Council approves Market Auburn development agreements after debate over streetscape reimbursements and construction logistics

The Auburn City Council voted to approve three separate but related items tied to the Market Auburn development: an infrastructure development agreement, a deposit agreement for third‑party plan review and a task order with an engineering firm to perform building plan reviews.

The approvals, taken as consent agenda items 8C2, 8C3 and 8C4 on Aug. 19, 2025, authorize (1) an infrastructure development agreement with Market Auburn LLC that includes up to $85,000 in possible reimbursements for city streetscape work and easement coordination, (2) a deposit agreement with LCD Acquisitions LLC to fund third‑party plan review, and (3) task order IS02 with HR Green Inc. for building plan review services in the amount of $78,000. Council members voted in favor of the consent items; no recorded no votes were announced on those specific items.

The most extensive discussion focused on the infrastructure agreement and whether the city should reimburse the developer for work tied to streetscape improvements. Councilman Griswold questioned why the city would fund improvements that stem from the developer's project, saying, "The city doesn't need these improvements. These resulting improvements...are only necessary because the developer is developing. So I'm curious as to why the city should be tasked with reimbursing them." Megan McGowan, city manager, replied that the city already has an obligation to complete certain streetscape work on Toomer/Wright Street and that funds previously collected from another project are earmarked for this stretch. McGowan said staff views the arrangement as a partnership that avoids separate mobilization of contractors.

Council members also discussed several construction logistics memorialized in the agreement: use of public right of way during construction, the placement and swing radius of tower cranes and temporary shoring/anchoring systems used during deep excavation. Staff explained the tower crane agreement defines swing radii and requires the developer to secure agreements from any third‑party property owners over which the crane would swing. Staff said denying the crane swing would likely force more disruptive construction methods such as backing equipment onto the street. The city's engineer described temporary shoring methods (sheet piles, soil nails and sprayed grout walls) and said such systems have been used on prior Auburn projects.

Council members and staff also addressed impacts on downtown parking and traffic during construction. Staff said the project will temporarily remove five metered parking spaces on Wright Street and that the developer will pay $1 per hour for those blocked spaces while work proceeds, estimated at roughly $20,000 for the duration. Staff said other traffic mitigation measures, including signal retiming required by the project's traffic impact study, are included in the agreement or are standard development‑manual requirements.

On plan review, the council approved a deposit agreement to hold funds for third‑party plan reviewers so the city can keep its in‑house plan review capacity moving for other applicants while this large building is reviewed. The city manager and planning staff said the developer pays the full cost of third‑party review (the packet lists an anticipated $78,000 cost) and that separating large projects to third‑party review helps avoid delays for smaller projects across the city.

Speakers who took part in the discussion included Councilman Griswold and other council members during the consent deliberation; Megan McGowan, city manager; development services and engineering staff; and members of the developer's team (their presence and negotiations were discussed but no developer representative spoke on the record during this portion). The council passed the related consent agenda items following the discussion.

The items approved will move forward as part of the Market Auburn project permitting and construction schedule; staff said the construction logistics and city coordination language are intended to reduce disruption to downtown operations during a project that staff estimated could span 18 months to two and a half years depending on scope.

Details of the three actions, including financial amounts and conditions, remain subject to the specific terms in the signed agreements and applicable development regulations.