Auburn council votes to omit sidewalk from Loring Avenue reconstruction after neighborhood opposition

The Auburn City Council voted 5–0 on March 17 to approve an order omitting a sidewalk from the Loring Avenue reconstruction project after several neighborhood residents urged the council not to install sidewalks and the council heard competing views from the Complete Streets Committee and staff.

Why it matters: The decision affects pedestrian infrastructure on a street that connects to Walton School and sets a precedent for how the council balances resident preferences, safety planning and stormwater/curbing needs during reconstruction projects.

Public comment and committee input

Jeremiah Bartlett, chair of the Complete Streets Committee, told the council the committee had voted in support of including a sidewalk in the Loring design, noting the street’s proximity to a school and green space and saying the context “suggested to the committee that it was an item of importance.” Several residents who live on or near Loring urged the council to omit the sidewalk.

Resident comments included:

- A longtime resident who identified himself as living at 11 Loring Avenue said three public meetings produced broad neighborhood opposition and cited limited potential for future infill or higher‑density housing on the street.

- Mike Adler (82 Loring Avenue) said only two students were walking the street that morning, that most children are bused or driven, and that curb cut frequency would make a continuous sidewalk impractical. He urged the council to save money and omit curbing and sidewalks.

- Dana Staples (32 Greenfield Drive) said she walks Loring daily and supported a sidewalk as a long‑term investment, noting it is the only street routed to Walton School without sidewalks.

Engineering and staff view

City Engineer Dan Goya explained the reconstruction will set the road to a 24‑foot width and highlighted the purpose of curbing and underdrain work: "The curbing is to direct stormwater and installing underdrain collects groundwater — by putting the curbing, it makes the underdrain that much more efficient," he said, adding that underdrain and curbing reduce pavement damage from the frost‑thaw cycle.

Council discussion and vote

Councilors discussed resident sentiment and long‑term planning. Adam Platt said he sided with residents given the lack of current safety indicators and low pedestrian use, while acknowledging future change was possible. Several other councilors—Belinda Gary, Leroy Walker, Tim Cowan and Rick Whiting—said they favored deferring sidewalks based on neighborhood feedback and cost considerations.

The motion to omit the sidewalk (moved by Councilor Belinda Gary, seconded by Councilor Tim Cowan) passed by a show of hands, 5–0. The order removes the sidewalk from the reconstruction design; curbing and underdrain work remain staff recommendations for the project.

Next steps

Engineering staff will produce updated plans consistent with the council’s decision and provide final cost figures during subsequent project planning and construction scheduling. The council did not repeal the Complete Streets process; the committee’s analysis and staff’s drainage and curbing rationale remain part of the public record for future projects.