It's grown into one of the most controversial issues in Salt Lake City.

On one side a group of well-connected school administrators is looking to secure a new site for one of Salt Lake City's oldest private schools. On the other side is a group of well-connected and wealthy neighbors who are seeking to stop that school's plans.

The controversy spilled into the Planning Commission Wednesday as several dozen city residents on either side gave commissioners an earful. The commission, by a 6-1 vote, rejected Rowland Hall-St. Mark's proposal to purchase land to expand its campus.

The school wanted to purchase a 13-acre tract of undeveloped field currently owned by the Mount Olivet cemetery. The cemetery could use the money from the sale to subsidize its existing grounds. Mount Olivet administrators say they rejected a competing offer from the University of Utah.

Meanwhile, Rowland Hall would like the land to consolidate its education campus with a new middle and high school just west of its existing elementary school. Rowland Hall's existing secondary school campus sits several blocks west near 800 South and 1000 East.

Yalecrest area residents who oppose the proposal say it would add traffic to an already congested Sunnyside Avenue and Guardsman Way.

"Think how (more traffic) will affect residents living on Sunnyside who already have a hard time backing out of their driveways," Alice Andersen said in written comments to the Planning Commission.

Residents also complain that the 13 acres should be preserved for needed cemetery expansion.

To make the project work, Rowland Hall would need the City Council to rezone the land from open space to institutional. Also, the federal government would have to give its OK. The land was originally federal property given to a consortium of religious groups more than 100 years ago for a cemetery. The land was given with the caveat that it had to be used for a cemetery.

Proponents of the plan note it would provide a needed parcel for a new school, keep green space since the school plans soccer fields and walking paths around the school campus, which they say would be a better use for the land that is currently a vacant field.

"Currently, this land lies fallow and is situated behind an old, tall chain-link fence," Kim Hauser said, also in written comments. "The northern portion of the property is becoming more and more unsightly because it is used as a dumping ground for brush. The property cannot be currently used and is unattractive."

Opponents argue that field is beautiful as natural open space and needs to be preserved. The land could be beautified as a cemetery complementing the Mount Olivet grounds just to the north.