City could put the brakes on student housing in Auburn

AUBURN, Ala. (AP) — The mayor of Auburn is proposing an ordinance that would put the brakes on any new student housing developments.

The Opelika-Auburn News reports that Mayor Ron Anders discussed the plan at a recent city council meeting.

A student housing task force has heard complaints from residents and businesses over a rising number of student developments.

The mayor said the number of beds in the city designed specifically for students is too high.

The mayor is proposing a 90-day moratorium on new developments, citing the need to reevaluate traffic and safety issues, among other things.

“We need to do something because I’m afraid we’ve outgrown our roads and streets and I’m also a little worried we may have outgrown our police division,” City Councilman Tommy Dawson said.

Councilman Brett Smith wondered if 90 days would give city staff members enough time to consider the issue.

“I just don’t want to put a Band-Aid on a shotgun wound,” Smith said.

City Manager Jim Buston told the council members that 90 days would give the staff enough time to find a more permanent solution.

“Staff has been working on a variety of options for some time now,” Buston said. “We have internally been discussing many of the things that the mayor read..”

Council members agreed to ask the staff to draft an ordinance that would be introduced at the Dec. 17 council meeting.