By Jason Crane
The Aurora City Council viewed a summary about a gas main that was damaged Wednesday, Jan. 21 near Rush-Copley Hospital at the Tuesday, Jan. 27 City Council meeting.
Interim Fire Chief Kevin Nickel explained a construction company was installing a new sign and hit a five-inch supply gas pipe with an auger at the intersection of Wolcott Road and Waterford Drive near Rush-Copley Hospital.
Those working in surrounding buildings were evacuated out of precaution.
Traffic in the area was delayed as emergency crews worked to resolve the incident.
The City of Aurora’s Emergency Management Agency assisted with traffic control and evacuation efforts.
Nicor Gas repaired the gas main.
•A Resolution was approved to authorize the reappointment of Ginger Ingram and the appointment of Javi Terrazas, Jahari Thompson and Bryan Joseph to the Aurora Public Art Commission.
•A Resolution was approved to authorize the City to accept a grant award of $24,000.00 from the Illinois Attorney General’s Office as part of the 2026 Attorney General’s Organized Retail Crime Grant Program.
The grant would be used to help the Aurora Police Department in the detection, investigation, and reduction of organized retail crimes within Aurora by providing $24,000 from July 1, 2025 through June 30, 2026. $12,000.00 of the award is reimbursement of overtime for the Aurora Police Department as it conducts regular details in the retail shopping areas within the City of Aurora.
Another $12,000.00 of the award is specified to be used towards the procurement of a mobile security camera trailer. The mobile security camera trailer is expected to cost over the $12,000.00 grant budgeted amount. The cost overage has been budgeted for via 2026 asset forfeiture funds.
•An Ordinance was approved to grant a Conditional Use Permit for a Social Service Agencies, Charitable Organizations, Health Related Facilities, and similar uses when not operated for pecuniary profit use to allow an emergency warming shelter on the property at 712 S. River Street.
City government of Aurora documents show at this time, the property is utilized as City offices with Park and Recreation District zoning.
The emergency warming shelter would be for individuals who are unable to access other permanent shelter options, from November until either May 1 or the last day with temperatures at or below 32 degrees, providing a safe and compliant environment for unhoused residents during extreme winter conditions.
The shelter will accommodate up to 64 individuals, including guests, staff members, and volunteers, to ensure safety, effective management, and appropriate supervision. Guest hours will be from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m., with staff members and volunteers on-site as needed for preparation, coordination, and site management.
At this time, meals will be provided for breakfast and dinner. While some food preparation may occur on-site, most meals will be prepackaged or catered.
•An Ordinance was approved to create a PACE area and establishing the Illinois Finance Authority Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) program for certain properties in Aurora city limits.
City government of Aurora documents show the purpose is to enable the availability of a financing mechanism run by the Illinois Finance Authority that allows property owners to request the levy of special assessments for the purpose of energy efficiency improvements, renewable energy improvements, and/or water use improvements.
The Illinois Finance Authority (IFA) has been running a Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) financing program since 2013. C-PACE is a financing mechanism that allows owners of commercial (and certain other) properties to finance energy, water, resiliency, and renewable-improvement projects through long-term, fixed-rate assessment liens on their property.
In order to access this financing, properties must be located within a jurisdiction that has enabled it. Once a municipality adopts a local enabling ordinance and program report, that jurisdiction becomes a “PACE area,” making C-PACE financing available within the city’s boundaries.
The C-PACE financing is structured so that IFA issues bonds or notes to capital providers, who then provide the upfront funding for the eligible improvements. The property owner repays over time via a special assessment on their property – repaid alongside property taxes, not as a conventional loan. Enabling this program does not create debt or financial liability to the City.
Eligible properties include privately owned commercial, industrial, non-residential agricultural, multi-family (5 or more units), or not-for-profit properties – essentially non-single-family residential.
Eligible improvements (sometimes called “Energy Projects”) encompass a broad and flexible set of upgrades, such as: energy-efficiency upgrades (e.g. lighting, HVAC, insulation), renewable energy systems (e.g. solar, geothermal), resiliency measures (e.g., flood mitigation, infrastructure upgrades), water-use improvements (e.g. water conservation systems), and even installation of electric vehicle charging stations.
Financing can cover up to 100% of project and closing costs (hard + soft costs), up to 25% of the total property value. Terms are typically 10-30 years.
The financing is non-recourse to the owner (i.e. secured by a lien on the property rather than a personal guarantee), and it’s assignable upon transfer of the property, so the assessment can remain with the property if sold (if the new owner agrees).
Enabling this program does not create work, debt, or financial liability to the City. The IFA handles all administration and financing; the most work the City will incur is promotion of the program through our typical channels (social media, website, etc).
At this time, Kane and DuPage counties have a similar program that is run by single administrator; by enabling the IFA C-PACE program in Aurora, commercial and large multi-family property owners in all four of Aurora’s counties will have the ability to participate in a PACE program that is run by a state agency with access to competitive bidding with multiple administrators.
Potential benefits to Aurora citizens:
•Lower barrier to investments: Property owners/developers can finance energy, water, resiliency, and clean-energy upgrades with 100% upfront financing and long repayment terms, which otherwise might have significant upfront costs or financing hurdles.
•Economic development/property improvement: C-PACE encourages upgrades to existing commercial and multifamily buildings, which can increase property values, reduce operating costs, and make properties more attractive, potentially incentivizing reinvestment, revitalization, or adaptive reuse of older buildings.
•Environmental/sustainability benefits: Providing access to this type of financing model will help the City of Aurora achieve some of its goals of the 2019 Aurora Sustainability Plan by facilitating energy efficiency, renewable energy adoption, water conservation, and resiliency improvements.
•Job creation/local contracting potential: With more building upgrades, local contractors, tradespeople, and service providers may see increased demand, supporting local employment and economic activity.
•Cost savings and cash-flow benefits for building owners and renters: Because PACE payments are often lower than the savings achieved through energy or operational cost reductions, many improvements can result in positive cash flow from year one.