Aurora City Council Workshop - February 9, 2026

This workshop covered a wide range of topics, including a team-building icebreaker, formation of a rules committee, strategic planning, budget overview, ADA improvements to council chambers, the Build-Up Aurora capital plan, an update on the Navigation Campus, and a proposal to implement transportation impact fees on non-residential development. The meeting included extensive discussion and direction from council members.

Icebreaker Activity

• Jesse Byrne led a leadership-themed icebreaker where council members shared personal leaders who inspired them, emphasizing qualities such as resilience, honesty, and compassion.

Rules Committee Discussion

• Mayor Pro Tem Coombs announced the formation of a rules committee to review council rules, starting with decorum and meeting conduct. Councilmember Lawson and others expressed concerns about heckling from the audience and interruptions during debates. City Attorney Shulte noted that the current rules lack meaningful consequences beyond censure and suggested exploring additional accountability measures.

Strategic Planning Overview

• Letitia Kallanan presented the city’s strategic plan, outlining five outcomes: well-managed, healthy, safe, economically strong, and connected and engaged. The plan focuses on developing KPIs and a public-facing dashboard.

Budget Overview

• Greg Hayes provided a detailed budget presentation, noting that 58% of general fund revenue comes from sales tax and only 11% from property tax. He explained the city’s conservative approach, multi-year financial outlook, and the importance of one-time funds for one-time uses. Councilmember Gardner emphasized the need for ongoing operating funding for libraries.

Council Chambers ADA Improvements

• Laura Perry presented options to update the council chambers for ADA compliance, including a design update (estimated $100,000) and construction (estimated $975,000). Council reached consensus to proceed with the design update and bring back cost estimates and a timeline for construction, including potential phasing.

Build-Up Aurora Capital Plan

• Laura Perry presented the Build-Up Aurora initiative, a comprehensive 10-year capital plan totaling $1.9 billion in needs across transportation, parks, libraries, public safety, and other facilities. The plan is informed by extensive public engagement and will be refined through a public ranking process and statistically valid polling. Councilmember Gardner and Bergen co-chair the infrastructure task force. A bond question is anticipated for the November 2026 ballot.

Navigation Campus Update

• Jessica and Stephanie provided an update on the Navigation Campus, which now shelters over 300 people nightly (up from 100 at the old facility). They reported on grievances, operational improvements, and partnerships. Councilmember Andrews raised concerns about building maintenance and the operator agreement, suggesting the city may need to take over maintenance responsibilities. Chief Lawton discussed public safety calls, noting a rise in low-acuity calls and efforts to embed officers for mentoring.

Transportation Impact Fees for Non-Residential Development

• Laura Perry, sponsored by Councilmember Wiles, proposed implementing transportation impact fees on non-residential development, phased in at 25% of the maximum rate starting July 2026 and increasing to 50% in 2028. Councilmember Bergen expressed concerns about double taxation (ARI mill levy) and the impact on attracting retail. Councilmember Gardner opposed eliminating the zone system and questioned the fairness of the fee structure. Councilmember Wiles will host a stakeholder listening session to gather input.

Key Outcomes

• Consensus to proceed with the ADA chamber design update and bring back cost estimates.
• Direction to continue the impact fee discussion with a stakeholder listening session, and to refine the proposal based on council feedback.
• Discussion on scheduling a special meeting for service plan amendments; council will be polled on timing.
• General agreement to proceed with the Build-Up Aurora public engagement and ranking process.