Council approves PDD overlay for Wright’s Mill Road subdivision after developer revises plan to 19 lots

The Auburn City Council on Sept. 16 approved a plan development district (PDD) overlay on roughly 10.1 acres on the west side of Wright’s Mill Road just south of Interstate 85, clearing the way for a fee‑simple single‑family subdivision the applicant revised to 19 lots.

The Planning Commission had unanimously recommended the overlay at its Aug. 14 meeting after the applicant submitted a PDD plan. Developer representatives told the council the project would provide internal public streets and remove direct driveway access to Wright’s Mill Road; the plan was revised from 21 lots to 19 to widen lots and increase the likely price point, which the applicant stated would help reduce crime concerns expressed by one public speaker.

The public hearing included a resident who expressed concerns about traffic, school-bus access, and crime in the nearby neighborhood; the developer representative said the project would consist of fee‑simple single‑family lots with internal public streets and no duplexes. Council members praised the developer for adding the PDD overlay and said the plan fit the land-use plan. One councilmember noted the PDD runs with the land (the overlay remains if ownership changes).

Why it matters: The PDD approval transforms the zoning framework for the parcel and sets development standards (lot layout, street access) that will guide subdivision and permitting. Staff and the developer emphasized internal streets rather than driveway access to the arterial as a traffic-safety measure.

Next steps: The developer may proceed with detailed subdivision engineering and permitting consistent with the approved PDD overlay.