Roanoke leaders want to know how best to develop more than 100 acres of woodlands across the interstate from Valley View Mall — one of the largest tracts of vacant property left in the city.

Members of City Council on Monday stressed that no specific plans exist for the Evans Spring area, the site of a controversial development proposal that fell through two years ago.

But council members unanimously agreed that a detailed guide is needed “to make progress toward responsible development,” in the words of one city report.