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Residents tell Auburn council of shootings, crashes and development worries at Rio Verde mobile home area
Summary
Two Auburn residents used the meeting's public comment period to urge the council to address street safety and to raise concerns about nearby development and tree loss; the council did not take action at Monday's meeting.
Two Auburn residents told the City Council during public comments on Oct. 20, 2025, that safety conditions and nearby development are driving residents from Rio Verde Mobile Home Park and eroding neighborhood quality.
Nancy Peterson, who said she has lived in Auburn nearly 40 years and now lives at Rio Verde Mobile Home Park, described repeated violent incidents and asked the council to consider more weekend police presence and a speed-display sign. “There has been drive by shootings. There's been a murder. There's been police chases seen from my bedroom window,” Peterson said during the public comment period, and she told the council that residents are leaving and that many lots at the park are listed for sale.
Virginia Haugen, another Auburn resident, said she had witnessed a recent crash near a mobile-home entrance and expressed concern about plans to develop about 300 acres with associated tree loss, saying, “It's not going to be the same Auburn, and I am so tired.” Haugen also raised concerns about safety and changes to neighborhood character. Both speakers identified safety improvements and attention to neighborhood impacts as priorities.
What the council did: The remarks were made during the public comment portion of the meeting; the council did not take formal action on the issues during this session. The comments were recorded for the public record and forwarded to the council.
Details and requests raised in public comment
- Safety: Peterson asked for more police presence during weekends and for a portable speed display sign; she noted that speed bumps had already been discussed and were not an option for the street she cited.
- Violent incidents: Peterson alleged drive-by shootings, a murder and police chases visible from her home; she said some residents are moving out and that “there are so many for sale signs” in the park.
- Crash near entrance: Haugen said a bicycle rider was struck at the park entrance; she described stepping off 60 feet and being only halfway across the entrance when the collision occurred.
- Development and trees: Haugen said a 300-acre development proposal would remove trees and change the character of the city; the speaker did not name the developer or provide a project file number.
No formal motions or referrals to staff were recorded in the public transcript on these items. Council members did not announce immediate follow-up actions during the meeting.
Meeting context: The remarks were delivered during the audience participation section, which the clerk noted is reserved for public comment. Written comments received for this meeting were forwarded to council before the meeting but were separate from these spoken comments.
The council's next regular steps on neighborhood safety or development would require a formal agenda item or a referral to staff; neither appeared on the Oct. 20 agenda as voted at the meeting.
