Residents of the Hickory Woods neighborhood flooded the Auburn Planning Commission meeting on Thursday, voicing concerns about a proposed expansion from Hayley-Reed Development.
Their efforts failed, however, after the Commission unanimously approved the original proposal.
At the heart of the dispute about the Hickory Woods expansion, there are concerns regarding environmental degradation and an expected increase in traffic.
During conversations with The Plainsman, before the meeting began, residents said they felt the city had been less than transparent with them.
They also claimed some had first learned about the project on the Fourth of July through certified mail that was either lost or sent to the wrong address in some cases.
“It was incredibly deceptive on the city’s part. It may be run-of-the-mill for them, but for us, it was a shock,” said Josh Poole, whose Facebook post raised awareness of the project. “All we’re asking for is a month delay so we can talk things over, and we don’t find that unreasonable.”
The Commission justified its decision by citing local ordinances that mandate swift action.
“The writers of our enabling legislation apparently assumed that subdivisions would not be controversial, so they put the 30-day limit that we must act or by default it goes into effect,” said Commission member Warren McCord. “We must act on it now rather than put it off to the next meeting.”
Some members also pointed out that if proposed plans meet zoning requirements, the Commission is required to approve them.
“As long as this applicant has met the guidelines, it also creates a barrier against you saying ‘no’ after this guy has met all the guidelines, therefore this body is by law obliged to say, ‘yes’ to his application,” said Commission member Joseph Aistrup.
Aistrup also let his personal views on development within Auburn be known.
“These types of wooded areas should be on the outskirts of the city or designated as green space,” he continued, which drew the ire of those in attendance.
The original proposal sought to connect Hickory Woods Drive to Kent Drive. Current residents say the connection would increase traffic on residential streets that are not currently zoned to handle a sudden uptick in traffic.
They claim they could potentially see up to 150 additional vehicles from the neighborhood expansion alone. That does not include drivers seeking to bypass the intersection of East University Drive and East Glenn Avenue.
“We love our quaint, quirky neighborhood. We walk our dog there, and our kids walk, scooter and bike so we would really hate to see the excessive traffic this expansion would bring if there’s a cut-through,” said Hickory Woods resident Carrie Lyd.
The cut-through road is also expected to damage the area's watershed and the wetlands that surround the neighborhood.
“I remember how much they [my kids] loved running through the woods, running through the creek, running over to Ivy Lane where they had friends,” said another resident Karen Hearing. “I want my neighbors’ kids to be able to grow up in a place where they can run through the woods, run through the stream, see a bunny on the side of the road and rescue the turtle that’s crossing the road.”
There has long been concerns surround the expansion and growth of Auburn, concerns that seem to contribute to the residents need to delay the proposed expansion.
“The city claims to care about the character of neighborhoods, yet they actively allow for the destruction of what gives it character," Poole said. "They also just put all that money into Dinius Park, and it [the expansion] would undermine that.”
After the meeting concluded, Commission members seemed receptive to an alternative plan proposed by Hickory Woods’ current residents.
“Tonight, we only approved a preliminary plat, so if they would like to move forward and continue discussions with the developer, that’s their prerogative,” said Commission Vice-Chair Nonet Reese. “We’ll see if something magical can come out of it.”
The Commission also approved final plans for four subdivisions totaling 91 new homes in and around Auburn. Those new communities will be located on Farmville Lakes Drive, Yarbrough Farms Boulevard, Lee Road 78 and Lee Roads 188 and 72.
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Daniel Schmidt, senior in journalism, is the assistant news editor for the Auburn Plainsman.
