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Auburn planning commission balks at Cox Road prezoning, approves PDD to lock lower density
Summary
A request to pre-zone about 36–37 acres on Cox Road to DDH drew resident objections and commission debate; commissioners rejected the initial prezoning motion but approved a PDD overlay to lock the project at 89 lots and will forward rezoning to city council in December.
The Auburn Planning Commission on Nov. 1 rejected a motion to pre-zone roughly 36–37 acres along Cox Road from rural to Development District Housing (DDH) after public speakers and commissioners raised concerns about infrastructure and plan consistency, then approved a separate planned-development (PDD) overlay that would lock a lower density if the project proceeds.
Staff told commissioners the site is designated rural in the city’s adopted future land use plan and that constraints including sewer access, floodplain and school proximity informed that designation. “There is sewer to the southwest, but the applicant will be required to get the easement to install gravity sewer,” a city engineer said during the meeting.
Resident Ann Whitney, whose home at 2611 Cox Road sits directly across the street from the proposed development, said she had been told previously by council that the area would remain rural and asked what had changed. “I did not buy the property 11 years ago to…be in that kind of situation,” Whitney said, urging commissioners to preserve the area’s rural character.
Brett Basquin of the Foresight Group, representing the applicant, said the current proposal covers 37 acres and 89 lots—about 2.5 units per acre—and stressed it includes about 50% open space and planned sewer and water connections. “This is 37 acres and 89 lots… It’s about 2 and a half units an acre,” Basquin said.
Commissioners debated the role of the future land use plan. One commissioner said, “If you don't like the plan, change the plan,” arguing that applicants are permitted to submit proposals that differ from the plan. Another emphasized that the plan should guide rezoning decisions and that staff had deliberately left the area rural when the plan was adopted due to utilities and road-capacity concerns.
A motion to approve the initial prezoning request for RZ2025020 failed after commissioners voiced opposition. Separately, the commission approved a PDD prezoning overlay intended to lock the project at 89 lots on the 37 acres; staff said the rezoning decision will move to the city council’s second meeting in December.
What’s next The PDD prezoning approved by the commission will be considered by the city council in December. Any future approvals that depend on easements, final engineering or changes to the future land use plan will require separate actions and reviews.
