A property owner has withdrawn an application to rezone the former Gearhart Elementary School for an 8.5-acre project that would have included housing.

Carrie Richter, an attorney at the Portland-based firm Bateman Seidel that represents property owners Scofi Gearhart LLC, withdrew the zone change request from any further consideration in an April 24 letter to Garrett Phillips, the city’s interim city planner.

The school was one of four sold by the Seaside School District as students moved to a new campus outside of the tsunami inundation zone.

Robert and Timi Morey, through Scofi Gearhart LLC, purchased the school and adjacent lot in late 2020 from the school district for $400,000. Independent of the purchase, the Morey Family Foundation made a $100,000 donation to be used for educational purposes to the school district.

At a Planning Commission meeting in April, owners said they hoped to preserve the school, provide needed housing and create an attractive entrance to the city from U.S. Highway 101.

In seeking a zone change from Public/Semi-public to Residential Zone R-2, owners sought approval that could have brought up to 30 new housing units on the property.

The plan would have converted the former 24,000-square-foot school into a single-family residence and reconfigured the two adjacent properties to accommodate medium-density residential housing.

Public opposition and questions from planning commissioners led to a recommendation of denial.

Commissioners and residents urged the Moreys to drop the application and turn to public input for future plans.

The Planning Commission unanimously denied the zoning request.

On Monday, Robert Morey declined additional comment.