The Athens City Council on Monday passed the master development plan for the Links at Canebrake, a 296-lot subdivision to be built just south of the exclusive Canebrake Club neighborhood off Lindsay Lane.

The Links, being developed by D.R. Horton, was the subject of a passionate public hearing earlier this month where residents asked the council to require changes to the plan. The primary change sought was a natural buffer between the Canebrake Club and the Links, but there is no precedent for such a buffer between residential developments.

Despite an hourlong public hearing at the March 12 meeting, no Canebrake residents spoke at Monday’s meeting about the plan. Athens resident David Malone came to the podium to chide the council about how the March 12 public hearing was conducted.

He pointed out that some Canebrake residents were allowed to come to the microphone three or four times to speak and that some people continued to speak out about the development plan during the council’s regular session.

“Let’s not let the value of an individual’s home determine how long the public hearing lasts and how long the individual can speak,” said Malone, who was present at the March 12 meeting. “It was awful to see it go that way.”

Council President Chris Seibert told Malone it was an “emotionally charged public hearing” and he took responsibility for how the hearing was conducted.

“People made an effort to come to a meeting and were given their opportunity to speak,” Seibert said.