Planning commission approves Shug Jordan commercial PDD to allow Kroger-anchored center and 55+ housing
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Summary
The commission rezoned roughly 58.92 acres at Shug and North Donahue Drive to a Planned Development District (PDD) with six staff conditions, enabling a Kroger-anchored shopping center, outparcels, a central park and a 200-unit age-restricted (55+) multifamily component.
The Auburn Planning Commission approved a rezoning to add a Planned Development District (PDD) overlay over about 58.92 acres at Shug Jordan Parkway and North Donahue Drive, clearing the way for a Kroger-anchored shopping center, a central park, outparcels, and an age-restricted multifamily component capped by the PDD.
Staff said the project is organized into three components: a community shopping center (commercial footprint 100,000–499,999 square feet, with Kroger shown at about 99,000 square feet on the master plan), a central park area, and age-restricted housing on the east side. Staff described six binding conditions: prohibition of short-term rentals and home stays on the commercial corner; pedestrian connectivity (a separated path) from North Donahue Drive to the Kroger entrance; an internal north–south public road connecting Yarbrough Farms Boulevard and Shug Jordan Parkway; dedication of a north–south greenway to link the site to Hickory Dickory Park; installation or acquisition of a minimum transmission water main to provide redundancy and fire protection; and a PDD condition restricting the multifamily component to age 55+ with 200 allocated units.
Developer representatives told the commission they have been coordinating with staff and ALDOT on access; they said Kroger would be the anchor and estimated buildout over multiple years, with Kroger timed to open near the new high-school opening. “The Kroger is kind of the anchor,” the applicant’s representative said, and the development team confirmed multiuse path and sidewalk commitments.
Commissioners reviewed staff-recommended permitted uses for the commercial core and emphasized architectural standards, no outdoor display, and landscaping. Several commissioners asked how future high-intensity uses would be handled; staff said permitted uses are clarified now but that any future uses outside the staff list would require separate conditional-use review under the PDD process.
Action: Commissioner 10 moved to approve rezoning case RZ2026002 with the six staff conditions; Commissioner 11 seconded, and the motion passed by voice vote. The commission also approved the associated conditional-use package for the project with conditions.
