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Planning commission approves zoning text amendment limiting new rural commercial conditional uses to arterials and collectors
Summary
The Auburn Planning Commission approved a zoning ordinance text amendment to make certain commercial uses in rural lots permitted only by conditional use on arterials or collectors as designated by the city or another governing jurisdiction.
The Auburn Planning Commission approved a zoning ordinance text amendment expanding which commercial uses may be allowed on rural lots only by conditional use permit, with an added requirement that eligible lots must be on arterial or collector roads as designated by the City of Auburn or another governing jurisdiction.
The amendment, introduced as ZT2025001, lists uses that would become eligible for conditional use in rural-designated lots including: bookstores/hobby/music/sporting goods stores; brewpubs and restaurants; professional studios; specialty food stores; community recreation centers; convenience stores and small groceries under 3,000 square feet (no fuel); mobile vendor food courts; and similar entries in the commercial/entertainment section of the ordinance. Staff presented maps showing which rural parcels are located on arterial corridors, collector roads and at intersections to illustrate where the change would apply.
Planning staff said the maps and the arterial/collector threshold were intended as guardrails to keep new commercial activity clustered on higher‑capacity streets and at rural crossroads rather than scattered into neighborhood interior lots. The presenter noted some parcels are classified by other jurisdictions and said the ordinance language would be written to accept arterial/collector classifications provided by another municipality, county or state agency when the road is not classified in the city's major street plan.
The change was presented in a public hearing; no members of the public spoke. A commissioner moved to approve ZT2025001 with the added requirement that conditional uses be limited to collectors and arterials as designated by the city or other governing body. The motion passed on a voice vote.
Staff told the commission the ordinance language and maps would be refined before the item goes to city council and that legal staff would help frame the cross‑jurisdictional language used when a road’s official classification is given by another agency.
