AUBURN — City officials are proposing to rezone four additional areas to the Traditional Neighborhood designation, a zoning type that city staff and officials believe will continue generating more housing options.
The four areas, previously discussed by city staff and the Planning Board, will be the subject of a “community conversation” Tuesday at Auburn Hall. The Planning Board is scheduled to vote Aug. 8 on final recommendations to the City Council.
The proposed zoning, dubbed T-4.2B, is created with specific design elements that control the physical form of buildings or uses in an area. The push toward T-4.2B became controversial last year as the city rolled out the zoning in two initial areas. A similar zoning type on the books in Auburn, T-4.2, was the subject of a citizens’ petition, which led to the creation of T-4.2B.
Both zoning types are designed to give more options to property owners, whether building a new porch, an accessory dwelling unit or addition, or a large, multifamily apartment building.
While the changes have brought some state and national recognition to Auburn for its work to address the housing shortage, including during Friday’s visit by President Biden, local residents have been wary that too much change could impact the character of more rural, single-family neighborhoods.
The zoning is in effect in the Court Street corridor and “city core” areas, and a staff memo says city officials have seen “substantial new housing and property improvement opportunities” since the change was made.
Last summer, the city began holding talks at the Planning Board level about applying the T-4.2B zoning district to four more areas, which city officials say have already been designated as “Traditional Neighborhood growth areas” in Auburn’s Future Land Use map.
During Tuesday’s forum, planning staff will discuss the four areas, which are identified in documents by letters A to D.
A is the largest at 936 acres and includes residential areas in New Auburn near Broad Street and between South Main Street and Riverside Drive. B is 19 acres in the Vickery Road area; C is 148 acres encompassing parts of Poland, Manley and Hotel roads; and D is 288 acres within the Northern Avenue, North River Road and Bradman Street residential area.
Eric Cousens, director of planning and permitting, said Monday that the proposals have not shifted much since the previous Planning Board meeting July 11, when the board made a few map amendments and tabled its vote until August. Some of the maps did feature parcels the board recommended removing from consideration.
The community meeting will take place Tuesday from 5:30-8:30 p.m. in the Community Room at Auburn Hall. Planning staff will discuss areas A and B until roughly 7 p.m., and areas C and D until 8:30 p.m.
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