,000-square-foot school is in a flood plain that has been swamped twice in the past 55 years.

“State law says you cannot build in a flood plain, and so the Planning Commission voted to uphold the law,” added Southwick, who plans to give council members a petition signed by about 700 opponents of the school.

Boosters of the charter counter that critics are overstating traffic concerns. They contend only 340 vehicles would come to the school - 170 for a half-hour each weekday morning and an equal amount in the afternoon.

And the school building would be positioned to avoid the flood zone, according to information provided by Mountainville backer Lori Robinson.

Highland resident Cynthi Chesler, a founding parent for the school, hopes the council will see things differently than city planners.

“My kids are in a charter school right now, and we've already given away their positions,” said Chesler, who has three children enrolled to attend Mountainville. “So we need to make this work."

meddington@sltrib.com