The highly controversial Rio Santiago housing project comes before the Orange City Council on Tuesday night, with the developer asking council members to reverse a planning commission decision to reject the plan.

Planning commissioners determined conversion of the former Sully Miller mine would have more “significant and unavoidable impacts” than any other project known to have been approved by the city.

The land’s owners, Milan Capital Management and JMI Real Estate, proposed building up to 130 single-family homes and a mixture of 265 homes, condos and assisted-living beds for seniors.

They said it would enhance the area by using aesthetically pleasing buildings and setting aside most of the land for open space, recreation facilities and trails.

But critics countered with concerns about flooding, fires and methane gas from an adjacent landfill.

The city council’s public session starts at 6 p.m. Click here to read the full agenda.

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