After hours of public comment and debate Monday night, the Howey-in-the-Hills Town Council approved plans for a proposed 24-hour 7-Eleven, with one council member voting no.

The vote came after people protested outside Town Hall ahead of the meeting, carrying signs and ringing bells while urging town leaders to reject or slow down the project.

Christopher Cerqua reached out to the News 6 Neighborhood Network about the proposal. He said he worries about increased traffic, noise and safety because the planned store would sit near homes where children play.

“I mean, I guess if I was a big Slurpee fan, it would be great. But I don’t really like Slurpees,” Cerqua said.

Rosalyn Tarhaar said she moved back to Howey-in-the-Hills because she missed the quiet atmosphere. She said she was already considering moving in the coming years, but the proposed 7-Eleven could speed up those plans.

“Now, if I can move out sooner than what I want to move out, I would definitely do it,” Tarhaar said.

Mitzi Maxwell helped organize Monday evening’s protest. She said opponents have been asking questions about the project for months, including concerns about traffic, trucks and the store operating around the clock.

“There are a whole lot of questions that we’ve been asking since early February, and we don’t have any answers,” Maxwell said. “So we’re here tonight to try to encourage our town leaders to talk to us.”

During the meeting, the town attorney reminded council members that their decision had to be based on whether the project met the town’s development requirements, rather than simply how many people supported or opposed it.

Council members first considered a motion that would have delayed action while seeking additional site and traffic information. That motion failed.

The council then continued its discussion before voting to approve the proposed 7-Eleven.

The final motion passed with one council member voting no.