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Commission approves reduced ground‑story height for townhomes in urban neighborhood with conditions
Summary
The commission granted a waiver lowering required ground‑story height from 15 feet to 12 feet on street‑facing units and to 10 feet on interior units, after discussion with DDRC and the applicant.
The Auburn Planning Commission approved a waiver that reduces the required ground‑story height for townhomes in parts of the urban neighborhood zoning district, allowing 12‑foot ground floors for street‑facing units and 10‑foot ground floors on interior units.
The city’s zoning table had required a 15‑foot ground‑story height in the urban neighborhood district. Developers asked for relief, citing incompatibility between a 15‑foot first floor and townhome garage layouts. Parker Lewis, a project representative, said the taller garage requirement would produce “wasted space” and make the units less practical for buyers.
Parker Lewis, an engineer representing the applicant, said the project team preferred 10 feet for interior units but was willing to compromise to 12 feet on street‑facing frontages. Lewis argued that the 15‑foot standard was originally intended to support future commercial conversion and that in many built examples the required height was achieved by entry steps rather than full 15‑foot interior floor heights.
Members of the Downtown Development Review Committee (DDRC) had requested architectural review and suggested the commission consider a 12‑foot frontage height instead of a 10‑foot reduction across the board. Planning staff told commissioners that DDRC is advisory and cannot be made a required approving body, but staff and the applicant agreed to seek DDRC input on architectural materials and the building appearance during the design review and DRT process.
The commission voted to grant a three‑foot waiver to allow 12 feet on street‑facing units and a five‑foot waiver to allow 10 feet on interior units. Staff will review architectural materials and life‑safety elements through the city’s development review team and corridor standards where applicable.
The waiver applies to the specific project before the commission; other projects remain subject to the zoning code unless a waiver is requested and approved.
