NORTHAMPTON — Auto dealerships close to downtown are now banned after the City Council’s recent decision to adopt new zoning that councilor’s say better aligns with the city’s ideals of sustainability.

Though the zone change approved at the council’s May 2 meeting would not prevent the creation of a proposed Volvo dealership to be built on an expansive, long-vacant lot on King Street near its intersection with Finn Street, councilors agreed that passing the change was in the best interest in committing to the city’s values of sustainability and regenerating its downtown.

“I think it’s our job on council to codify our stated values,” Ward 7 Councilor Rachel Maiore said. “And auto dealerships in any part of the Gateway district really aren’t in keeping with our regeneration plan.”

The change comes on the recommendation of a resident petition in response to the proposed creation of the Volvo dealership by TommyCar Auto Group, which bought the 5.35-acre site at 171-187 King St. next to the Foster Farrar hardware store. The site was last home to Don Lia’s Honda dealership. Contaminated soil at the lot hindered its reuse for many years after it was vacated by the dealership in 2005, until a cleanup was performed on the site in 2015.

Despite a neutral recommendation from the council’s Committee on Legislative Matters and a negative recommendation from the Planning Board, the council unanimously voted to approve the zoning change.

“It’s my understanding that the owner of that property has filed a plan that will freeze the current zoning in place for their property for three years and has the option to file a subdivision plan, which would freeze it for up to eight years.” said City Council President Alex Jarrett during Thursday’s council meeting. “We are essentially discussing not allowing future additional auto dealerships in the central business gateway district.”

TommyCar Auto Group is owned by Carla Cosenzi. The auto group currently operates five dealerships in western Massachusetts, including four in Northampton.

Maiore was the sole member of the legislative matters committee who voted to approve the zone change, rather than give it a neutral recommendation. Marissa Elkins, another member on the committee, said on Thursday she had since changed her mind and voted affirmatively to pass the change.

“I would say I’m not entirely persuaded that as a general classification, auto retail is antithetical to our sustainability goals,” Elkins said. “It’s just, as a general matter, going to be hard for car dealerships to conform with form-based zoning.”

There are two separate areas in the city designated with Central Business Gateway District zoning, with one stretching along a section of King Street roughly between the intersections at North Street and Church Street, and the other on Pleasant Street between the intersections at Michelman Avenue and Dyke Road.

The petition was signed by 16 city residents before being submitted to the city to approve the zoning change. According to state law, any proposed zoning change may be initiated via a petition signed by at least 10 residents.

Benjamin Spencer, a Northampton resident who helped organize the petition, also spoke during the council’s public comments period last week to urge its passage.

“I really have learned a lot during this process, about the Gateway district and sustainable Northampton and a lot of our goals,” Spencer said. “I’d just like to thank you all for your thoughtfulness on this matter.”

Though the councilors voted to approve the zoning change, they also thanked Cosenzi, who was in attendance at the meeting, for purchasing the vacant lot, which has sat empty since 2005.

“I want to thank you for buying that property, because it has been a sore eye for quite a long time,” said Ward 6 Councilor Marianne LaBarge to Cosenzi. “I think I would not have supported the petition if you didn’t do what you’re doing.”

Alexander MacDougall can be reached at amacdougall@gazettenet.com.