The Auburn Planning Commission has approved the plats for Southside Townhouses, a seven-lot townhouse subdivision, along the 200 block of East Samford Avenue.
The commission approved the preliminary plats for the subdivision, which would include two lots lying between the "The Corner House," on the corner of East Samford Avenue and South Gay Street, and Samford Condominiums, which lies perpendicular to Samford Avenue at 230 East Samford Avenue.
The subdivision is set to include seven townhouses. The city tentatively approved dividing the two existing lots into seven townhouse lots.
Forrest Cotten, Auburn's director of city planning, said he did believe the subdivision would improve both the looks of the neighborhood and its property value, but that was not the reason the Planning Commission approved the plans for the subdivision.
"The commission did not approve the townhouses," Cotten said. "It is a permitted use. They only approved the subdivision. If the subdivision plan meets the requirements, the commission is compelled to approve it."
The commission has not seen any development plans at this time, according to Cotten, who said he is unsure about the planned height of the buildings.
"All that the Planning Commission approved was a subdivision plat subdividing the two existing single-family lots into seven townhouse lots," Cotten said.
Ryan Casadaban, a developer of the Southside Townhouse subdivision, said planning was still in the works. Casadaban could not provide a rendering or any information as to the style or appearance of the townhouses.
The current land-use classification for the two existing lots falls under a division called "Urban Core III," which requires buildings be of a height of 35 feet or less.
There are currently two curb-cuts, or street access ramps, connecting to Samford Avenue for the two current developments. However, city ordinance would prohibit access from the new townhouses to a main arterial street, such as Samford Avenue.
Cotten said no new curb-cuts would be required as the development would use an existing curb-cut connecting the rear of the development to South Gay Street.
Moroever, Cotten said no additional changes to city infrastructure, sewer or water access would be needed at this time.
Cotten said, as of now, that the plans for the subdivision fit within the intent of the Downtown Master Plan, which is tentatively set to be implemented beginning in March 2016.
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