AUBURN — Starting Tuesday, city officials will host three more “community conversations” to get feedback on a series of recommendations for a revamped Comprehensive Plan.

The plan, updated every 10 years, provides a blueprint for policy decisions and the work of city staff. Among the recommended updates so far are streamlined zoning ordinances with loosened density and setback restrictions.

The City Council appointed a Comprehensive Plan Update Committee late last year to look at strategies for future land use and growth, transportation and recreation.

During a recent City Council and Planning Board discussion, city staff said they had been receiving a number of phone calls and emails about the proposals, along with some criticism about a lack of outreach. An earlier public discussion at the Auburn Senior Community Center was attended by roughly 15 people.

In response, officials said they would host three additional meetings, each focusing on separate sections of the city, as well as conduct an online survey of residents.

The first will take place Tuesday, April 27, and focus on “central Auburn.” Next will be “north Auburn” on Thursday, April 29, followed by “south Auburn” on Tuesday, May 4. All meetings will be at 6 p.m. at the Auburn Senior Community Center.

During the recent joint meeting, members of the update committee shared details on the proposals, which would streamline Auburn’s zones down to 10 from more than 20, and increase density limits aimed at encouraging new housing.

Dana Staples, chairman of Comprehensive Plan update committee, said the goal from the outset was to “simplify everything.” Staples worked with Mayor Jason Levesque and Councilor Tim MacLeod on the committee’s proposal.

A side-by-side comparison of the proposed update, along with the recommended density limits, was shown to councilors.

For instance, the urban residential zone, which allows for four single-family homes or six two-family structures per acre, would become “traditional neighborhood,” allowing for a density of 16 units per acre. Setbacks would also be reduced.

The suburban residential zone, keeping the same name, would go from a cap of two homes per acre to eight.

In a news release about the community meetings, officials said Auburn continues to see growth, including more than $20 million worth of projects approved at the April Planning Board meeting.

“However, employers are citing workforce attraction as one of their biggest challenges,” the release said. “As part of the city’s commitment to ensure that housing stock has room to grow, the Auburn City Council appointed a Comprehensive Plan Update Committee last fall to formulate recommended strategies on recreation, transportation, and land use changes for future growth of the city.”

Like other communities, Auburn has been grappling with a housing shortage, and officials including Mayor Jason Levesque believe Auburn’s current zoning laws are restricting growth.

Some, however, are wary of the blanket changes.

Kathy Shaw of Valley View Farm in Auburn sent a letter to councilors urging them to send the plan “back to the drawing board.”

“I agree with the need to simplify our codes, but these proposed changes will be detrimental to our city as a whole,” she said.

Eric Cousens, director of Planning and Permitting, said, “The next step, before any decisions are made, is to hear from residents. Constructive input will help the City Council and Planning Board be responsive to community desires.”

The meetings will provide an overview of proposed changes, Q&A sessions, and “optional one-on-one property reviews to explain how the draft would apply in your neighborhood.”

For those unable to attend, an online survey, topic summary sheets and additional information is available at www.auburnmaine.gov/pages/government/comprehensive-plan.