The latest attempt to "pave paradise and put up a parking lot" will unfold in the Auburn City Council meeting at the municipal complex on Ross Street Tuesday night at 7:30 p.m.The "tree-hugging" Davids will face off with the "Evil Developer" Goliaths in a life or death struggle for Auburn's playground.
Stereotypes and hyperbole aside, here's the scoop:
The Cleveland Brothers--one of Auburn's most prolific real estate development outfits--have bought a big chunk of land next to Shell Toomer Parkway and want to build houses there--lots of houses.
As currently zoned, they could only build 90-100 houses on the land. They want the property rezoned to an LDD zone, a zone that allows hundreds of houses, condos and "zero lot-line" row-houses as well as single-family dwellings.
Plans submitted to the planning commission as part of a development agreement, a contract with the city that insures that the the necessary infrastructure (roads, water, fire protection, etc.) is in available, showed just over 200 lots.
In a citizens' meeting a few weeks ago, the developer Billy Cleveland told a group that included Auburn City Council member Gene Dulaney, "We never planned to put more than 200-300" units on the property.
But, in an August 22 email obtained by Access Auburn to then city council candidate Terry Rodriguez, Cleveland stated, "We hope to be able to have between 400 and 500 units."
The requested LDD rezoning would permit nearly 600 units on the 289 acre plot without further council permission.
The opposition is well organized and is urging all concerned Auburn residents to turn out for the Council meeting on Tuesday night. They are also urging everyone to email the city council to ask the rezoning be rejected.
