Auburn City Council hears updates about biking, downtown plan

The Auburn City Council heard updates about the Recreation Biking Program and the Downtown Subarea Plan at an Aug. 25 study session.

Recreation Coordinator Kjerstin Lange said Cedar Lanes Bike Park, 1002 25th St. SE, has been redeveloped over the last five years with the intention of getting kids engaged in a healthy activity.

Phase One was completed in June 2023 and includes the additions of skinnies (narrow trails), a drop zone, jumps and a dirt single-track flow trail. Phase Two included a pump track, restroom, picnic shelter and storage and was completed in July 2024. Lange said the pump track, which is a track with small hills that allow riders to “pump” their body to move instead of pedaling, is the first asphalt pump track in Western Washington.

The park was also recognized this year with a Washington Recreation and Park Association Spotlight Award.

One of the grant-funded programs available at the park is Summer Ride, a biweekly bike riding session for kids. The program grew from 40 riders per session in 2023 to an estimated rider count of more than 200 kids this summer.

“It really was a wonderful community-gathering space,” Lange said.

Lange said they saw a large representation of kids from the Sikh community riding in the park and found helmets to wear that accommodates children growing up in the Sikh faith.

“When families saw these, they were so excited that their kids could get out and ride bikes safely and parents weren’t having to worry,” Lange said. “It was an accommodation for them to just let the kids ride like everybody else.”

Summer Ride was funded through the King County Youth Sports Grant and Summer Experiences and Enrichment for Kids (SEEK) Fund, a state program to expand outdoor summer programs. Lange said after COVID, they received around $40,000 in SEEK funds, which allowed them to grow their bike inventory to more than 140 bikes and helmets for all ages.

Lange said Cycle Therapy Racing, an Auburn nonprofit with a mission to get kids riding bikes for positive mental health, provided additional bikes and helmets, a first-aid volunteer, and bike instruction volunteers for Summer Ride.

Ride Revolution is another grant-funded program that teaches middle and high school students bike safety, riding skills, bike maintenance and alternative transportation in a 30-hour after school program. Lange said they start the program by building their bike and they get to keep it, along with a light, lock and helmet, when they complete the course.

“We give them the confidence to be able to safely and confidently navigate the community,” Lange said.

Some of the fee-based programs offered at the park include skill building classes, summer camps, family rides, and programs to teach people to start riding bikes.

Lange said there were several programs they have done in the past that they would like to do again with more funds including Bike Club, Pedal Power and All Kids Bike at Pioneer Elementary.

Downtown Subarea Plan

The Downtown Subarea Plan was adopted in 2001 and provided direction for the downtown development for the past 20 years. Auburn Director of Community Development Jason Krum said the original plan is ending its life cycle, and they are currently working on a plan for the next 20 years.

Planning Services Manager Alexandria Teague said the plan satisfies the requirements of the Washington Growth Management Act, supports the goals of the Puget Sound Regional Council VISION 2050 and Transportation 2050, and meets the minimum requirements of a regional urban growth center.

Teague said the new plan will expand the downtown subarea to north of 3rd Street NE to accommodate additional growth, encourage more housing areas downtown and the create districts to recognize the different areas of downtown. Along with expanding downtown, she said the key themes of the plan are developing West Downtown, North Downtown and the Main Street Corridor.

“The Main Street Corridor is unique within Auburn and it’s an asset to the overall downtown area,” Lange said. “Programs like the Storefront Facade Improvement Program really have made a difference in the downtown area.”

Some of the issues the new plan focuses on are displacement risks, housing affordability, adding a mix of interest and activities, and preserving the Multicare hub and the arts and culture hub.

“We’ve really beefed up our anti-displacement policies in the subarea plan,” Lange said. “This plan supports development of more housing units with taller buildings, more mixed-use and different types of housing.”

The districts of the core dictate the expected building types, development standards and allowed and prohibited land use in different areas of downtown. They are the Core District, the Health and Wellness District, the Neighborhood and Residential District, the Flex Residential District and existing light industrial and commercial areas.

Krum said they will be taking the plan to the planning commission in early October and have a public hearing in early November before bringing the plan to the Auburn City Council near the end of the year.