Auburn City Council tied in a vote to approve an ordinance that would “pre-zone” property in Water Oak Ridge subdivision on the east side of Heath Road. The rezoning would change the 41.66 acres from Rural to a Large Lot Residential District.
Ledge Nettles represented on behalf of Rayford Keel, the owner of the property. Nettles explained to the Council that he and Keel had missed the last time the council had discussed the ordinance and said he could have helped with the concerns that some residents had expressed previously.
Residents located in or near the area spoke at the public hearing for the ordinance in support of its approval. Some of the residents said that they did not have issues with traffic which other residents cited as a reason for not annexing the area.
Brad Tapley, resident on Heath Road, said he has been following the development out of concern for his own property.
“I’ve listened to the previous City Council meetings and there was things brought up about traffic and mailboxes and we have resided out there for three years now we have never had an issue turning into our driveway,” Tapley said. “I’m in support of it going to a Large Lot Residential District.”
Georgia Jones, 26-year-old resident that lives at the entrance of the neighborhood, supported the ordinance for financial reasons and said the Large Lot Residential District would be more affordable
“I can’t afford three acres, just can’t afford that at my age. And there’s a lot of people that are like grad students, young couples, just married couples have little children that can’t afford three acre lots either,” Jones said.
In response, Ward 2 Council member Kelley Griswold said that he was asked to speak on behalf of residents who were objecting to the ordinance. Griswold said that the four residents expressed that traffic and the sewer system in that area would be a concern.
“ I don’t think it is a good idea for us to be annexing and establishing entire subdivisions within the city limits that are solely on septic systems,” Griswold said.
Ward 3 Council member Beth Witten disagreed with the ordinance and mentioned that she experienced the traffic from traveling on State Highway 147 and was also concerned about the septic system and lack of infrastructure in that area.
“But mainly, if I lived in one of the houses that backed up to a development almost - let’s say 30, I think the idea was 34 - lots of septics and they start failing I would be most upset,” Witten said.
One-acre lots meets the state’s requirements for septic tanks and the City’s public sewer system does not reach this area of the City which would require the use of a septic system.
Witten agreed that the community needs more one-acre lots, but said that the area in question was part of the 280 Focus Area Study which the Council had voted to keep as rural back in September.
Moving from Rural to LLRD would change the minimum to be one acre developments instead of a three acre minimum.
After the discussion, the council members voted on the ordinance coming to a tie which resulted in the ordinance being denied. The Planning Commission required a vote of eight to one for approval at its Oct. 14 meeting.
Rayford Keel, who owns the land, has the ability choose whatever new land use for the property. The City has authority over subdivisions, but for other options of land use the City does not have authority for land outside the City's limits.
During the consent agenda, Mayor Ron Anders recognized two “major investments” for Auburn. Both are tax abatements that will provide building expansions and purchases of new Capital equipment. The Shinhwa Auburn USA Corp will provide a building expansion and imported machines from Korea in Auburn’s Technology Park West.
This Capital Equipment expansion will allow the company to manufacture large parts for Hyundai and Kia. The City expects to build an entire complex and is working closely with Shinhwa to develop this investment.
Phillip Dunlap, economic development director, said the investment will be $70 million and will provide the City with 48 new jobs.
The second investment is for SiO2 Medical Products which will be producing glass vials and other medical products for Moderna's COVID-19 vaccine. It will also allow the company to produce a new pre-packaged injector product exclusively for Moderna.
The company will build a 87,000 square-foot building which will hold $90 million of coding lines.
“I don’t like using superlatives generally, and I caution my staff against using superlatives, but it is truly a world class facility,” Dunlap said.
The investment will be $123 million and will create 40 new jobs and Dunlap said the public school system will benefit as a result.
“The big winner is our public school system on ad valorem taxes," Dunlap said. "There will be better than $1.3 million in ad valorem taxes - in educational ad valorem taxes generated of just these two investments."
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