A Great Place to Live, Work, Play and Invest!

For over 120 years, property owners, businesses large and small, and individuals have invested and succeeded in Downtown Auburn. Downtown Auburn is undergoing a renaissance. Recent and ongoing infrastructure investments by the City of Auburn, new businesses, commuter rail access, shopping and dining opportunities, and recreational and cultural amenities make Downtown Auburn a great place to live, work, and play. And if you are a business or a developer, a great investment opportunity!

Public Sector Investment for Private Sector Benefit

Since 2010, the City of Auburn has been investing $10 million of federal and state funds in the South Division Street Promenade Project and other downtown projects to make it easier and more attractive for private sector investment.

The City has:

• Relocated public and private utilities out of alleyways to remove infrastructure barriers for redevelopment of adjacent properties
• Upgraded water, sewer, storm, and private utilities - excess underground stormwater capacity exists for private new development to use
• Installed new street paving
• Constructed 10- to 20-foot wide sidewalks with landscaping
• Installed new LED street lights throughout Downtown and a new traffic signal at Main Street and Division Street
• Placed new street furniture, trash receptacles
• Installed new ornamental gateway arch
• Constructed new and improved downtown public plazas
• Additional downtown improvements including an outdoor rotating sculpture garden and pedestrian way-finding kiosks

Why Invest in Downtown Auburn?

The City of Auburn is eager to work with businesses and developers who want to invest in Downtown Auburn. The City offers:

• The Right Attitude - Auburn is client-focused with a commitment to problem solving and meeting or beating expectations. Not just a claim - ask others who have done recent business with the City.
• Limited Environmental Review Required - Auburn completed an environmental impact statement and Planned Action for the Downtown Subarea that may reduce the need for further review, for qualifying projects.
• Regional Urban Center - Puget Sound Regional Council designation paves the way for more density and land use intensity.
• Design Certainty - City Council approved design standards for the Downtown Urban Center, providing both flexibility and certainty to keep costs down.
• Reasonable Development Fees - Reduced traffic impact fees in effect in the downtown to reflect reduced vehicle trip generation resulting from the excellent availability of transit service and non-motorized infrastructure.
• Deferred Impact Fee and System Development Charges - Fees can be paid at time of certificate of occupancy rather than at building permit issuance.
• Multi-Family Property Tax Exemption - 8-year exemption for qualifying market rate multi-family housing. Email us for more information. Reference Chapter 3.94 Auburn City Code (ACC).
• Construction Sales Tax Exemption - Up to $100,000 refund from the City for eligible constructed-related sales tax. Reference ACC 3.60.036. 

Current and Recent Projects 

Auburn Ave Theater
The new Auburn Ave Theater is a 9,980 square foot multi-use performing arts center which will replace the previous Auburn Ave Theater. It will have a 300-seat auditorium, stage, technical support, back-of-house program, lobby, restrooms, and front-of-house program. Adjacent to the theater on E Main Street will be a new public park that will flow into the alley connecting with the adjacent Postmarks Center for the Arts. The facility will be owned and operated by the City of Auburn Parks, Arts and Recreational department. The project is required to achieve a LEED v4 silver certification minimum.

(Auburn Theater Design Concept - Otak)

Auburn Station Parking and Access Improvements

Sound Transit is expanding access to Auburn Station for people who walk, drive, bike, and take transit. The project includes a new parking garage with up to 535 spaces for commuters located at 1st St. NW. Read the latest on the project on Sound Transit’s project page.

(Sound Transit Garage Design Concept - WJA)

Auburn Downtown Plan Update

The 2001 Auburn Downtown Plan set a vision and strategies for a vibrant, compact, mixed-use urban downtown core. Over the past 20 years Downtown Auburn has seen significant public investments and private development that have transformed several blocks within the downtown core into a strong, pedestrian-oriented center. While this plan has been highly successful due to time, financial commitments, and contributions from the community, the City is now ready to plan for the next 20 years. The City of Auburn has prepared a new subarea plan, the 2024 Auburn Downtown Subarea Plan, and a Planned Action Ordinance (Ord. No. 7006) for the downtown area. The 2024 Subarea Plan responds to the changing conditions, community characteristics, and vision. It replaces the 2001 Auburn Downtown Plan by providing a refreshed perspective of land use, development, and transportation for the downtown area. The 2024 Subarea Plan extends the land use designation and introduces DUC zoning districts. For more information on the project please visit: www.speakupauburn.org/downtownplan.

Zoning and Land Use

Properties located in the heart of Auburn’s urban center have a land use designation of Downtown Urban Center which is implemented by the DUC zoning districts. The City’s Comprehensive Plan (specifically the Land Use Element) provides the policies that inform the purpose and intent of the urban center. Auburn’s Municipal Code, Chapter 18.29, contains the governing regulations for properties zoned DUC. Auburn’s urban center is also an adopted subarea of the City, under City Ordinance No. 6997, and features its own subarea plan, which is incorporated by reference in the Comprehensive Plan. On a regional level, Auburn’s urban center is recognized as a regional growth center under the Puget Sound Regional Council’s Vision 2050. 

The core of the downtown is zoned either DUC Core 75 and Core 125. Key elements of the DUC Core 75 and 125 include:

• Ground floor retail, restaurants, and personal services use are required for all building frontages facing Main Street.
• Density is based on Floor Area Ratios (FAR). 
• Generally, bonuses are given for features that support or increase pedestrian orientation and movement.
• Minimum building height is two stories.
• Height maximum of 75 feet or 125 feet respectively but can be exceeded via bonuses.

Planned Action

A Planned Action is a strategy for a specific geographic area whose impacts have been addressed through an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) before the individual development projects are proposed. The City has designated its Downtown Subarea as a Planned Action (Ord. No. 7006). The 2024 Downtown Subarea Plan and Planned Action EIS identify the impacts and mitigation measures associated with planned development in the Downtown Subarea. This Planned Action will help streamline and expedite land use permit review by relying on the Downtown Subarea Plan, Planned Action EIS, and associated mitigation measures. The EIS analysis of impacts and mitigation measures simplifies or replaces environmental review for subsequent individual development projects. Future projects implemented consistent with the Planned Action will protect the environment, benefit the public, and support economic development. The Planned Action Ordinance implements the Comprehensive Plan and Subarea Plan. The Planned Action Ordinance (Ord. No. 7006) provides Planned Action qualification, review criteria, and permit process.

To guide parking policy development and implementation in downtown Auburn, City Council adopted the Comprehensive Downtown Parking Management Plan (CDPMP) (PDF) and (CDPMP - Appendix A (PDF)) via Resolution No. 5031 on February 3, 2014.

Work on the CDPMP began in summer 2011, in expectation of evolving parking needs that come from increases in investment, redevelopment activity, and Sounder commuter train service. To address those needs, the CDPMP includes an action plan with near-term, short-term, and long-term policies that aim to balance the parking needs of businesses, residences, visitors, and commuters.

"Where do I park?"

Please reference the linked parking map (PDF) for the current locations of free parking in public parking lots, City-issued permit parking for downtown businesses and residents, and privately operated permit parking lots. For more information regarding City-issued permit parking for downtown businesses and residents, please contact the Permit Center via email or 253-931-3090.

For a deeper dive on the city’s economic development strategic plan and market area and data resource documents, please visit Economic Development's Business Support page!

For questions about major projects outside of the Downtown Urban Center (DUC) please contact Planning Services!

Related Documents and Links

Comments or questions about Auburn's downtown? Contact the City's Planning Services via email or 253-931-3090. Please put the nature of your inquiry in the subject line, and include the parcel number or address of the site (if applicable) and your contact information in the email.