City Council today delayed voting on a controversial rezoning request in Ridgemont until after the second district council election on Tuesday.

About 20 residents of Ridgemont (called Chicken Hill by some) and supporters from nearby neighborhoods spoke against the rezoning as it applies to a proposed condo community of 178 units on a former golf driving range behind Parkway Center Mall.

SouthStar Development Partners has proposed six buildings, including one that would be eight stories. Ten acres of the 26-acre parcel are the second district. The bulk would be in Green Tree Borough, whose planning department and council have rezoned their part and given preliminary approval to the development plan.

Irving Firman, attorney for SouthStar, describes the proposed City Vista community as an example of a "smart-growth, sustainable development that is transit-oriented" and 65 percent green space. The developer proposes planting six acres native hardwoods around the new community.

Some Pittsburgh council members have said they want to collaborate with adjacent boroughs to base development on "smart-growth" principles of higher density near mass transit and shopping.

Residents said they are concerned about traffic cutting through their neighborhood, the safety of children who play in neighborhood streets and City Vista's overwhelming imprint.

"Their population will triple our current population," said Beth Hanis, president of the Chicken Hill Caucus. "Our neighborhood looks like ants besides these buildings."

Several residents argued for keeping the former driving range, whose man-made pond has become a gathering spot for wildlife. If the land is rezoned, it would change it from low-density residential and park land to planned residential unit development.

The vote is likely to come after the second district council member is certified, about two weeks after the election, according to Councilman Doug Shields.