The future of the 36-acre American Legion property has been a hot-button issue throughout 2016 in Chapel Hill.

A developer, Woodfield Investments, has proposed building 400 apartments on the property along with commercial and multi-purpose space. Some residents have voiced opposition to that plan – instead, they would like to see the town buy the property and use it as park space.

The American Legion entered into an agreement to sell the property for a price of no less than $9 million last year. But the town had a right of first refusal for the property, which a previous version of the Town Council passed over last fall. That decision and the way it was made has drawn criticism from some residents.

So the American Legion has offered the property to the town once again for $9 million. Legion Post 6 Commander Bill Munsee put the offer before the council, once again, at a public hearing last Monday.

Chapel Hill Mayor Pam Hemminger spoke with WCHL’s Aaron Keck last Thursday and said the town would seriously look at options to purchase the land.

“I think it’s still very much a bigger conversation,” Hemminger said. “I know there’s a lot of community support behind that, but we need to see what that really looks like – in terms of financing, in terms of land planning and so we will be taking a serious look at it.”

The council submitted feedback to the concept plan, but Woodfield has not yet submitted an official application. The council would have to rezone the property if Woodfield will be allowed to build the site as it has been proposed.

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