By Jason Crane
At the Aurora city government Committee of the Whole meeting Tuesday, through the Zoom video conference platform, the City Council considered a second extension to have additional time to meet compliance for a proposed cannabis dispensing facility at 35 N. Broadway.
• The ordinance amendment was placed on unfinished business for further discussion next week.
The amendment is to grant additional time for compliance of the special use (conditional use) of a cannabis dispensing facility at 35 N. Broadway that was granted October 27, 2020.
Due to the shutdowns caused by COVID-19, the State has delayed the deadline for issuing the cannabis dispensing licenses.
City government of Aurora documents show the City granted Bloom Holdings I, LLC, a special use (conditional use) permit for the cannabis dispensing facility April 28, 2020, that contained conditions.
The special use (conditional use) then amended October 27, 2020 granted additional time for compliance of the special use (conditional use). Specifically, it granted an additional six months to obtain conditional registration license for cannabis dispensing facility by the State, to April 28, 2021, and granted an additional year to commence its use as a cannabis dispensing facility, to October 27, 2021.
The State has delayed awarding licenses again to give applicants a second chance at qualifying following complaints about the scoring process. Governor JB Pritzker has declined to give a date on when the license will be awarded and issued.
The petitioner is requesting a second extension for additional time for compliance to extend to October 28, 2021.
The City Council gave consent to the following agenda items:
• Several ordinances and resolutions to construct subdivisions with a total of 713 units with 162 of those traditional detached single-family residential homes and 550 of those age-restricted detached single-family residential homes within a gated community in three phases and an amenity center.
The proposed subdivisions are Lincoln Prairie by Del Webb and Lincoln Crossing.
The petitioner, Pulte Home Company, is requesting the approval of an amendment to the annexation agreement, commonly known as the Lincoln Prairie Planned Development District, east of U.S. Route 30, south of Wolf’s Crossing, north of 111th Street and west of Canadian National Rail Line.
The property is approximately 534 acres of vacant land that was annexed into the City of Aurora in December 2002.
The annexation agreement included a variety of future land uses including residential, commercial, and primarily manufacturing.
At that time, the city government was interested in having an industrial area to relocate existing industrial uses that were in operation throughout the City in incompatible residential neighborhoods. However, that industrial vision never came to fruition and this property sat undeveloped.
In February 2021, the City Council approved the Wolf’s Crossing Subarea Plan which redesignated the future land uses for this area to be primarily low-density residential uses and some commercial at key nodes.
The proposed agreement includes a provision to allow golf carts on private streets, pedestrian paths, and the pedestrian bridge so the residents of the age-restricted community can utilize the commercial uses without the need to drive their private vehicles to shop, thereby lowering vehicle trips, and creating an additional amenity for residents.
When commercial property is developed, a plan should be created and implemented to support golf-cart access and circulation. It may be handled with a golf cart-only parking area that keeps the golf carts separate from vehicles.
The proposed amenity center will be constructed on approximately 11 acres in the center of the age-restricted development. The center will include, but is not limited to a pool, tennis courts, bocce ball courts, and pickle ball courts. Included are several parks which are interspersed throughout the subdivision.
These parks will feature various amenities such as a community garden, pavilions, picnic tables, grills, and a dog park.
Some of the details are being discussed and may change before a final vote.
• Consent was given to a resolution authorizing approval of the restoration and cleaning of the G.A.R. murals contract to Third Coast Conservation L. Liparini Studio from Chicago, in the amount of $41,134.50.
• Consent was given to a resolution authorizing approval to accept a bid from McKay Lodge Fine Arts Conservation Laboratory, Inc. from Oberlin, Ohio in the amount of $109,889.00 for the restoration and replication of the G.A.R. sentry statue.
City government of Aurora documents state: On July 4, 1878, the G.A.R. Hall opened to the public for the first time. Overlooking the city of Aurora, the G.A.R. sentry, a cast zinc statue, stood guard.
The statue is most likely a model from J.W. Fiske & Company, the most prominent American manufacturer of decorative cast iron and zinc statues. Although this piece of history required minor repairs over the years, it continued to stand guard until it was taken down in 2008. At this time, the statue was transported to a facility for repair, but fell into approximately 45 parts. The statue was returned to Aurora in 2019 and stored off-site until funds were available to complete the repairs. Later in 2019, the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) notified the city government of Aurora that a grant frozen in 2015 for a total of $750,000 would be accessible once more. The project will be entirely funded from this grant.
• Consent was given to a resolution approving a revision to the final plan for the construction of an office within the parking deck north of Prairie Street, east of South Evanslawn Avenue, and south of Southlawn Place.
City government of Aurora documents show the petitioner, Aurora University, is requesting approval of final plan revision for the construction of an office to house a campus safety facility within the parking deck at 1405 Prairie Street.
• Consent was given to a resolution appointing Linda Read as the Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund authorized agent for the city of Aurora.
• Consent was given to a resolution authorizing the city of Aurora to purchase the Apex Officer virtual simulator for the Training Division of the Aurora Police Department (APD) for an amount not to exceed $62,500.00.
City government of Aurora documents show the Apex Officer training system is a comprehensive solution that is designed to allow Aurora Police trainers the ability to give presentation and classes, conduct interactive testing and assessment and provide immersive hands-on, scenario-based, exercises with detailed debriefing and after action review. The Apex Officer system is designed to increase a police officer’s knowledge, skills, and confidence in a safe, challenging environment that is highly interactive and engaging. The system allows the trainers to interact with the trainee and allow their verbal skills to de-escalate the situation or address any threats presented to them. This allows for a real-life interactions where verbal and command skills can be honed.
The Apex Officer system utilizes a state-of-the-art virtual reality mounted display to create the world’s most realistic and immersive judgmental training simulator.
The Apex Officer with a virtual reality head mounted display makes it capable of producing active engagements from a 360-degree environment surrounding the officers. The system utilizes Dolby Atmos multi-directional audio technology and seamless software simulations that simulate different environments and situations that will challenge the officers.
The virtual training weapons and accessories are designed to look, weigh, and feel like their real-life counterpart. The Apex training vest allows the users to experience real-world sensations which are capable of delivering a safe and adjustable electrical impulse to simulate hostile fire and enhance realism during training. The officers will be able to feel every time they have been hit, shot, knocked, touched, or brushed up against. The system will allow an after-action debriefing which provides real-time monitoring, recording, and playback. This is so mistakes can be addressed, if and when they occur, in a safe environment.
The purchase of Apex Officer virtual simulator would be used to enhance APD’s current training possibilities. The system could be used in mandatory training, as well as during an officer’s uncommitted patrol time. This would replace the outdated and inoperable Milo system, which is 12 years old and not currently functioning. It is a two-dimensional screen with limitations on areas of movement and scenario options.
Once an officer has been through a scenario they would know what to expect. At the time, it (the Milo system) was a good purchase and had a significant training benefit, however, due to the advances in technology the Apex Officer makes the Milo system or other projection systems obsolete.
Apex Officer blends randomization, artificial intelligence and voice recognition which provides an infinite number of training opportunities and scenarios.
The purchase would cost a total of $117,868 but Aurora Police Department will receive a $55,368.00 discount for being the first agency in Illinois to have this technology. With the discount it would cost a total of $62,500 which will be purchased with the use of asset forfeiture funds. Apex Officer offers a 12-month warranty, includes an instructor/ operator course covering hardware setup, all software updates, and trouble shooting.
• Consent was given to a resolution authorizing the city of Aurora to purchase 100 ballistic shields with asset forfeiture and general funds.
City government of Aurora documents show the Aurora Police Department presently has ballistic shields in most police cars, and they have been instrumental in providing officer safety over the years but the manufacturer’s warranty on them is five years from the date of production; APD shields have reached their end of life.
The warranty is for five years from the date of manufacture, due to the breakdown of the material that provides the protection. The present shields have passed that threshold and are eight years old. Being a larger police agency, United Shield contacted APD and related that a custom order from a large agency was unable to be completed through to delivery and they now had excess inventory. Keeping shields in the warehouse is not ideal as the date of manufacture is clearly listed, and each month the shields sit in their facility they are degrading and losing their appeal to prospective customers. Additionally, selling approximately 100 shields outside of a custom order is a difficult task. United Shield then began reaching out to those agencies that could possibly purchase a bulk order.
The shields are brand new, not factory seconds, and have never left the manufacturing facility. The standard retail price for each is $2530, however, because of the circumstances surrounding degradation they would like to sell the entire stock at approximately $1000 each to get them out of inventory.
However, United Shield is a manufacturer of ballistic shields and do not sell direct. They do have specific distributors that they work with and they reached out to them to inform them about their situation with the overproduction and spoke with their local distributor, Ray O’Herron Company. Due to it being a bulk order, Ray O’Herron Company was able to offer a further discount with each shield quoted at $972 dollars, with a freight cost of $1200, making the entire order $98,400.
As a comparison, if these shields were ordered at full price, with freight, it would be $254,200. This offer is a savings of $155,800.
• Consent was given to a resolution ratifying payment in the amount of $92,680.00 and approving additional payments of $158,880.00 to Richland Community College, Macon County Law Enforcement Training Center for police recruit training, lodging and meals in 2021.
• Consent was given to a resolution approving a transfer and use and occupancy agreement between the City of Aurora and the non-profit organization Taking Back Our Community.
City government of Aurora documents show the purpose of the transfer and use agreement would assist Taking Back Our Community (TBOC) to continue to provide much needed programs for the community. The agreement provides a vehicle for the city to provide much needed support to keep and maintain the building at 1226 Grand Boulevard open. In exchange the city would be the owner of record of the property and have the ability to use the building for programs as well.
TBOC has been active as a Neighborhood Group since 1995 making it one of the top 5 oldest neighborhood groups in the Aurora. The TBOC Neighborhood overlaps with Pattersonville which is a long-time African American neighborhood. The TBOC neighborhood is located between Ohio Street, East New York Street, Farnsworth Avenue, and East Galena Boulevard. In 2010, TBOC incorporated as a non-profit in order to secure funding to run much needed programs. During this time TBOC became the owner of the Grand Boulevard Center, previously owned by the YWCA.
The Grand Boulevard center has been providing much needed programs and services since 1986 under the YWCA. When the YWCA, could no longer keep programs going, TBOC stepped in. Neighborhood group meetings have been held at this facility. The efforts of TBOC have helped to reduce crime. TBOC has also helped with beatification programs in the neighborhood and has assisted with organizing neighborhood clean-up events. TBOC also sponsors an annual National Night Out event at the Grand Boulevard Center. The facility has a computer lab which is used to provide programs for youth and seniors.
TBOC has been struggling to maintain the Grand Boulevard Center. Major fundraising efforts have been conducted to fix the roof and other facility needs. The operations and maintenance costs of the facility limit the ability of TBOC to provide programs. At the present time, real estate taxes and fees are due and TBOC has limited resources.
The funds to assist with the real estate taxes and fees would come from The Fox Valley United Way (FVUW). The FVUW has been a fiscal agent for the Aurora Cares Fund which was set up to fund programs geared toward reducing crime. With the disbanding of the Aurora Cares Corporation, the city stopped transferring funds to this account and has been working to close the account. The funds needed as part of this agreement would help close out the account.
• Consent was given to a resolution establishing the maximum number of Class A: Package Sales (Beer & Wine Only/Gas Station) liquor licenses, (unofficially related to the application from 7-Eleven, Inc. D/B/A 7-Eleven #38509J at 2626 Ogden Ave., Aurora) – Ward 8.
• Consent was given to a resolution authorizing the execution of a phase 3 construction engineering agreement with HR Green, Inc. in the not to exceed amount of $119,131.00 for the 2021 city wide resurfacing projects.
• Consent was given to a resolution authorizing the execution of permits with the state of Illinois for maintenance and construction on State highways.
• Consent was given to an ordinance annexing property located at 39 W. 579 Prairie Street to the city of Aurora.