BY DANIEL SCHMIDT
FOR THE OBSERVER
AUBURN — For the second time in as many meetings, the Auburn City Council on Oct. 21 postponed a series of votes that would determine the future of a massive mixed-use development on the city’s northern outskirts.
Now, the future of Greenwood Village – which features 146 single-family homes, two commercial lots and roughly 21 acres of green space on W. Farmville Road – will remain up in the air until at least Nov. 18.
While the council did not provide extensive reasoning as to why they were postponing the vote, the Planning Commission recommended denial on one of the three votes associated with the project. The commission also voted to recommend approval for a second item connected to Greenwood Village by a 5-4 margin.
At the top of the list of agenda items postponed until the council’s second meeting in November were to proposal to pre-zone 53.5 acres from rural to development district housing and pre-zone that same tract of land as a planned development district.
The Planning Commission voted to recommend denying approval of pre-zoning the property from rural to development district housing since the city’s future land use map designates the property as rural. That designation allows for a single-family home to be built on lots that are at least three acres.
Under the current proposal, single-family homes in Greenwood Village would be built on lots averaging just over 0.2 acres in size. The proposed site also sits directly across the road from Woodland Pines Elementary School, which serves 358 kindergarten through second-grade students according to Public School Review.
If approved next month, the city would also enter a public infrastructure agreement with 68V Greenwood Village 2026 that would require the developer to help fund a portion of the improvements to Pepperwood Trail and the intersection of Farmville Road and North Donahue Drive.
In addition to those road improvements, the developer would have to acquire drainage and utility easements to the existing sanitary sewer system south of Farmville Road, dedicate those easements to the city and construct a gravity sanitary sewer pipe.
In other business
- The council approved a $75,000 contract with Barge Design Solutions for sewer collection system modeling services.
- The council approved a $129,575 contract with Bibliotheca to purchase equipment and associated supporting technology for the Boykin-Donahue Campus Library.
- The council approved a $99,228 contract with Clark Equipment Company to purchase a Bobcat E60 R2-Series Compact Excavator for the Water Resource Management Department.
- The council approved a $95,966 contract with Dell Marketing for Dell VxRail licensing and support renewal.
- The council approved a $54,000 contract with Hydra Service to rent a submersible pump for the Choctafaula Pump Station for 12 months.
- The council approved a $38,152 contract with Jerry Pate Turf and Irrigation to purchase a 2025 Toro Sand Pro 5040 Infield Machine for the Parks and Recreation Department.
- The council approved a $67,141 contract with McSweeney Auto Group to purchase two 2026 Chevrolet Colorado Crew Cab WT pickup trucks for the Fire Department.
- The council approved a $46,408 contract with Stivers Ford Lincoln to purchase a 2025 Ford Transit 150 Cargo Van for the Parks and Recreation Department.
- The council approved a $53,250 contract with Sunbelt Fire to purchase 15 sets of Globe Apparel turnout gear for the Fire Department.
- The council approved a $169,108 contract with Texas Underground to purchase a 700-gallon Pipe Hunter 3744 Jet Trailer and associated attachments for the Public Works Department.
- The council approved a $58,210 contract with University Ace Hardware to purchase four Lazer X-Series Zero Turn Mowers for the Public Works Department.
- The council approved an encroachment agreement with Alabama Power Company that allows the city to construct certain sections of the proposed Town Creek Trail expansion project.
- The council accepted various public easements from 141 Wright, which are located between Toomer Street and Wright Street.
- The council accepted public easements from AL-AUB Holdings, which are located on the corner of Richland Road and Shug Jordan Parkway.
- The council accepted public rights-of-way and various public easements from Chewacla Ridge, which are located in the Chewacla Ridge Subdivision south of Sandhill Road and west of Lee Road 23.
- The council accepted public right-of-way, greenway and drainage and utility easements from Clayton Group Properties, which are located in the Mimms Trail Subdivision near the end of Mimms Trail Road.
- The council accepted public rights-of-way and public easements from Cotswolds II, which are located in Oak Creek at the end of Cotswold Way.
- The council accepted public right-of-way and public easements from Hanson Grimes Land, which are located in The Meadows at Hanson Farms near Willis Turk Road.
- The council accepted public rights-of-way and utility easements from ADARE Development Group, which are located in the ADARE Subdivision toward the end of Pine Needle Place.
- The council accepted public drainage and utility easements from NEOH Holdings and other partners, which are located in Harper Avenue III Subdivision toward the end of Gidden Street.
- The council accepted public drainage and utility easements from James and Elizabeth North. Those easements are located at 186 Maple St.
- The council accepted public rights-of-way and other easements from Tim Yates Construction. Those easements are located in the Preserve 5C Subdivision toward the end of Preserve Drive.
- The council appointed Cindy Moseley to the Educational Building Authority. Her term will begin on Nov. 12 and end on Nov. 11, 2031.
- The council appointed Sally Headley, Dan Norton, Nicholas May and Tashira Jackson to the Tree Commission. Headley’s, Norton’s and May’s terms will begin on Nov. 8 and end on Nov. 7, 2028, and Jackson’s unexpired term will begin immediately and end on Nov. 7, 2026.
- The council approved a Severe Weather Preparedness Sales Tax Holiday that will exempt specific items from city sales tax from Feb. 20, 2026, through Feb. 22, 2026.
- The council voted to establish traffic control signs and devices near Ogletree Elementary.
- The council approved the annexation of 43 acres located north of Lee Road 23 and south of the Chewacla Ridge Subdivision.
- The council approved a performance residential use for the 397 Martin Avenue Townhomes multi-unit development, which is located at the northwest corner of North Ross Street and Martin Avenue.
- The council approved a performance residential development for the 415 North Ross Street ADDU academic detached dwelling unit, which is located at 415 N. Ross St.
- The council denied a performance residential use for a multi-unit development located at 613 and 615 Luverne Ave.
- The council approved a performance residential development use for the Country Club Cottages multi-unit development, which is located west of Country Club Drive.
- The council approved the vacation of various easements by The Mark at Auburn and 141 Wright at 141 Wright St., 134 Toomer St. and 140 Toomer St..
