New apartment development dominates conversation at Auburn City Council meeting

On Tuesday, Nov. 7, the Auburn City Council held its biweekly meeting.

The meeting opened with Mayor Ron Anders recognizing various city employees for their hard work. 

Ron McCurry who works in the City of Auburn's Water Resource Management Department was named employee of the month. Service awards were presented to Rhett Laporte and Stephanie Wilbanks of the Auburn Police Department, Kendravious Torbert of the Public Works Department, Catrina Cook of the Environmental Services Department and Houston Manning of the Parks and Recreation Department.

One topic on the agenda that received most of the conversation was an ordinance regarding zoning for a new apartment development.

The District at Richland Road is the apartment development that was the subject of the conversation. The property is located at the northwest corner of Shug Jordan Parkway and Richland Road. The property would sit on 30.14 acres of land.

The ordinance, which was the only one on the agenda for this meeting, required a public hearing. Multiple residents of a nearby neighborhood took the opportunity to voice their concerns about the problems that could be caused by the increased traffic and construction in the area.

Some of the other business discussed at this meeting included an appointment to the Educational Building Authority, two appointments to the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board, the purchase of 23 Dodge Durango SUVs for the Auburn Police Department and a $525,000 loan to Indian Pines Public Park Authority for additional construction costs related to Pines Crossing Golf Course improvements.

The citizens' open forum portion of the meeting included the mention of a recent Alabama Supreme Court ruling that sided with the City of Auburn's limitation of short-term rental properties.

The next Auburn City Council meeting will take place on Tuesday, Nov. 21 at 6 p.m. City Council meetings are held at 141 N. Ross St.