A developer is proposing to build 180 housing units on land between Stetson and North River roads in Auburn. City of Auburn
AUBURN — The developer behind the Mt. Auburn Apartments is proposing a 180-unit multifamily development on Stetson Road.
The proposal, which will be in front of the Planning Board on Tuesday, would place 22 duplexes and 34 quadplexes on the land between Stetson and North River roads, not far from Center Street.
If approved, the project would mark another significant addition to the housing stock in Auburn, and would be the second project for developer A.R. Building Company, which is rebuilding a portion of its Mt. Auburn Avenue development lost to fire last year.
However, heading into the Planning Board review, staff has already recommended tabling the project until Feb. 11 in order for the developer to redesign its sidewalk plans in response to feedback from the city.
According to documents provided to the city by an engineering firm working for the developer, each unit would have its own driveway for parking, with the quadplex units also having garages — a total of 360 parking spaces.
Access to the development would be in two locations along Stetson Road, and a traffic study indicating over 100 peak-hour trips has triggered the need for a traffic movement permit from the Maine Department of Transportation.
According to the study, the proposed development will generate 92 trips during the morning peak hour, 104 trips during the afternoon peak hour, and 109 trips during the Saturday peak hour.
The property, located in the General Business zone, allows for a density of up to 17 units per acre. With 29.8 acres, the site would allow for 506 units.
Project details state the Stetson Road development would have 8,536 square feet of wetland impact and create 2.28 acres of impervious area. To manage this, the application states, the project would include two large gravel wetlands designed to treat and discharge stormwater.
Staff recommended that the Planning Board table the development review until February so the developer can alter its plan for sidewalks in and out of the property.
According to Planning Board documents, the developer proposed an alternative to a city-requested sidewalk along the southern side of Stetson Road, instead suggesting pedestrian crosswalks at the site’s driveway entrances to connect to the existing sidewalk on the north side of the road.
However, after staff review, the city said the developer’s plan “does not adequately address the city’s goals for pedestrian connectivity and safety.”
“Instead, staff recommends that the applicant install sidewalks extending from the westerly entrance of the development to the bridge, covering a total of 948 feet,” the memo said. “This adjusted proposal reduces the construction footprint while still maintaining critical pedestrian connections.”
According to staff, Stetson Road is currently under a construction moratorium until August 2025, which restricts any new work within the right-of-way.
Planning Coordinator Natalie Thomsen said the moratorium is a common restriction placed on newly reconstructed or paved roads to preserve their structural integrity and longevity, meaning no curb cuts are allowed unless deemed absolutely essential. Stetson Road underwent reconstruction in August 2020, and the five-year moratorium expires on Aug. 1.
A.R Building Company is based in Pennsylvania, and according to its website has several apartment complexes across the country.
Send questions/comments to the editors.
We invite you to add your comments. We encourage a thoughtful exchange of ideas and information on this website. By joining the conversation, you are agreeing to our commenting policy and terms of use. More information is found on our FAQs. You can modify your screen name here.
Comments are managed by our staff during regular business hours Monday through Friday as well as limited hours on Saturday and Sunday. Comments held for moderation outside of those hours may take longer to approve.
Join the Conversation
Please sign into your Sun Journal account to participate in conversations below. If you do not have an account, you can register or subscribe. Questions? Please see our FAQs.