Auburn projects housing, jobs and rapid-ride transit funding as part of growth plan

Mayor Nancy Backus said Auburn is planning for significant residential and economic growth and highlighted recent funding wins and large proposed developments.

Backus said the city’s 2024 comprehensive plan plans for roughly 12,000 new residential units and 19,500 new jobs by the long-range planning horizon, and she described middle housing and accessory dwelling-unit policies intended to increase housing choices across the city.

She also announced nearly $80,000,000 in federal funding for the rapid-ride I-line expansion (an upgrade to Metro Route 160), which the mayor said will provide more frequent service, real-time arrival information and buses every 10 minutes at peak hours for about 14,000 daily riders.

The mayor described developments in planning stages: Copper Creek on Lee Hill could bring over 100 new homes; a large gravel-pit redevelopment near Game Farm Wilderness Park was described as a proposal that could add anywhere from 2,000 to 8,000 residential units plus commercial space and infrastructure; and an international building-products firm plans a 50-acre industrial site at the Auburn 18 Business Park (the former GSA site) expected to create multi-shift employment.

Construction for the industrial development was described as scheduled to start in the second quarter of the year mentioned in the address. The mayor emphasized regional coordination and incentives to attract businesses and noted the city rebranded its economic development division and launched a new website to attract prospective businesses.

The address did not include final approvals, detailed environmental reviews or the exact financing packages for the large proposed housing sites.