Auburn Council denies conditional-use change for United Rentals site at South College Street

The Auburn City Council voted not to approve a conditional-use permit that would have allowed United Rentals to use property at 2490 South College Street as a distribution and storage yard for portable sanitation units.

The proposal was presented as a change in branch type for an existing United Rentals location and would have formalized storage areas for “plastics” (portable restroom units), trailers and fencing panels. The Planning Commission had recommended approval with a condition limiting where equipment and structures could be stored, but council members and nearby property stakeholders raised questions about screening, site paving and visibility from nearby recreation fields and the interstate.

The issue drew an extended public hearing and technical questioning from council members and staff. Michael Rogers, who identified himself during the hearing as an applicant representative, described the operation as a regional distribution yard serving construction sites and events, saying the company “does not perform cleaning or dumping on-site” and that any waste removal and cleaning occurs at an off-site receiving station. Rogers also said unit counts on site vary by demand and “could be 2 and we could have 100,” and that the operation typically keeps about 12 employees associated with the branch.

Councilmember William Griswold pressed city staff and the applicant on site conditions, noting a special development standard in the zoning code that “outside display of vehicles, equipment or other merchandise for sale, lease or storage shall be on a paved surface.” Planning staff and the applicant said the requirement would apply to the areas where equipment actually sits and that a poured pad would satisfy the standard; the applicant said no paving or other improvements had been planned at the time of the application.

Parks and Recreation staff said the site is viewable from the adjacent softball complex and urged the council to consider long-term impacts on tournament visitors and the city’s presentation at a primary gateway. Planning staff noted the site’s future land-use designation as “interstate commercial” and stated that the proposed conditional use would not comply with that future land-use recommendation even though it remains a permissible use under the existing zoning.

Council members debated whether conditions could be added to address concerns, including requiring a paved pad in the designated storage areas and a screening fence along the ornamental fence line that faces the sports complex. Police Chief Dawson said he intended to support the request after hearing the applicant’s responses; other council members said they remained uncomfortable placing a distribution yard for portable toilets at the prominent gateway location near Exit 51.

A motion to approve the conditional-use permit failed on a council vote. The council also noted that if the applicant remains operating under the current, older conditional-use authority they would not have to make improvements; the new conditional-use approval would have triggered compliance with special development standards. Planning staff said a failed vote means the applicant may continue under the existing configuration and that the council could not be reapproached on this parcel for the same request for one year.

Mayor Pro Tem Anders asked staff to provide specific recommendations the applicant could take back to their client if they choose to return, and Planning staff said they would work with the applicant on any conditions the council would like to consider in a future submission.

The council’s action preserves the status quo on the site; no paving or additional screening requirement was imposed because the application was not approved.