Construction takes shape on small-lot homes near Walmart

Sentinel staff report–
Drivers passing by Walmart on Auburn Boulevard in recent weeks have seen framing for a new townhome project rapidly take shape.

Development for the .7-acre lot was approved in 2020, with site work beginning early last year. Now, the two-story outline of the homes can be seen.

Approved plans show the lot was divided into nine parcels, with each parcel 2,345-square-feet in size, along with a roughly quarter-acre common lot for access, guest parking and landscaping. Homes to be built are described in city documents as having an architectural style that is “craftsman in nature,” with each unit slated to have a two-car garage and small, private back yard.

As previously reported, the 1,500-square-foot, two-story townhomes will each have three bedrooms with two-and-a-half bathrooms. A total of four buildings are planned for the site, with two units per building. Plans call for “stepping back” the second story to make the structure appear smaller from street level.

Over 50 conditions of approval were detailed out when the townhouse project was approved by the Planning Commission, including the creation of a Home Owners Association (HOA) to maintain the common lot and landscaping. Other conditions include emergency vehicle access and maintenance of the property.

Shortly after work at the site began in 2022 The Sentinel reported that nearby residents complained to the City Council about contractors tearing down their privacy fence, exposing their rear yards to traffic passing by on Auburn Boulevard. City staff quickly got involved to ensure privacy screening was installed while a new masonry wall was constructed.