The Walnut Creek City Council voted Tuesday to delay its decision on whether an already approved Almond Shuey development will be allowed to add a third bedroom to some of its nine units.

The Almond Lofts project of seven single-family detached homes and one duplex was approved by the City Council in January 2010.

But Galen Grant, the architect of the project and owner of the land, now wants to add an extra bedroom to three of the units to entice young families. Originally set to design and build the project himself, Grant says now he has a builder interested who will take over the project if he gets permission for the extra bedrooms, he said Tuesday.

Each of the nine units will still be 1,500 to 1,900 square feet on half-acre lots that front Oakland Boulevard between Trinity and Almond avenues.

"The three additional bedrooms are driven by the market," said Grant.

Neighbors in the historical Almond Shuey district have been against the plan, primarily because of its size, from the start.

"I believe that every bedroom means more folks and more driving," said resident Selma King.

If the council decides to allow additional bedrooms, the parking permit -- which allows five people to park on the street per permit -- should not be given to the project's two Almond Avenue addresses, said neighbors. The parking permits are used to keep BART riders from parking on neighborhood streets near the Walnut Creek station during the

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day.

Grant said it wasn't fair to take away parking rights for his yet-to-be-built homes. There will still be 21 parking spaces for the project, though five spaces are achieved through "tandem" parking, in which the driveway of the garage is considered a space.

After Grant made it clear the additional rooms weren't being requested to entice roommates sharing the homes, which could add more cars, council members said street parking shouldn't be necessary. Eliminating it, they said, would help alleviate some of the neighbors' concerns.

Councilman Kish Rajan was the only council member completely against allowing the extra rooms, saying he was on the fence during the last incarnation of this project.

Councilman Gary Skrel disagreed.

"I really don't think adding three bedrooms is going to exacerbate or change the parking situation," he said.

However, the council could not vote this week on any changes to the parking permit plan -- which other members wanted to do -- because a vote had not been given public notice. So the council will take up the issue again at its June 21 meeting.