LET YOUR VOICE BE HEARD!
SAY NO TO FIELDEN
This page is meant to inform our community about the proposed high-density Fielden development in unincorporated Lee County—despite being falsely advertised as an Auburn project—and the serious risks it poses to our rural community and Auburn city residents along Farmville Road. Our purpose is simple: Stand together, share the truth behind the marketing, and rally support against a development that has not yet been brought before the city planning commission or county commission for approval. At this stage, it remains only in the design phase which means we can stop it if we work together and let our voices be heard!
Fielden is being marketed as an “Agrihood”—a planned community that combines green spaces such as farms, gardens, playgrounds, and parks with residential and commercial areas. The concept itself is not inherently negative; in fact, we fully support regenerative practices, conservation efforts, and creative ways of living in balance with natural habitats. The issue lies in location. The land they have chosen simply cannot support a development of this magnitude without being problematic for existing and future residents.
The plan is to turn 300 acres (with an additional 450 acres if Phase 1 goes well) of woodlands, fields, creeks and floodplains into a high-density housing development mixed with common green space and commercial amenities — clubhouse, swimming pool, retail shops, pickleball courts, etc. In short, it’s being pitched as a Serenbe-style community, but in reality it’s a stripped-down imitation that lacks the social services, infrastructure, and local support.
Don’t have time to read everything or you just want to get on board? We want to hear from you!
Why is Fielden Problematic?
IT IS NOT IN THE AUBURN CITY LIMITS
Despite being falsely advertised that this is an Auburn development, it in fact is fully in unincorporated Lee County. At the end of the Auburn City Council meeting on Sept. 2, 2025, the Auburn City Manager herself said, “We [the city of Auburn] have been clear that this property is not eligible for annexation as it is outside Auburn’s optimal boundary.”
Even with this knowledge, the developers continue to market the project as “Fielden Auburn” despite it not having access to the civil and social services the city provides for its residents.
UNPRECEDENTED HIGH-DENSITY RURAL HOUSING IN LEE COUNTY
While a final plat has not been presented yet, early presentations from the development team indicate a Phase 1 plan to include 300 acres with 50% of that area conserved as green space and 300 housing units built on the remaining acreage. There has been talk that these housing units will be a combination of single family homes, small cottages, townhomes, and potential apartments above retails spaces.
The developers have indicated their intention to utilize building regulations commonly used for trailer parks to build multiple units on a shared lot in order to skirt the minimum lot size for single family homes which is the more common practice in this area.
If Phase 1 gets approved from both the Auburn City Planning Commission (which is required based on the proposed site’s proximity to the existing Auburn city limits) and the Lee County Commission, the developers could potentially expand the development with future phases to an adjacent 450 acres which is owned by the same land owner, resulting in a total of 750 new housing units immediately outside the city limits off Farmville Road but without access to the civil and social services of Auburn, which are critical needs of a development of this scale.
THE DEVELOPERS HAVE A REPUTATION
There is a coalition of neighbors around the proposed site who have a shared history of working with the lead developers behind Fielden. These developers have continually demonstrated a tendency to set high expectations and make lofty promises that, in our community’s experience, have not been fulfilled. As a result, the neighborhood coalition has significant concerns about relying on them to follow through with the expectations they are setting for sustainable agriculture, environmental stewardship, and the general aesthetic and values they’re marketing as part of the project.
Additionally, it is our understanding that their professional development experience has been limited to land brokerage and several small 5–10 lot subdivisions in the area, the latter of which, according to nearby residents, ended with neighbors disappointed by unmet expectations. It is our understanding that none of these previous subdivisions had major engineering requirements or infrastructure construction costs like typical large-scale subdivision developments. Given the developers’ lack of experience on projects of this scale, our confidence is further eroded in their ability to deliver on the expectations they’re setting.
Lastly, the developers have engaged with a design and planning firm from Franklin, TN, TPUDC, who has confirmed that once they are done with their design and plat submittal process, it will be solely up to the developers to follow through on implementing the plans that have been approved. This is a strong reason for concern based on prior projects in the area and their limited large-scale development experience.
THE SCARY IMPLICATIONS IF FIELDEN IS APPROVED
The scary implication of Fielden being approved by the Auburn City Planning Commission and Lee County Commission is that it would set a new precedent of high-density, rural development in Lee County. This could potentially open the flood gates for similar high- density housing developments not only in this portion of Lee County but all across the county.
There are over 2,000 acres of large-tract, undeveloped land that is either immediately adjacent or contiguous via neighboring tracts with the proposed Fielden site. An approval on the Fielden project would be an indication for other land owners and developers that this style of rural development would be welcomed.
Just because this project is being proposed in the western portion of the county, it could have very real implications for development in other parts of the county as well. It would not only be unprecedented density outside of city limits, but also experimental and potentially be significantly detrimental to existing and future residents.
What would the implications be in your part of Lee County?
OUR PROPOSED SOLUTION
To reiterate as before, we’re not opposed to the concept of an “Agrihood” - mixing high-density residential and commercial properties in a walkable community with integrated green space and agriculture. It’s a lovely vision really. Our belief is that in order for a development of that nature to thrive, it needs to be located within the the jurisdiction of a municipality like Auburn or Opelika in order to be supported by the civil and social services of that city. Cities exist to support the needs of a higher population density. Outside of these confines, high-density is not only impractical and unfeasible, it’s a potential recipe for disaster for our rural communities.
Our proposed solution is simple, take the existing plans and vision, and move it to an undeveloped site inside the city limits of Auburn or Opelika, or inside the optimal boundary for either, to ensure a higher probability for success for both current and future residents. It’s as easy as that!
Stay Informed & Be Heard!
Your voice can make a difference.
Please fill out the form below to stay in the loop, if you would like to share your perspective and insight into the development, or get a yard sign expressing opposition. We would love to hear from you!
