By Jason Crane
The Aurora City Council viewed details of a proposed mixed-use development at the southeast corner of Ogden Avenue and Farnsworth Avenue, across from Rush Copley Medical Center at the Committee of the Whole meeting, Tuesday, Jan. 16.
The residential portion would be developed with 70 detached, single-family homes on approximately 22 acres and 124 townhomes on approximately 17 acres with approximately 13 acres of open space reserved for three stormwater detention basins.
The presentation can be viewed on the city government of Aurora’s YouTube page after the 25 minute mark by clicking here.
The single-family homes, ranging in size from 1,700 to 3,000 square feet, will have three to five bedrooms, two to three bathrooms, and two to three car garage. The homes are designed with lot sizes and setbacks commensurate with the surrounding residential neighborhoods. The townhomes will range in size from 1,600 to 1,800 square feet and all will have three bedrooms and a two-car garage.
Approximately four acres at the immediate corner of Ogden Avenue and Farnsworth Avenue is identified as future commercial development.
The annexation agreement, annexation, conditional use planned development, and preliminary plat and plan are being reviewed and approved concurrently under separate actions.
The agenda items were placed on Unfinished Business because a public hearing is required.
City government of Aurora documents show the petitioner, D.R. Horton, Inc. – Midwest, is requesting approval of the Annexation Agreement for 57.54 acres for Wheatland Crossing Development.
The Property is vacant land with unincoporated, Kendall County zoning and unincoporated, Kane County zoning.
The details of the request include a plan description that divides the parcel into four zoning districts and allows for modifications to some uses and bulk restrictions. This includes allowing one section to develop under R-2 zoning with single-family homes along with modifications to the standard bulk restriction including a slight reduction of minimum lot size and front yard, side yard, and rear yard setbacks. Two areas of the property are identified for R-4A zoning, which allows for townhomes and outlines Aurora’s standard bulk restrictions for townhomes.
The property at the intersection is given B-2 zoning and allows a gasoline station, car wash, single bay, and a restaurant with a drive-through uses by right while prohibiting additional uses, including laundromat, alternative financial institutions, used clothing store, pawnshop, and tattoo parlor. The stormwater detention areas are shown as OS-1 zoning, being Aurora’s standard zoning for detention.
Access to the southern portion of the site will be provided through full access off Hafenrichter Road and Farnsworth Avenue aligning with the current Canyon Creek Drive and Summerlin Drive. Summerlin Drive will be extended through the development and connect to a full access off Odgen Avenue at the current entrance to the Prairie Materials concrete plant. This road will divide the commercial from the residential and provide a connection to Ogden for both the commercial and residences in the southern portion.
Access to the north side of the property will be available via a right-in-right-out from Odgen Avenue. Additionally, Keating Drive will be extended into the development. The developer will install a 10-foot bike path along the north side of Farnsworth Avenue, a sidewalk along the north side of Hafenrichter Road, and sidewalks on both sides of the internal roadways.
The developer will restripe the median on Hafenrichter Road to create a northbound turn lane from Hafenrichter into the development across from Canyon Creek Drive.
Farnsworth Avenue will be widened to allow a second west bound through lane for the entire stretch from Odgen Avenue to Hafenrichter Road. The west bound turn lane from Farnsworth Avenue to Ogden Avenue will be extended approximately 200 feet. An east bound turn lane will be constructed from Farnsworth Avenue into the development at Summerlin Drive. Any modifications to Odgen Avenue would be under the Illinois Department of Transportation jurisdiction.
The intersection of Farnsworth Avenue and Ogden Avenue is a regional improvement which carries significant traffic volumes between multiple municipalities. The owner and developer have agreed to a cash contribution of $450,000 associated with the City’s future efforts of regional roadway intersection improvements.
Although typically not approved until the final plan, D.R. Horton has requested that building elevations be approved as part of the preliminary plan and plat. The building elevations for the single-family homes provide seven models with four to six variations per model. The models include two, one-story ranch plans with the remaining models being two stories. The homes are clad in vinyl siding with almost all models featuring masonry running along the bottom portion. Several models have options for additional masonry extending to the second story. Diversity is created through varying rooflines of gables, hipped, double gables, cross-gables, dormers, shed roofs above the first-story, and jerkinheads, which combines a gable roof and a hip roof design.
Some elevations are accentuated by vertical board siding, square shingles in the gable end, columned porches, shutters and/or decorative trusses. The townhomes are similar to the homes constructed in Deerbrook with varying façade created by double cross-gables, cornice returns, recessed walls, projecting garages, and masonry knee wall along the entire façade.
The Preliminary Plat includes subdividing the property into 70 single-family lots, 27 lots for townhomes, and 13 lots for common area, open space, and detention.
Staff members reviewed the annexation agreement petition and have sent comments back to the petitioner on those submittals. The petitioner has made the requested revisions to these documents and they now meet the applicable codes and ordinances except for the condition noted below.
Staff members note that sound land use planning dictates uses should create a transition from the more intense uses in close proximity to less intense/dense uses to create harmony among the differing uses. With Rush Copley Medical Center across Ogden Avenue to the north, the townhomes have been strategically placed at the northern portion of the property to provide a buffer between the hospital use and the proposed single-family homes to the south. Townhomes are likewise planned to the east of the proposed commercial development. The property is adjacent to the Prairie Materials concrete plant on the plant’s north, east, and south sides. For this reason, the developer has placed stormwater detention basins to the north and south of the plant to provide a buffer layer between this manufacturing use and the residential uses on the property. The townhomes and single-family homes are platted and designed to be consistent with the surrounding properties. While not required until Final Plan, the Preliminary Landscape Plan shows a row of canopy and evergreen trees between this development and the adjacent residential development along with shrub beds along the major arterials with accentuated beds at the intersections to provide beautiful entrance to the development. The developer has added additional trees along the north/south internal road in the open area to the north that abuts the single-family homes for additional buffering and screening of the road. The access points have been found to allow multiple ingress and egress locations to accommodate the traffic generated by the development.
Public Input: Due public notice was given for the public hearing on this matter. Staff members have received public inquiries requesting additional information and wanting to ensure that the full access at Four Pointes will not be lost. The petitioner held an open house December 6th.
Policies And Guidelines:
The staff members’ evaluation and recommendation are based on the following Physical Development Policies:
10.0 To provide for the orderly, balanced and efficient growth and redevelopment of the City through the positive integration of land-use patterns, functions, and circulation systems. To protect and enhance those assets and values that establish the desirable quality and general livability of the City. To promote the City’s position as a regional center.
11.1(3) To encourage new development contiguous to existing development.
12.0 To plan and provide for the growth of the City through the integration of land use patterns and functions that promote complementary interactions between different land use components.
12.1(2) To provide convenient services and visual diversity within the City by developing a hierarchy of commercial centers appropriately spaced throughout the City.
12.1(5) To encourage a gradation from high-density residential areas to lower density residential areas.
20.0 To insure the provision of decent housing and a quality living environment for every resident of Aurora.
21.1(2) To promote a wide variety of housing types.
21.1(3) To promote housing in all price ranges for purchase or rent.
30.0 To develop and maintain an adequate supply of properly zoned areas for commercial facilities to serve existing and future population needs.
32.1(3) To minimize the adverse effects of commercial activity on neighboring development, particularly residential and open space areas through the provision of buffering land uses and/or screening.
Recommendations:
The Planning and Zoning Commission recommended conditional approval of an Ordinance providing for the execution of an annexation agreement with the owners of record providing for R-2(C) One Family Dwelling District, R-4A(C) Two-Family Dwelling District, B-2(C) General Retail District, and OS-1 (C) Conservation, Open Space And Drainage District with a Conditional Use zoning for the territory which may be annexed to the City of Aurora at the southeast corner of Ogden Avenue and Farnsworth Avenue on Vacant Land in Kendall and Kane County, Aurora Illinois 60503 and 60504 with the following condition:
- That the Annexation Agreement be approved by Aurora’s Corporation Counsel.
• Director of Aurora’s Community Events Department, Mike Nelson, presented a preview of events scheduled in Aurora this year. The presentation can be viewed on the city government of Aurora’s YouTube page after the 9 minute mark by clicking here.
The City Council gave consent to the following agenda items likely to be placed on the Tuesday, Jan. 23 full City Council agenda:
• Consent was given to a Resolution to accept a contract with Jen Lewin Studio LLC to lease the artwork “The Pool” for Aurora’s October 2024 Public Art Light Festival. “The Pool” is to be installed on the Development Services Center, 77 S. Broadway, lawn, adjacent to Water Street. -Ward 2/Garza.
City government of Aurora documents show per the guidelines of the grant awarded June 13, 2023, to the City of Aurora by the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity for an inaugural Public Art Festival of Lighted Art Installations, a minimum of four, unique lighted art installations must be on display, simultaneously, for four weeks during the festival. The purpose of the grant and festival are to promote economic development of the downtown district with tourism. Account number 215-1360-450.32-99 will be used to fund the cost of the contract with Jen Lewin Studio LLC.
The manner of installations required for a Public Art Light Festival are unique and non-comparable. Jen Lewin LLC is the sole source for leasing “The Pool,” as listed in the contract. Leasable lighted installations of this type are limited; contracts to secure scheduling must be formalized well in advance to guarantee availability.
As described in the contract:
“The Pool” is comprised of 106 interactive pads, each housing custom LEDs, custom electronics, custom wireless control, and custom roto-molded components. The diameter of each pad is 34”; the total diameter of the installation is 50’. The glowing pads change colors in complex patterns as participants walk, dance, and jump on them.
Per the artist, Jen Lewin:
“The Pool is an environment of giant, concentric circles created from interactive circular pads. By entering the pool, you enter a world where play and collaborative movement create swirling effects of light and color.”
The total cost for leasing, licenses, service, estimated shipping, and installation and dismantling of The Pool by Jen Lewin LLC staff members, including staff member travel expenses, is $98,000. The account number to be used for this project is 215-1360-450.32-99. A budget amendment will be processed for the expense.
“The Pool” will be on display in downtown Aurora, October 4, 2024 – November 1, 2024, as one of four, monthlong lighted art installations for the City’s inaugural Public Art Light Festival. The public will be able to interact with this artwork every evening during this time frame. The display duration of four weeks will provide an extended opportunity for local and non-local visitors to experience this interactive installation and spend time in Aurora’s Downtown District.
• Consent was given to a Resolution authorizing the mayor to execute the Local Public Agency Amendment for federal participation with the State of Illinois in an amount not to exceed $228,109.00 and Phase 2 Supplemental Engineering Services Agreement with HR Green, Inc. and the City clerk to sign the appropriation of REBUILD Illinois Bond Funds for Montgomery Road and Hill Avenue Intersection Improvements, MFT #19-00329-00-CH in an amount of $228,109.
City government of Aurora documents show the purpose is to execute the Local Public Agency Amendment to reserve sufficient funds to cover the upfront cost of the Phase 2 Supplemental Engineering Services Agreement by resolution and to appropriate REBUILD Illinois Bond Funds by IDOT resolution.
The project consists of intersection improvement including modernizing traffic signals, reconstructing, and widening the roadway to include additional channelization on Montgomery Road, an additional through lane in each direction on Hill Avenue, bike path, sidewalk, ADA ramps, detectable warning signs, striping and other pertinent work. The project limits are inclusive of the east leg of Montgomery Road that extends approximately 1,200 feet to connect to the improved 3-lane section of Montgomery Road for better traffic flow.
The original Local Agency Agreement for federal participation and Phase 2 Engineering agreement with HR Green, Inc. was approved August 28, 2020 (R20-156).
The supplemental agreement is requested to complete wetland and special waste services, prepare plat of Highways, appraisals, and negotiation services for the project in the amount of $228,109.00.
The project has received Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality federal (CMAQ) funds. The total project cost is estimated at $9,570,980.00. Project has been approved with additional CMAQ funds and the total CMAQ federal funds allocated to this project is up to $7,456,784.00 (Construction, Right of Way, Phase 2 and 3 engineering).
City would have to execute the Local Public Agency Amendment by setting aside the upfront cost for Phase 2 supplemental engineering in the amount of $228,109.00.
City would have to execute the Phase 2 Supplemental Engineering Services Agreement with HR Green, Inc. to continue with the rest of Phase 2 design process.
IDOT requires a Resolution to appropriate the REBUILD Illinois Bond Funds prior to their expenditure for approved projects.
The 2024 Fiscal Year budget provides funds through the following account:
GB121 Montgomery Road and Hill Avenue intersection improvements 202-4060-431-79-99 $228,109.00
• Consent was given to a Resolution approving the fifth amendment to the Intergovernmental Agreement between the City of Aurora, the City of Naperville, and the Naperville Township Road District to widen North Aurora Road in the vicinity of the CN Railway Crossing and to appropriate $3,136,378.00 of MFT Funds for the project.
City government of Aurora documents show the purpose is to obtain council approval for a resolution approving the Fifth Amendment to the Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA) between the City of Aurora, the City of Naperville, and the Naperville Township Road District to widen North Aurora Road in the vicinity of the CN Railway Crossing. To appropriate Motor Fuel Taxes (MFT) by Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) Resolution for MFT Section No. 17-00321-00-BR.
The project is a joint multi-jurisdictional project with the City of Aurora, City of Naperville, and Naperville Township Road District to improve the regional transportation network. The City of Naperville is the lead on this project.
This is an ongoing project that began in 2006 with Phase 1 preliminary engineering. The original IGA was approved by City Council in 2006 (R06-168). Phase 1 was completed and accepted by IDOT in 2016. In 2015, Council approved the First Amendment to the IGA that covered the land acquisition for the project, which is being called “Phase II” of the project (R15-069). In 2017, Council approved the Second Amendment to the IGA that covered the design engineering and stormwater management fees, which is being called “Phase III” of the project (R17-067). In 2021, Council approved the Third Amendment to the IGA that covered additional costs needed to complete the “Phase II” and “Phase III” portions of the project (R21-163). The additional costs in 2021 included a design engineering supplement (including additional land acquisition services), utility relocation design engineering, and additional land acquisition costs. In 2022, Council approved the Fourth Amendment to the IGA that covered additional costs needed to complete the “Phase II” and “Phase III” portions of the project (R22-304).
The current boundary agreement between the City of Aurora and City of Naperville commits the City to completing the land acquisition and design engineering process, designated as “Phase II” and “Phase III” as described above. This Fifth amendment commits the City to budgeting a local share for the Construction and Construction Engineering portion of the project and officially move forward the final phase of this project. The project will still have to be let by Illinois Department of Transportation and awarded.
By starting and/or completing these prior phases, the project was in a better position to apply for federal funding for construction when it became available. At this time, the project has been programmed for $15M in Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC) and $20.1M in Surface Transportation Project – Shared Fund (STP-SF) federal funds. A total of $35,100,000.00 in state and federal funds, which is an increase of approximately $13.3M from the Fourth amendment to the IGA. The project team continues to look for additional funding opportunities for all aspects of the project.
As written above, this is the Fifth Amendment to the IGA which primarily covers the final “Phase IV” of the project, including construction, construction engineering and utility relocation. In addition, there some funds to complete “Phase II” and “Phase III” of the project.
In an attempt to make this the final and all-encompassing IGA, Naperville proposed the creation of a NAR Project Team with representatives from the Township, Aurora, and Naperville. As agreements are drafted with the railroads and utility companies, the NAR Project Team would review them, and once all team members agree that an agreement is in order, the chief executives of each agency sign the agreements. This IGA delegates the authority to sign those documents to the chief executives, removing the need to go back to City Council to sign those individual agreements. However, if the agreements will cause the local agency to exceed the obligation as described in this resolution, City staff members will bring the agreement to City Council for approval.
Per the IGA, the City’s estimated local obligation is $3,136,387 and will be paid out over the next four years. Funds are available in the 2024 approved budget per the below and additional funds will need to be included in the 2025, 2026 and the 2027 budgets:
GB017 North Aurora Road Underpass 203-4060-431.76-66 $500,000.00
IDOT requires a Resolution to appropriate the MFT funds prior to their expenditure for approved projects. This $3,136,378.00 amount includes a 15% contingency above current estimated costs as described in the IGA. If this $3,136,378.00 amount does not cover the final local share costs for the project, another resolution will need to be considered by City Council for approval to expedite any additional funding.
A detour will be required for a portion of the project. The timing of the detour is unknown and will depend on when the project goes to letting.
• Consent was given to a Resolution authorizing the mayor to renew the intergovernmental agreement with the Fox Metro Water Reclamation District to provide maintenance and operation services for the Combined Sewer Overflow Treatment Facility at 400 N. Broadway, Aurora.
The purpose is to authorize the mayor and City clerk to enter into a five year agreement with Fox Metro Water Reclamation District to assist in the maintenance of the CSO treatment facility at 400 N. Broadway, Aurora.
City government of Aurora documents show the City’s CSO Waste Water Treatment Facility provides screening, primary treatment, disinfection and storage of CSO flows prior to discharge into the Fox River. The construction of the facility was required as part of an Illinois Pollution Control Board Order issued in 1988. The proper operation of this facility is essential in order to meet the City’s National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit requirements. State Law requires that the Facility be operated by an Illinois licensed wastewater operator. The Fox Metro Water Reclamation District has the expertise and equipment to maintain and operate the facility. Fox Metro has satisfactorily operated the facility since completion of the plant in 1998.
The 2024 budget contains $172,000 in the Water and Sewer Fund account 510-4063-511.32-24 for this work.
The duration of the proposed agreement is five years.
This work is critical in order to comply with state and federal laws and to protect public health.
• Consent was given to an Ordinance creating Section 2-65 of the Code of Ordinances pertaining to Aldermanic Initiative Funds.
The purpose is to restate, amplify, amend and codify existing procedures governing the use of funds appropriated by the City Council for disbursement by individual aldermen and to provide additional authorization and guidance pertaining to their uses.
City government of Aurora documents show in the 1990s, the City Council began to appropriate a portion of the City’s Gaming Tax Fund for use by the ward alderperson (then only 8 in number) to disburse at their discretion on capital programs within their respective wards. Over time, the City Council supplemented these appropriations with contributions from the Capital Improvement Fund and authorized the alderpersons at-large to disburse these funds as well, but in small amounts than it authorized for their counterparts. By tradition, the City Council permitted ward alderpersons to “carry over” a portion of their unspent funds to be used in subsequent fiscal years.
Although the City Council from time-to-time did adopt a resolutions that 2/3 of an alderman’s annual budget be devoted to capital purposes, it never incorporated this rule as part of the Code of Ordinances. It also did not appear to confer any authority upon an individual alderperson to direct the disbursement funds appropriated for his or her use. Under Illinois law, individual aldermen ordinarily must act collectively while assembled as the City Council (or one of its duly-established committees) to exercise governmental authority – thus, it is unclear what authority an individual alderperson possesses to contract on behalf of or otherwise bind the City or to direct City staff members to release such funds. In many instances, the City Council addressed this question by adopting resolutions authorizing specific programs on behalf of a requesting alderperson, but did not adopt a permanent mechanism for processing routine requests. Instead, these requests have been processed by staff members as a courtesy so long as they are consistent with custom and practice.
The proposed ordinance creates a new Section 2-65 in the Code of Ordinances establishing an “aldermanic initiative program” that codifies the City’s custom of appropriating funds for special aldermanic projects, provides the necessary authorization for disbursements of these funds, and addresses the manner and extent to which funds can be carried over from year-to-year.
The proposed ordinance provides that the City Council may budget for two types of initiative funding: Capital funds, which will be divided evenly among the ward alderpersons, and non-capital funds, which will be divided evenly among all alderpersons. Because this ordinance will be codified and is therefore designed to be of a “general and permanent nature,” it does not propose any specific amounts for the City Council to budget for these purposes – rather it anticipates that to be a decision made annually by the City Council.
Under this proposal, an alderperson may authorize the disbursement of capital funds for specific improvements to infrastructure but has more discretion over the types of community enhancement programs he or she may choose to fund with funds appropriated for non-capital purposes — provided that all expenditures must primarily have a public, rather than a private, purpose. The ordinance enumerates several purposes for which an alderperson does not need to seek further approval to authorize the disbursal of non-capital funds, and vests the Rules, Administration, and Procedures Committee with the authority to further authorize additional or “outside-of-the-box” uses. The ordinance specifically prohibits the use of initiative funds for certain purposes — consistent with existing Illinois law and the City’s Ethics Ordinance.
The ordinance further provides guidance as to how and when an alderperson may request a disbursement, carry-over funds from one year to the next, and when necessary, request to transfer funds from a capital to a non-capital account and vice-versa. The ordinance also expressly provides that an individual alderperson may not bind the City to a contract and expressly provides that the City’s Purchasing Ordinance applies to all procurements made with aldermanic initiative funds.
Adoption of this Ordinance should provide greater clarity and transparency to the decades-old aldermanic funding program while providing greater flexibility for the alderpersons to allocate funds to projects important to their constituents.
City officials recommend the Council deliberate upon this proposed ordinance and adopt such procedures and limitations as at it deems appropriate.
• Place on Unfinished Business for further possible discussion is a Resolution authorizing procurement of an Advantage Program (AP) for professional services from Environmental Systems Research Institute (ESRI) of Redlands, California in the amount of $408,300.00, for a three year term.
City government of Aurora documents show the City government desires a GIS Enterprise platform that is easy and intuitive for end-users to utilize, efficient for City staff members to manage and update, takes advantage of the latest technologies to solve business challenges, and seeks a partnership with ESRI to execute against the initiatives identified in the Geospatial Strategy and expand the use of GIS throughout the organization.
The ESRI Advantage Program (AP) is an annual subscription designed to provide enterprise-wide visioning and geospatial enablement through technical advisory, an annual planning meeting, a collaboratively developed technical work plan, and access to exclusive quarterly technology webcasts. It also provides access to a combination of consulting, premium support, and training services.
ESRI has provided GIS software and services to the City since 1996. During 2023 the City partnered with ESRI to develop a Geospatial Strategy to identify areas where the City could leverage the GIS Enterprise platform to solve its many business challenges. All city departments were identified as being able to take advantage of the GIS Enterprise Platform.
The Advantage Program will expand on the existing foundation of the GIS Enterprise Platform and provide professional services to maintain and upgrade the existing system, expand the utilization of the platform throughout the City, and train staff members to become proficient in the various GIS technologies. The Advantage Program will assist in the execution of the initiatives identified within the Geospatial Strategy and allow for the intake of new initiatives and incorporate them into the plan in an efficient manner.
Funds from the 2024 Decision Package will be utilized for this purpose in account 101-1284-419.45-02 ($136,100 annually).
As the City continues to improve GIS services and implement the Geospatial Strategy, the Advantage Program will support new and engaging services, the utilization of the technologies to their fullest capabilities, and ensure continued success of the GIS Enterprise platform.
• Place on Unfinished Business for further possible discussion is a Resolution To Endorse the Legislative Action Program of the DuPage Mayors and Managers Conference for the 2024 Legislative Session.
City government of Aurora documents show this is a resolution endorsing the Legislative Action Program (LAP) of the DuPage Mayor’s and Manager’s (DMMC) allows the City of Aurora to publicly support the organization’s legislative priorities along with other member communities in DuPage County.
The City of Aurora is a member and active participant of the DMMC, with staff members serving on the Board of Directors, Mayor’s and Manager’s Committee and the Legislative Committee. The organization works to align member municipalities on issues deemed as important so members speak with one voice when communicating with the State of Illinois. There are 33 member municipalities in the DMMC, representing approximately one million residents.
The city of Aurora government endorsing the LAP provides a way for the council to stay informed on the legislative positions of some of the member organizations and communicate that information to their residents. Additionally, when working with the State of Illinois on specific issues, it provides both the city and the DMMC a comprehensive platform on legislative issues in order to protect and benefit specific local interests.
• Information only. No vote is necessary for a Committee update on tobacco license compliance checks.
The purpose is to update the Rules, Administration and Procedures (RAP) Committee on the process/procedure related to compliance checks by the Aurora Police Department (APD) and newly licensed tobacco establishments.
City government of Aurora documents show in November of 2023, staff members introduced an amendment to Chapter 13 regarding Tobacco. The amendment sought to make the process for addressing items identified in applicant’s background checks mirror that of what is in liquor section of the code. During the presentation the RAP Committee had questions regarding compliance checks by the APD. This memo seeks to address those questions.
Representatives from the Finance Department (Revenue and Collections), Law Department and the Mayor’s Office met with the APD to discuss the process for compliance checks for new businesses in early December.
The City code vests the responsibility for license administration in the Finance Department. The manager of Revenue and Collections (R&C) serves as the License Administrator for several city-issues licenses, including tobacco/alternative nicotine, video gaming, mobile food units, taxi cabs and amusement devices to name a few. Liquor licenses are managed by the city’s Deputy Liquor Commissioner, the City clerk. R&C is under new leadership and is working to update legacy processes and procedures, including communication with city departments/divisions.
In the meeting with APD, it was discovered there was no set process for communicating newly licensed tobacco/alternative nicotine establishments with the police department. APD conducts regular compliance checks on a quarterly basis and responds to complaints on an as-needed basis.
It was determined that it would be most efficient for R&C to send the list of newly licensed establishments to APD on a quarterly basis. APD will then prioritize visiting the new businesses in the next round of compliance visits.
Any businesses not in compliance will be subject to more frequent visits by APD, and the law department will provide orders from the hearings to the PD and the Aldermen’s Office for awareness as well.
The discussion was beneficial and established a straightforward process of communication between the APD and the city license administrator.
• Information only. No vote is necessary for a recommendation to approve an aldermanic aide for the Office of Aldermen.
• Final approval for items on the Committee of the Whole consent agenda are set to be made at the January 23 Aurora City Council meeting.