A resource consent committee hearing an application for a new cafe and "therapeutic" gymnasium in the village was told any more pressure would take the situation too far.
But the applicant, Roslyn Fire Station Ltd, provided evidence it said showed there was spare parking capacity, and described the opposition as "non-scientific".
Roslyn Fire Station Ltd has applied for consent for the businesses - the latest plans for the former fire station - which attracted 12 submissions, including five from neighbours opposed to the project.
The matter was heard by chairman Cr Andrew Noone and Cr Kate Wilson after Cr Colin Weatherall was unavailable for the hearing.
The former fire station is already home to seven residential apartments and a boutique day spa business, Erban Spa, a business that also received opposition.
The proposal would mean the building's fire hall and one apartment would be converted into a cafe.
The gymnasium would be in the building's basement, and operate in conjunction with the nearby Roslyn Physiotherapy Clinic.
The building was zoned residential and the application was considered a non-complying activity under the council's district plan, but council planner Lianne Darby recommended consent be granted, with conditions including that the cafe not be licensed.
Roslyn Fire Station Ltd was headed by director Nicholas Beach, of Mosgiel, and four other directors and shareholders from Dunedin and Wanaka.
Counsel for the company, Michael Parker, said the change in activity would occur within the footprint of the building.
There was "no good reason to suppose that the noise from the cafe would be untoward".
The cafe is to be operated by Coffee Culture, and co-owner of that company, Mike King, told the hearing it ran a store in Dunedin, between 2000 and 2004.
The company had 14 stores between Rangiora and Timaru, but that number dropped to 12 after the Christchurch earthquake.
A "large proportion" of customers were expected to live nearby; an average visit was 20 minutes; the company would employ up to 16 staff; would upgrade the exterior and fire station doors, and offer scholarships to local secondary school pupils through its Coffee Culture Charitable Foundation.
Tony Penny, of the Traffic Design Group said there was a "common concern" from submitters about the forecast increase in parking.
Parking on-site would be reconfigured to provide 11 spaces, three of which would be set aside for the new activities.
There was parking capacity near the site to accommodate the "modest additional parking activity" resulting from the development.
Craig Chirnside, of the Roslyn Fresh Choice supermarket, said he understood the physiotherapy business had nothing to do with the gymnasium, and he noted that business had not made a submission.
Mr Chirnside called for a cap on the number of patrons who could use the businesses.
He said the supermarket was well aware people used its parking when they could not find kerbside parking, and that pressure would increase.
Traffic Design Group staff, when they made their assessment, had parked in the Fresh Choice car park, he said.
Rhubarb owner Helen Wright said she had lived and worked in Roslyn since 1994, and believed both traffic and parking had "increased significantly in the last few years".
The nearby supermarkets accommodated a significant number of her patrons, which concerned her "greatly", but they co-habited in an amicable way, something that might change if the parking pressure grew.
For resident Brent George, Keith Hovell said it was possible to put in "tight" conditions that might make the cafe acceptable.
"I have greater concerns for the gymnasium."
Ms Darby said in her response all agreed the biggest issue was parking.
"How you sort all that out, I do not know."
She still believed the activities were appropriate for the site, and stood by her initial recommendation the consent should be granted.
Mr Parker said there was "no science" in doubts raised about the gymnasium.
Roslyn Physiotherapy was behind the idea, and that could be confirmed by letter.
The applicant was "not putting up a Trojan horse to you here".
There should not be a space limit, and there was no need to cap numbers.
The hearing had been given "evidence" by the Traffic Design Group, compared with "reasonably non-scientific" anecdotal submissions from those opposing the project.
Cr Noone closed the meeting to the public, and said a site visit would be made before any decision was reached.
