AUBURN — The City Council approved new zoning for a 1,687-acre residential area surrounding Court Street on Monday, capping a lengthy and controversial shift to zoning that allows a broader range of housing types and commercial uses.

The zoning, known as T-4.2B, is a form-based code that city officials have argued will allow more flexibility for property owners and drive more diversity of housing types as a housing shortage plagues the state. However, the new zoning type has proven controversial due to a citizens’ petition that forced the repeal of the previous T-4.2 zoning for the same area.

Many, including some Monday, have argued that the new zoning type is largely the same and was created to make an “end-run” around the successful petition.

According to a council memo from city staff, “the purpose of the rezoning is to provide equitable access to housing in walkable neighborhoods by allowing residential uses at a density driven by the form, lot size and configuration of the lot with less minimum road frontage required and shared driveways encouraged.”

It describes the changes as allowing for “infill development, creation of new housing units in existing buildings, new development of housing on vacant land and limited neighborhood-scale commercial uses.”

The final reading Monday came after the council initially delayed it in order to hold informational sessions on the rezoning.

Many of the residents behind the petition group spoke Monday, including Jeff Harmon, who said the council has been “consistent in its intent to drive through zoning changes that will benefit a small group of special interests.”

He said the T-4.2B zoning contains “small tweaks,” and that residents are “going to end up with pretty much the exact outcome” that was opposed by the petition signed by 2,400 people.

Elizabeth Dunn, who lives near the new Stable Ridge development on Court Street, which was approved under the original T-4.2 zoning, called the zoning discussions a “very long painful process.”

“When do you start looking out for us?” she asked. “I’m still waiting.”

Pam Rousseau said that while the city needs some development, “I feel like I’m talking to six or seven brick walls.”

“Learn how to paint by numbers and not whitewash the whole damn barn,” she said.

John Cleveland, who led the petition process, said, “The voters of Auburn will not forget or forgive” the council’s decision.

The final reading was approved by a 5-2 vote, with Belinda Gerry and Rick Whiting opposed.

Whiting said he’s concerned about approved new zoning that doesn’t have the backing of the public.

“Zoning is long term, not something you should be adopting knowing full well it’s going to be objected to by the public,” he said, adding that he believes “another petition will be coming.”

He said it could end up discouraging development, with developers confused over zoning that could be in legal limbo.

Mayor Jason Levesque said Monday that T-4.2B came out of “taking a comprehensive approach to zoning and making modifications based on residential feedback.”

“We have taken a significant step toward smart growth within our city, promoting complete neighborhoods and boosting the development of all types of attainable housing,” he said.

Some city officials have argued that the new zoning will put the city a step ahead of LD 2003, state legislation that is set to allow more density statewide when it becomes law next year.

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