Auburn council tables Donahue Ridge issues

The Auburn City Council tabled the annexation, rezoning and development agreement for Donahue Ridge, a residential development planned on North Donahue Drive.

Plans for the development include 41 single-family residences, according to city documents.

Several council members were concerned that the developer, Tom Hayley, wanted to annex the residential development but not adjoining land, which might be used for commercial development.

Rhonda Powers, a resident of Camden Ridge, across Donahue Drive from the Donahue Ridge property, told the council she spoke for many residents.

“There is already an existing community in this area, and our concern is that if the council votes to incorporate only the residential area… and not the road-front acreage … that we would be open to unwanted commercial endeavors that might devalue our property,” Powers said.

Mayor Bill Ham said the council had received e-mails and faxes about the issue. Ham said he thought every member of the council would like to see the whole property annexed into the city, but that might not happen.

“The trouble the council has is whether to gain control over some of it or have no control over any of it,” Ham said.

Councilman Tom Worden asked if the council could table the issue in order to talk with the developer about options.

The council voted to table the issue, and Ham asked City Manager Charlie Duggan for the city staff to look into possibilities that might keep the council out of similar situations in the future.

Because the council tabled the annexation, the next steps—rezoning the land and voting on a development agreement—were also tabled by denying unanimous consent.

The issue will be brought up again at the next council meeting, Oct. 7, Duggan said.

Attendance
Mayor Bill Ham and Councilmen Brent Beard, Arthur L. Dowdell, Gene Dulaney, Bob Norman, Dick Phelan and Tom Worden were present. Councilwoman Sheila Eckman and Councilman Robin Kelley were absent.