Aurora City Council Regular Meeting – February 25, 2026

The Aurora City Council met in regular session on February 25, 2026. The transcript's roll call says 'Monday, February 23rd, 2026,' conflicting with the provided date; the provided date is used here. After roll call, invocation, Pledge of Allegiance, and a report on executive session topics (lease agreements, property acquisition, and legal advice), the council unanimously approved the February 9, 2026 minutes and the meeting agenda.

Consent Calendar

• Adopted the February 9, 2026 minutes and the agenda without objection.
• Approved consent calendar motions 10C1 and 10C2 unanimously.
• Approved consent calendar resolutions/ordinances 11A1 and 11A2 unanimously.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Sherry Bright, a retired teacher with Faith Bridge, supported investing in youth and asked council to support House Bill 26-1055 (the 'My Colorado card') to expand youth access to arts, recreation, and cultural opportunities.
• Allie DeWills Marcano, a Ward 4 resident, criticized the chamber elevator, advocated for Housing First policies, and reported counting seven mobility devices separated from their owners at a city shelter.
• Juan Marcano, Ward 4, argued at-large and odd-year elections dilute minority voting power and asked council to place even-year election and multimember ward measures on the November 2026 ballot.
• A disabled resident (Della Jordan) described theft and abuse at a shelter and requested an investigation.
• Many speakers, including Milo Schwab, Erica Murphy, Veronica Siebron, Ayante Anderson, Cliff Jones, Tandra Blinken, Paul Nelson, Casey Hicks, and Lavette Sanderson, called for police accountability and for Police Chief Todd Chamberlain to be removed or to resign, citing deaths including Rajan Belt Stubblefield, Kylan Lewis, Jalen Schabron, Joseph Jones, Corey Dillard, and Rashad Johnson. They demanded independent investigations, removal of involved officers, and community control of public safety.
• Joyce Walton said the public voted out red-light cameras and accused the council of reinstating them as 'safety cameras' to recover lost revenue.
• Joyce Bradney criticized Councilmember Hancock's February 17 constituent email about the camping ban resolution, saying it mischaracterized the resolution and was designed to create fear.
• After one hour, council voted 8-3 to suspend rules so four remaining speakers could be heard, subtracting 12 minutes from the later public comment period.
• In the second public comment period, Alan Wu asked council to refer an occupation tax to the 2026 ballot and criticized tax incentives, including $7.1 million to PML. Medine Schaffner read her own Black History Month proclamation because the council had not formally adopted one. Allie DeWills Marcano raised accessibility and overpolicing of council chambers. Juan Marcano suggested studying Camden, New Jersey's community-safety model.

Discussion Items

• Item 12A (Zoning map amendment - Urban Cottages, 3.91 acres): Staff said the Planning and Zoning Commission recommended approval of rezoning from RR to R2 and approved a 30-unit paired-home site plan. The applicant said the project would supply 'missing middle' housing and confirmed the site plan would not become apartments. Public comments included support from Maya Wheeler and Juan Marcano, and opposition from Gary Peterson, Shayna Shabatura, and Kyle Weber, who cited density, traffic, compatibility, and a 200-signature petition. Councilmember Bergen discussed R1/R2 inconsistencies; Mayor Pro Tem Coombs defended transit access on Route 105. The council approved the rezoning 9-1, with Councilmember Hancock voting no.
• Item 13A (Lead/galvanized service lines): Aurora Water Deputy Director Shawnee Klein presented an ordinance to require replacement of only lead or 'galvanized requiring replacement' lines, rather than all galvanized lines, to align with federal and state rules. The council approved introduction unanimously.
• Item 13B (Tobacco/age-restricted hemp retail licensing): Staff said revisions removed a SNAP/EBT fraud provision and added a severability clause. Public testimony included support from Children's Hospital Colorado, school officials, and prevention groups; Grier Bailey of Colorado Community Store Association supported the revised ordinance but warned against future flavor bans. Councilmember Gardner offered several amendments: one to strike provisions addressing loitering, crime prevention, and reporting failed 4-6; a second to narrow the 'good moral character' definition passed unanimously; a third to allow temporary tobacco festivals only with a city permit passed 8-2; and a fourth to strike cigar minimum package-size rules passed 6-5 after Mayor Kaufman broke a 5-5 tie. The council then approved the ordinance as amended unanimously.
• Item 14A (UDO sign ordinance): Council finalized ordinance 202603 with an 8-2 vote; Councilmembers Gardner and Hancock voted no.
• Item 15A (Annexation resolution): Staff presented a petition for annexation of a Tapias LLC parcel at East 26th Avenue and North Piccadilly Road. Council unanimously found substantial compliance with state law and set a public hearing for April 6, 2026.

Council Reports

• Councilmembers shared district updates. Mayor Pro Tem Coombs expressed concern about community trust in police leadership and about GEO facility/ICE operations. Councilmember Jackson said the camping ban resolution (R2026) would pause encampment abatements during extreme cold weather and allow outreach, and described the death of Dr. Linda Davis after an ICE pursuit in Georgia. Councilmember Medina described conditions at the GEO facility, including about 1,500 detainees and pods of up to 60 people. Councilmember Hancock defended the 72-hour notice/camping ban and disputed claims that ICE officers receive bonuses for arrests, urging a balanced approach for the city's 415,000 residents. Councilmember Lawson said the housing committee discussion suggested the resolution could lead to a 'slow repeal' of the camping ban. Councilmember Bergen gave updates on Arapahoe Road water infrastructure work.

Key Outcomes

• Adopted minutes and agenda.
• Approved all consent calendar items.
• Approved the Urban Cottages rezoning (9-1).
• Introduced and approved the lead/galvanized service-line ordinance.
• Approved the tobacco/age-restricted hemp licensing ordinance as amended after several votes.
• Finalized the UDO sign ordinance (8-2).
• Approved the annexation substantial-compliance resolution and scheduled a public hearing for April 6, 2026.
• Failed to strike a tobacco-ordinance subsection on loitering/crime prevention (4-6).
• Suspended rules for public comment (8-3).