The Auburn Board of Zoning Adjustments voted on Wednesday to table a request to add 11 feet in height to a planned downtown apartment complex called 191 College.
The Board, lacking one of its five members on Jan. 4 leaving the possibility for the chance of a tie, decided to postpone the vote on the height variance, along with several other items on the board’s agenda.
The board also did not discuss the variance, even as several residents and city officials attended the meeting because of the proposed variance for 191 College.
“A meeting like this was a waste of time,” said Stone Ray, a sophomore in architecture who was present at the meeting. Ray was also a member of a Task Force on Growth last year. “There should have been some discussion. I know they have thoughts. Tabling things like this is getting us nowhere as far as the scope of Urbanism.”
The variance would have allowed developers to add 11 feet in height to the already 75-foot building. The addition would have made a portion of the building — part of the development’s parking garage — above the 75-foot height limit in the city’s Urban Core, which includes most of the downtown area.
The variance, developers said, would allow space for elevators, stairs and amenity spaces, including a pool, within and above the development’s parking garage, according to city documents. The total height of the area impact would be 86 feet.
“All these buildings are only as tall as the mask of their garage,” Ray said. “You can’t take it one project at the time and table it. Put your 30-year goggles on. This is what the current zoning policy produces.”
Many members of Keep Auburn Lovely, a grassroots group in Auburn opposing large developments and unrestrained growth, were present at the meeting, but didn’t get the opportunity to speak because of the tabling.
Lynda Tremaine, Ward 5 City Councilwoman, has been an outspoken critic of the large apartment complexes that have been proposed and approved in the downtown area, including the large 191 College, which is slated to house more than 450 beds across seven floors.
“I’ve always thought that 75 feet was too tall,” Tremaine said. “I’m disappointed in what we’re seeing with these apartments going up that don’t show some type of architectural style or appreciation for what I feel like everybody loves about Auburn. It’s already been approved for the 75 feet, so my question is: Why are they coming back at this late date wanting to keep adding to it?”
191 College is planned for the southwest corner of West Glenn Avenue and North College Street. It will be built over the footprint of the existing University Chevron and a parking lot along Wright Street.
A portion of the building, but not the part affected by the variance, will lay within the city’s College Edge Overlay District, which has a 65-foot height limit. The building was approved when the height limit was still 75 feet.
“Sixty-five feet is okay,” Tremaine said hesitantly. “The College Edge Overlay District, which is where this building will be built, should be 65 feet, but they just got in before the Downtown Master Plan was approved. So, when you look at it, it’s really a 21-foot variance.”
The developers said that the addition will be fully encapsulated by the residential building wrapping the perimeter of the street front, according to city documents. In addition to the stairway, elevator and amenities, the addition will also make room for more spaces in the parking garage, some of which may be used for public parking in downtown, developers said.
“I know we’re going keep growing, and I’m not against growth, but I just wish people would look at the scale of things,” Tremaine said.
p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: justify; text-indent: 9.0px; line-height: 11.0px; font: 9.0px Times} span.s1 {letter-spacing: -0.1px}
The variance will reappear on the agenda of the Board of Zoning Adjustments at its Feb. 1 meeting.
Do you like this story? The Plainsman doesn't accept money from tuition or student fees, and we don't charge a subscription fee. But you can donate to support The Plainsman.
