When the Hermitage commissioners adopted a new city zoning map in 1991, officials decided to keep the area along North Hermitage Road just north of East State Street institutional to protect the Hermitage school buildings along there, said Commissioner James "Pat" White.

The district might want to expand or use the land for other purposes, White said of the reasoning.

Over the years, commissioners have chipped away at the zone, allowing commercial development.

While White has been against rezoning land in that area in the past, he said he believes the commissioners had set a precedent by doing so.