thank you foreign foreign foreign foreign foreign [Music] [Music] foreign foreign foreign the regular meeting of the Aurora city council for Monday November 14th is called to order where the clerk please call the roll mayor Kaufman yeah mayor Pro Tim Bergen here council member Coombs council member Gardner here councilmember jorinsky here councilmember Lawson here council member Marcano president councilmember Medina here council member Mario president council member sunberg here and council member zavonic here there's a quorum announcement of the public call in line on Matt both matters appearing on the agenda and during public invited to be heard if you would like to speak and have not already done spoken to an operator please press star three for those watching on Channel 8 call 855-695-3475 and press star 3 when connected you will hear a prompt confirming you are in line with a Speedco operator and then be able to continue listening to the meeting when the operator comes on the line please be ready to give them your name and attend the item that you wish to speak on keep in mind you must press star three before the city clerk reads the title of the item you are wishing to speak on as a reminder Council does not allow comments on any items that on the agenda during public invited to be heard and each speaker is allowed three minutes thank you foreign [Music] gracias please join me in an invocation O Lord Our God and our father we come to you and we ask that you would look upon this particular gathering tonight to keep us safe and guide us in our decisions bless our city with honorable citizens industry and sound education and good government unite our community together even though we come from different backgrounds we pray that there be Justice and peace in our city give the city council and citizens the wisdom Direction and sensitivity to the business and proceedings before us tonight hear us therefore as we commit this meeting to the help of the community please join me in the Pledge of Allegiance pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands one nation under God indivisible indivisible with liberty and justice for all land acknowledgment the city of Aurora acknowledges That We Gather on the territories and in sexual homelands of the Cheyenne youth Arapaho and Lakota peoples past and present we also recognize the 48 contemporary tribal Nations that are historically tied to the lands that made up the state of Colorado indigenous peoples have remained committed to the stewardship of this land over many centuries as these words of acknowledgment are spoken and hurt the ties that these nations have to the traditional homelands and to their vital place in the ecosystem are renewed and reformed and we are called to better be better stewards of the land that we inhabit as we continue to work to meet the needs of our entire community executive session update an executive session we discussed settlement negotiations and police chief recruitment uh motion for the approval of minutes of October 24 2022. mayor um move to approve the the minutes it's been moved by mayor Pro Tem uh seconded by Sunbird uh councilmember sunberg discussion uh saying no discussion question before this is the adoption and uh of uh the minutes for October 24th 24 24 2022 uh called for the question mayor Kaufman uh mayor Rochas mayor Pro Tim yes the motion passes to adopt the minute and we have a proclamation National homeless and hunger Awareness Week recipients Mile High Behavioral Health Care and the Salvation Army whereas the city of Aurora Colorado is committed to ensuring that every member of our community can achieve their full potential and whereas each year National hunger and homelessness Awareness Week is an important reminder that many aurorans lack food or a safe stable place to call home which prevents them from reaching their full potential and whereas the city of Aurora recognizes that if we work together hungry and homelessness are solvable and whereas 2022's Aurora's hunger and homelessness week is focused on preventing homelessness through rental assistance and Outreach combating hunger through additional food food banks and resources and providing additional resources through this post-pandemic time and whereas in partnership with the city of Aurora the Aurora at home collaborative organizations are committed to connecting residents to available services and implementing public policy in initiatives and whereas the city of Aurora has sourced marijuana tax revenues of three million dollars annually to enhance Outreach programs such as House Aurora partnership to find lasting solutions for individuals and families experiencing homelessness housing and security and hunger whereas all awards are encouraged to help their struggling neighbors by volunteering donating blankets coats hats gloves and non-perishable foods donating funds to the city's House Aurora partnership and to ask their leaders to commit to making homelessness and hunger history within our community now therefore I my coffin mayor of the city of Roy do hereby Proclaim November 12th through the 20th as National homeless and hunger Awareness Week in witness whereof I have uh here on Tucson my hand and cause the Seal of the city of Aurora Colorado to be a fixed this fourth day of November 2022. Mike Calvin mayor Aurora Colorado okay who do I thank you so much you have some words for us sure so we are Colfax Community Network Aurora day resource center and comitus homeless shelter we are the only shelter in Aurora so we're quite proud of that we serve women men Children and Families um all ages so we are here to serve you if you need us the address for the um the comita shelter is 2178 Victor Street in Aurora adrac is one three three eight seven um 19th Street and and CCN is 1585 Kingston Avenue so if you need food for services you can go to CCN Tuesdays and Thursdays 10 a.m um to 12 Tuesdays and Thursdays for food pantry if you need shelter come to kamida's homeless shelter and you need services for coats and socks and Mental Health Services the Aurora day Resource Center thank you thank you please hi all my name is Emma I'm the manager of homeless programs for the city of Aurora and I just wanted to let you know if you are interested in donating monetarily to our homeless programs we have a portal called Spirit of Aurora and you can donate on there we also have some wish lists that you can buy things directly if you'd rather have it go that way those funds do get divvied out to our service providers such as Salvation Army and Mile High Behavioral Health Care so they will get to where they are needed thank you thanks everyone appreciate it appreciate all you do thank you I believe from the mayor Pro tems Ward tonight we have Cub Scout Pack 1127 I wonder if those Scouts can stand for us so we can recognize you here tonight all right look at that public invited to be heard yes mayor we have omen cross and that will be followed by Robbie DeYoung yes my name is omen cross uh why am I here we'll call it uh professional courtesy um I've been paying attention everybody that watches the news and all that pays attention to local and expanded politics we all know that about a year from now there's going to be a real mess around here politically because nobody in the state really has anything else to do that year so I just thought I'd come by because you guys are going to get a little busy and you're gonna get a little busy for the same reason there's a bunch of people here tonight because over the next year these people are going to come to realize how much power they hold in the next year their ability to stand up and speak their minds their ability to stand up and protest is going to be what causes people to either keep or lose their careers so I thought you know we know each other at least well enough that I could come by and say something and you might pay attention but uh you know when we first met that was months ago I gave you three options you chose option three get ready for round one sir thank you Robbie DeYoung followed by Zach Heaton mayor council members yeah Sunday before last I went to visit a friend up in Fredericks I didn't want to do that but I did I walked into the room really didn't notice it and I recognized anyone walked into another room and I saw her daughter I said hello we talked then I went back and I found my friend her name is Paige and in the other room along with her daughter was her other daughter Tyler was murdered they were in the wrong place at the wrong time they were up in Longmont and they stopped at 120 187th and Yellowstone there was another vehicle that was at that same intersection and it was broke down it had two people in that intersection two people with a long criminal history that were running at the time from the police they wanted my friend's truck so they took out their guns that they were not legally supposed to have because of their background and they shot at my friend missed my friend and hit her daughter hit her in the arm and the bullet went through her arm and into her lung she raced to the hospital as fast as she could but Tyler didn't make it Tyler didn't make it and it was because there was somebody that was let out of jail way too soon and they took their illegal firearm and shot they meant to shoot both of them they are in jail now and that's good and I'm happy for it but I'm really sick and tired of hearing about people saying how we need to be more considerate of the criminal and not even give a note to the victim Tyler and her mother just moved to Aurora they are Paige lives here in Aurora now without her daughter I want you all to think about that think about that 15 year old boy that took off his ankle bracelet and now a nut young 12 year old girl is gone and families are devastated Robbie please think about that Zach Heaton followed by Stephanie Wright good evening city council my name is Zach Heaton and I am here to participate in making Aurora be the best that it can be I've got a lot for you tonight so I'm just going to jump right into it so first up is uh for mayor Kaufman and councilman Marcano I want to thank you as a citizen for being the only two during the last meeting with the forethought intellect and courage to tackle amendments to the homelessness agenda I think I can speak for the majority of Aurora to say that we all want a functional path forward for homelessness uh please do not allow the roadblocks I'll be diving into deter you from the fight uh well done both of you um for those of you in the public who missed the last meeting I want to recap we finally have some forward-thinking legislation to address homelessness as you heard me compliment mayor Kaufman and councilman Marcano they both had a number of amendments for discussion and open debate that could transform good legislation into great legislation that was until we had all had the pleasure of other members of council panhandling their own agenda and all pun is intended with panhandling um councilman Gardner showing your frustration that political discussion takes time made me question your motives similar to how you're looking at me right now so I appreciate it uh the last debate was the first time citizens might actually follow what we're discussing at these meetings your parent rush to return to a return us to the standard agenda that is essentially worthless was unhelpful I ask if you're here to do what is best for Aurora please do better councilman zavonic your attempt to troll councilman Marcano with claims that these amendments approach late stage socialism while funny sir you hold the degree in political science from CSU I find it hard to believe they would have allowed you to graduate if that is your understanding of economics please do better mayor Pro tem Bergen I actually appreciated your questioning uh considering that Ward 6 house values go above a hundred thousand or so over the other districts I do think you represent a different District so I can model those numbers for you if you'd like I only ask that you and the residents of Ward 6 who might be less familiar with homelessness understand that the rest of us confronted daily please just remember that we are one Aurora uh to the entire Council I'm not here to criticize everything that you do we want the same thing and that is for Aurora to be great I've noticed a pattern where the council members of individual Awards seem to Advocate and advocate well and I've seen so far three out of four council members at large simply get in the way I'm not sure if you are aware but we actually haven't looked at the structure of the city council since 1983. I would like to thank the city clerk and the Aurora history museum for their help and that bit of research I'll be swinging back to the Aurora History Museum unless you all want to give me another three minutes I'm just asking that we revisit the structure of the council because what I saw at the last meeting was deplorable you signed up to take care of citizens not take care of them I had more of a uh don't tell me I got to go so you all have a fantastic night happy early Thanksgiving Stephanie Wright followed by Tanya tepacek good evening thank you for letting me speak we just recently put in a neighborhood traffic calming application for 10th Street between the area uh Fifth Avenue down to First Avenue we have so many people going down our street 100 miles an hour causing accidents they left a woman out to die in the street they hit my husband they knocked him into a yard upside down they hit my neighbor's car uh hit a guy flew him into their yard we have this continuously now that Moline has all the speed bumps people come to Kenton Street and I'm just asking please before any more deaths or accidents happen the school's right behind us we have kids walking morning noon and night please put up some speed bumps on our street and some flashing slow down signs because it's getting out of hand the latest incident was on the sixth my neighbor had to jump out and jump up on his truck because two cars were flying down the street going over 100 miles an hour and this happens all the time but if he wouldn't have jumped on his truck they would round him over and shortly after that there were uh 10 to 15 shots and I mean it's gang members who live at these apartments who are chasing people and I know that because I'm a stream Minister and I know these people where they live and I know where it's coming from but something has to slow these people down uh I sent the video to detective G Wolfe of the speeding and of the shootings and uh it just we have so much of this going on someone's going to get really hurt I mean people already have but nothing's changing so please consider us for Speed bumps and I have the addresses and we sent you everything and you everything the addresses and I have videos if you want videos and I had a cop the other day saying no it's just School traffic absolutely it is not so thank you for your time Tanya tapacheck um hello um good evening council members I'm just concluding to also with that with the traffic speeding down through our street and so forth and also that we did send the information and uh copy to two council members on her Medina and I did send a digital footage to also jorinsky people are driving fairly fast down our street no one seems to be concerned and so forth and so I just wanted to stress the importance of that and also the safety of the kids and and those around us and also appreciate you guys listening and hearing what I have to say mayor that was the last individual adoption of the agenda um there's been a request to move 9A to move and move 13A to the end of the agenda I suspect that we'll go through the agenda fairly quickly until we get to this item and so um that would certainly be my recommendation motion isn't an order on the adoption of the agenda thank you um motion to approve the agenda mayor can I get a clarification is this with the appellant up the appellant presentation too okay yeah I assume um so there's two two issues on the adoption of the agenda one is to give to allow the Appellate presentation and then the second issue is where should it be placed in the agenda um um I think what we normally do is just approve the presentations 15 minutes each during this particular adoption of the agenda and then I think they would get their presentations at the beginning of that item I think the the question is is should they be moved to the end because we think it's going to be pretty lengthy and and it's going to tie the people up that that are that are here to stay through it so it's it's it's certainly the discretion of council for both on both issues so let me do that let me do the first issue um is there objection to um having the appellant give a presentation seeing none do we need a vote on that yeah so so mayor Pro tem if you wanted to adopt the agenda with the Appellate presentation we can do that and then if you also wanted to add to move item 13A to the bottom of the agenda we could do all of that in one motion okay very well okay so my motion is to approve the agenda while allowing on Grand Avenue town home site plan the applicant 15 minutes the appellant 15 minutes and then also to move it to the end of the agenda item 13A yes is there a second mayor also it's been moved by mayor Pro tem second by councilmember Lawson uh discussion mayor councilmember Gardner I'll be voting against this I I don't know why um the folks for the Grand Avenue um why they have to wait till the end and you know I brought forward an item several months ago to address this very issue of having dozens and dozens and dozens of items that are going to get a token presentation from staff no questions from Council and and an individual vote which is what we have tonight and here we are sleeping in the bed that we made and so I am not going to support this I don't feel that the folks that are having that are here for this appeal should have to wait till the end of the meeting further discussion mayor uh councilmember McConnell thank you sir I don't generally like moving items around on our agenda and completes correctly if I'm wrong um clerk but haven't we recently had um or rather had uh folks who are appealing um planning his own decisions either present at their slot or even in some cases in the past move them forward so I'm very confused as to why we would push this to the very end of the meeting I'm not aware of us moving a public hearing prior to this so I'm not quite certain um the appellant would still be presenting so it would be staff applicant appellate and then public comment so we would go through the agenda and then move it towards the end right before reports from Council in the in the mayor that's what this motion would be okay further discussion mayor uh councilman Maria uh thank you um yeah I don't support pushing back the presentation to the end of the meeting but I do want the opportunity for uh the Appellate presentation um so just to be clear I guess on my end um and I guess I'd like to offer that as a substitute motion and I'm sorry could you state that again what is your substitute motion uh to bifurcate the proposal and to um Advance the Appellate presentation and not including the moving the presentation to the end of the meeting so that okay the original that was my original I think no I I think yours was to move it to the end I think well if you just vote against this it's the same thing but uh procedurally sorry I honestly my original motion was just to allow the appellant and and the applicant to have the 15 minutes and then we added it to the end right um so council member Mario's um do you want to sever substitute is to separate yeah I agree okay um so uh is there a second to to see you're you're a second very well then then uh then the question before us it was a further discussion on on the motion to allow uh for the Appellate presentation they're seeing none uh call for the question on the Appellate presentation mayor Kaufman uh mayor Jess I'm not getting a vote to take Katie but I will vote Yes okay I didn't either solve yes as well okay councilmember Lawson how about yes as well in sunburg the motion passes to adopt the agenda with the appellant presentation for item 13A now the question is is whether or not it should be moved to the to the back of the agenda um okay very well okay um motion is in order to move to the rear of the agenda I'm seeing none then we will hear it at the beginning 13A adoption of the consent calendar item number 10 a through 10p motion motion mayor uh mayor Tim I would like to pull 10 d d as in dog very well uh then the motion before us is the adoption of the consent calendar item number 10c um item number 10A through 10c and item number 10e through 10 um p further discussion was there a second to the concerned uh council member sunburn second Vice cancer uh discussion let's see no further discussion question before says the adoption of the consent calendar item number 10 a through C 10e through 10p call for the question mayor Kaufman mayor rochez yes it's not coming up sorry okay I'm sorry remember Medina yes yeah that's Amber Coombs yes Boston yes Ben zenberg sunburns council member Steinberg the motion passes to adopt the consent calendar with item 10d removed oh what we voted on the consent calendar without d right right with item 10d removed okay um mayor would the clerk now please read the title the item number 10d item 10 D is arpa non-profit Grant agreements brief presentation by staff oh mayor I wanted to make a motion yeah okay that's why I pulled it um I just wanted to actually make a motion to table it until the next council meeting to have more time to review it Merrell second farewell um motion to table discussion what you're you're continuing it to the next yes continuing it to the next meeting regular meeting okay uh councilmember McConnell I I guess I'd like to know like did did some folks just not have enough time to look through the entire packet I know it was around 330 Pages for this item but um I know that we have had you know some frustration in the past from some council members about folks postponing items just because of you know inability to read through it so I want to know a little more about what's going on are there specific items here that you had questions about that we can maybe discuss as a group let me um normal proceed normally the procedure in your then we'll go to your motion is to representation by staff if there are any questions uh by council members uh and then discussion and then we'll vote um free presentation by staff Nancy wishmeyer the city controller and this item this is arpa funding for non-profit Grant programs and we did have a number of non-profits that applied for two and a half million dollars of arpa funds those were reviewed by City staff and we made a selection we brought it to study session on October 3rd those non-profits that were selected were all approved on that evening and then we did go back and looked at all of the agreements we put agreements together and those Agreements are now in your packet and we feel that this program this is just getting money out into the community we're going through non-profits because they already do this service and provide these benefits to the citizens very well any questions to staff uh I've seen none there uh I'm sorry mayor uh councilmember Gardner uh thank you um so in the list of um Grant Awards there's 313 598 dollars to East Colfax Community Collective can you talk a little bit about what that's going to be used for and also a community Navigator who will help citizens residents small businesses go through the application process for various Grant resources but also to provide some of the services that those Citizens need and the nonprofits need or the the small businesses need in navigating some of these applications that are in different languages so there'll be translation services also uh further questions to staff uh discuss thank you uh discussion um councilmember Combs um yeah so I guess I just don't see the reason to delay these already vetted um grants that we've had since October 3rd so over a month to review um you know when we've had other even larger sets of Grant Awards we haven't been nitpicking staff's recommendations or asking for delay and getting money out to the community to address issues that are coming up for folks with arpa so I support Delane mayor mayor pretend yeah we have actually delayed the youth violence grants so we've done this before and I'm just asking for one more meeting to I would like to actually go a little bit more in depth and and that's my request is to table this till the next meeting for the discussion on the motion table mayor uh councilman McConnell thank you sir um I just want to point out that we went through a similar issue here with the federal and state priorities um and there was a lot of frustration from myself and councilmember Lawson because we had these items readily available for comment and review for weeks before the meeting so my concern is if you know folks aren't able to do the reading beforehand I think we need to you know maybe have a different discussion I know councilmember Lawson's already brought forward a proposal um to you know make this full-time job actually pay full-time maybe that'll help with some of these issues for some of our members but I don't like continuously delaying City business when we have the time to read through some of these items and I feel like if we have questions that need to be answered we have ample opportunity to you know check in with staff or to even check in with each other um and discuss this during uh you know other avenues so yeah I'm just I'm not supportive of delaying this I don't understand why this is coming up at the 11th Hour further discussion I was seeing none a question before us is the motion to table until the next regular meeting of the Aurora City Council uh call for the question uh mayor votes yes council member zevanic yes council member Medina no council member Coombs no councilmember Lawson I'm going to vote Yes and councilmember Sandberg the motion passes to table this until the next regular council meeting uh item number 11a homeless initiative item 11a and it's resolution 2022 195 a resolution from the city council of the city of Aurora Colorado expressing the Aurora City council's desire to reduce the number of people experiencing homelessness through employment-based programming and conditions based transitional housing that leads to self-sufficiency the city council directs the city manager and a staff to support this effort by developing and executing a comprehensive approach that aligns with the necessary support to meet the needs of the diverse homeless population in Aurora and we do have one individual for public comment um I move uh oh public comment mayor oh I'm sorry um good evening Council mayor and council members um I just wanted to put information my thoughts on this process and they do improve approve and vote support this I just wanted to state that the conditions for the housing does make sense because when you work for a job you have fall you have to follow certain rules and conditions as well as if you live in a house you have rules and ex and things that you need to do in order to follow or to proceed and learn and go forth I know that in the last council meeting that uh um councilmember McConnell is saying about okay the conditions are not fair and so forth and the other option would be for the people to live on the streets but there are we have conditions we have expectations um you have someone that wants to improve wants to get better and fall and get better and kind of get rid of the addiction and so forth and then you have someone that just doesn't even care and they just want to take their free stuff to me like I said when you have a job if you're late for your job you get written up if you're absent the second time you get another warning and the third time you get fired those are the expectations of the job and with this kind of pro this kind of um idea and so forth and the building it costs a lot of money and it and it's very important and people other people are living within the building want to feel safe and secure and if you're if you go there and you don't want to use the resources and if you don't want to follow the conditions then you shouldn't be there period because we each have rules for jobs for places that we go when we rent we're expected to keep the house clean we're in college when we're in the military you're expected to do certain things and it that should be just part of it thank you are there any other public comments no okay thank you um mayor this is do you want to go ahead and explain the resolution um the uh first of all there is not a one-size-fits-all uh in um addressing the issue of homelessness and in fact we have if we to talk of different approaches uh um we have two Supportive Housing apartment buildings for veterans on the Andrews medical campaign well one is planned by the Aurora Housing Authority the other one is built by the Coalition for the homeless Colorado Coalition for the homeless the Aurora Housing Authority is also building a permanent supportive apartment building that will be co-located on the campus that is planned for the uh for Rural mental health that will be permanent Supportive Housing for individuals that really will never be able to move to self-sufficiency they're ready to work program a boulder-based non-profit called Bridge house has a program in Aurora that helps those who uh want to change but helps those that are formally incarcerated coming out of incarceration or who are coming out of the street uh who um are at work from day one uh but are provided all the necessary supports from addiction recovery to mental health to job training uh part of their income it goes towards paying for the cost of the program and then the other part goes into a savings account when they're ready to leave the program you know there are other programs that exist and that are also in the works so we have a number of of approaches what this approach essentially says is it is is it is modeled after uh the Rescue Mission in Colorado Springs uh that will parallel that where there are three parts to it the first part is what we would call low barrier emergency shelter and that's for anybody coming on the street off the street irrespective of whether they're willing to work with the case manager or participate in any programs I think we have a moral obligation to take care of them the second part of the program uh would and there is a parallel to San Antonio that we visited as well in their program so the second part is are those people participating in programs whether addiction recovery mental health or job training and and then the third area is for individuals that are working full-time in transitional housing and so it is a focus towards self-sufficiency as a goal through employment and I think that there were two amendments well first of all let if we can move it if you could recognize me for that purpose yes mayor I move what's the number resolution 11a 11a is there a second second okay we have a motion and a second discussion there was a there were two amendments that got on last time one amendment was by council member McConnell that um that I'm I support that that merely recognizes that um during the pandemic um that homelessness Rose and it's and it's risen since that time there was a an amendment that got on by mayor Pro tem um that I actually assisted with that I that I found that has a problem with it and um George can you uh can you speak to that Amendment yes um the amendment will be covering the language that you all voted on at the last meeting the specific languages the campus will be operated by a non-profit organization plan s organizations in which no general fund revenues will be used for the construction maintenance or operations of the campus and what I believe the mayor want wishes to do is to amend that language to the campus will be operated by a non-profit organization for NS organizations and the city will be responsible for maintaining the facility and reimbursing the operator for the cost of the low barrier emergency shelter the amendment says we would be responsible for maintaining the facility but not operating it then that's correct oh go ahead mayor yes uh that so what I was wrong about in the Rescue Mission in Colorado Springs is that they are reimbursed by the city for that first phase of the for the Emergency Services that they provide they are not reimbursed for those people they raised the money from foundations from Grants cdbg money but not from general fund from this from Colorado Springs to provide for those other two parts the one where they're participating in programs and the other one where they're in transitional housing and working and so um I think that to to have a mandate on the facility for the a non-profit operator to to raise money for individuals that aren't participating in any programs I think would be very difficult and so in that in my discussions with the Rescue Mission in Colorado Springs they felt that that you know it might be that we don't need general fund Revenue to support the emergency shelter the low barrier emergency shelter but I I would not want to exclude that okay so mayor if I may since I was the one that had that amendment I understand but the way that George read it did it say we would maintain it versus we might no um so so I couldn't go ahead so the the for instance the mechanical parts of the facility the roof things like that okay that that's what I'm speaking to is when I speak to maintenance it's it's that those elements of Maintenance um you know in that you mean that was somewhat you know when I talked to the rescue mission they were kind of they said well if you if our reimbursement is is it works where we can take money out of that to maintain this but I think you get if you have a major mechanical problem in a building you know that could be costly yeah I so my concern mayor is maintenance of a huge facility that we're looking at building that will have all this all the services on one campus could be quite High um so I don't I don't want the city taxpayers to be you know responsible for maintenance of a building that we don't even construct no we are I'm sorry well we're constructing with not with our money is we're constructing with monies that would come from the state is my understanding go ahead mayor these are these are monies from so we have a commitment at this time from uh Adams County from Arapahoe County uh we'll be applying for money from the state uh and then some of our monies from the American Recovery Act program uh arpa so these are federal dollars that we have the discussion to use for Capital Construction they they're not general fund dollars for us and so if you want to strike that part and make them responsible but it will be a so it will be a city-owned facility that will be operated by a non-profit contractor man oh councilmember Combs just clarifying your you said we already have commitments from Adamson Arapahoe County to fund this program to my knowledge we don't and it is competitive from them and from the state as far as applying for the grant if we can uh Jessica Prosser I think can answer that good evening Mary Council um so we don't have anything in formal writing however this item in ask has gone before both Board of County Commissioners in the form of study session with both counties Arapahoe County had agreed to that and then in Adams County it's going back to County Commissioners on December 6th mirror if I can clarify what was approved or what were they stating they support um low barrier shelter or the entire thing as stated including the conditions for people receiving housing and participating in programs so what was presented to both counties was a concept plan for a navigation campus to include emergency shelter transitional housing and an actual day Center that would include navigation services to include things like mental health services medical laundry food things like that and a commitment that anyone participating in funding this facility would be part of the request for proposal process and selection process for an operator wherein the specifics of how the op facilities would be operated would be figured out at that point mayor Pro Tem so it's member Combs thank you so to clarify they didn't say that all of kind of what we're discussing in this resolution is something that they were on board with and that they would approve but rather that they will have a say in the end over who the operator is and how they operate the facility if they're going to give their funds again it was a conceptual plan for more of the layout and a discussion around operations would come later okay mayor this um thank you um this gives us the ability to find the direction that's what this does oh and then at the end of the day then whether the state or it's the county uh and I think they will come on board but but this does provide a a direction in terms of how this will operate programmatically oh I was going to change my because this is a surprise to me that my amendment was changed without my knowledge so I would like to actually make a different change if I might and my my Amendment changing my original Amendment would just be that I moved to amend the homeless resolution to to add [Music] um just basically that it will be operated by a non-profit or profits period that way we don't get into the funding at the that way we're not directing any kind of monies going anywhere at this point yes council member Marcano thank you ma'am I guess I first want to ask which resolution because there's I think three different resolutions in our backup and it's not exactly clear which is the primary one at this point I can clarify that it's the first one in the continuation page back up there's not an item attached to that George all I see is a sheet that just says the city uh of Aurora Council agenda item continuation page yeah there were four items attached to that yeah just so you know we see it all as like a big list okay so there's nothing immediately attached to that if that's how you sense it out we see it differently on Instagram the first resolution includes the the resolution we're talking about includes mayor Pro tem Bergen's Amendment and your Amendment uh the last bullet point on the mayor's resolution for tonight includes the language that made the mayor Pro tem proposed or that was voted on by all of you the mayor Pro tems language it's the last bullet so I'm not sure what page it's on I have to pull that up but homeless initiative one dot PDF is that I think that's the one that has the amendment on it so it's the second document in the list of documents in escribe oh thank you has everybody found the correct resolution yes is anyone still looking for it yeah I'm still looking yeah I'm scrolling as well um it's on page 158. 558 sorry that doesn't help um second attachment the second attachment navigation Center homelessness initiative and then a parentheses one and then the part that I had approved gotten approved on is is after section one it's on the last bull it's in the last bullet in section one mayor Pro Tem got it okay does everybody see it [Music] okay so that's the resolution that we are discussing for this evening um I mean I I am happy to strike the last bullet to just say the campus will be operated by a a non-profit organization or organizations and and leave the funding part out would that be amenable that's a considered out a friendly man a friendly Amendment okay um so we need to vote on the friendly of the amended Amendment our further discussion mayor Putin yes council member just just to clarify here then the current motion before us is to vote on your amended Amendment okay thank you okay um call for the question mayor Pro Tem point oh yes just every time I go to vote it's still coming up with an adoption of the agenda motion that wasn't seconded like it and so I don't know if there's a way to clear that out so that I can use escribe to vote okay yeah I can check on that I also sent an email to everybody I.T and escribe suggested you log into a browser instead of the app and that might help the individuals who can't vote right now because I know that some people are still able to so that might be a solution as well okay I'll add on that as well if you if you go to the um to add it to the big screen you know that icon that lets you make it full screen it doesn't allow you to vote then you have to go back and make it small and then the vote will come up on escribe it's really confusing okay thank you okay so um can we please have the vote on the amend the amended language of the last bullet and mayor mayor Pro tem did you motion for that and then mayor seconded yes okay Well mine's not pulling up so yes oh there we go uh councilmember Maria um actually I think the I I'm able to describing and showing the the language I was just gonna ask for the language to be um written somewhere if I can't see it can you do now council member Mario okay thank you council member sunberg councilmember Marcano I can't see it okay this is for the mayor Pro tems Amendment okay thank you councilmember Medina the motion passes to approve the amendment proposed by mayor Pro tem Bergen okay um are there any further amendments or shall we discuss the original resolution yes Council thank you ma'am um so in spite of my asking twice um the mayor did not set up a time to discuss the remainder of my amendments I do see that a couple were adopted um in the whereas Clauses so I do appreciate that um however the bulk of my amendments um I think are unaddressed and I would still like to move through them I also want to State um that I don't believe that what the mayor said that our County Partners would support a treatment first or work first however we want to frame it campus is accurate the conversations I've had with Commissioners and with the state is that they're looking for evidence-based Solutions and are looking for an approach that is not exclusive of housing first and other best practices which this resolution as it stands still is um and I so I found that to be very disappointing because I've had different conversations with these folks so um I guess my first amendment mayor Pro tem would be to strike and replace self-sufficiency throughout the text of this resolution with self-reliance and the reason for that is that self-reliance I think is what everyone's actually trying to shoot for here that's control over your own decision making and you know empowering you to make the best decisions for your life whereas self-sufficiency is something meaning you depend on absolutely nobody else but yourself that is something that you and I Elon Musk all the way down to someone living on the street does not experience we live in an interdependent and interconnected Society so I want to make sure that we're using the appropriate words because words matter you're requesting just self-sufficiency throughout the text to be changed to self-reliance um mayor I would urge you know vote self-sufficiency is aspirational it's a goal it's going to be okay with it further discussion is there first of all is there a second thank you mayor Pro tem I'll second council member marcano's Amendment okay we have a second further discussion on the difference between self-reliance and self-sufficiency okay hearing none um I guess we will call for the vote on that Amendment council member sunberg the emotion passes with six yes votes and four no votes from Council Members ivanic Gardner durinsky and sunberg thank you all right yes go ahead all right thank you ma'am um so where we left off last time um in the whereas clauses um let me see here all right so it's the first second third fourth whereas Clause uh to replace uh to include employment-based programming and conditions based transitional housing to increase the number of people who exit homelessness on an annual basis to strike that and replace it with that Empower individuals experiencing homelessness to choose for themselves their path to self-reliance to include mental and physical health care job training educational assistance and low barrier housing is there a second do we have a second mayor Pro 10. I'll second okay we have a motion and a second uh discussion on that Amendment mayor I strongly urge a no vote I think this substantially Waters the program down these are people that opt to participate and that are given a navigation plan by a case manager and I think that when they enter into a plan there ought to be requirements to that plan thank you and I will recognize myself and concur that um I I will vote no on this I do think people should have a plan for a good discussion thank you ma'am um I just want to reiterate uh to my colleagues and to the public that this is meant to be a regional campus and we are trying to get State support for this initiative if we are insistent on a narrow scope of programming which work first is um it is unlikely that we will get the full amount of support and it is probable that we will lose county Support again we need to be setting ourselves up for Success here and we do that by ensuring what we're doing is as applicable to as many people and will serve as many people as possible we do have some existing more Niche programs like Bridge house which I do support that our Workforce focused but just bear in mind you have to be sound of body sound of mind and willing and able uh sober and willing and able uh to work to participate in that program and there is a certain percentage of the house population that are capable of being served through that program it's about a third is the estimate that the current director of bridge house gave me and I don't think that we should be trying to tailor a large and ambitious project to a very Niche application because it is one not going to make us attractive to receive grants to begin with and two not going to be as effective as it otherwise could be so I would urge a yes vote in the spirit of intergovernmental cooperation and two being good stewards of limited resources to deliver a solution to this problem that all of our residents are asking us to solve um mayor just a question um do you for for those that on the low barrier they would still receive Services correct that's correct okay thank you further discussion okay see none call for the vote on that Amendment the emotion does not pass with four yes votes and six no votes the no votes from Council Members evonik Lawson Bergen Gardner drinsky and sunberg okay do you have further amendments yes ma'am sorry I'm trying to navigate down to section one here um so the first one um or rather the eighth one since the warehouse Clauses changed a little bit I'm just moving down um is to add a new bullet which is Foster and strengthen intergovernmental collaboration with the federal government the state government County governments as well as other Municipal governments and the development of the necessary infrastructure to address homelessness as expeditiously and effectively as possible um council member Marcano where is that I'm looking at the the backup with the Amendments yeah if you look at oh gosh what's it called sorry three screens here um homelessness resolution Amendment staff format 25. um parentheses one it's Amendment eight eight yes oh okay thank you uh discussion do we have a second remember temp second okay we have a second by council member Coombs discussion mayor I think this contradicts uh the other parts another part of this um resolution where it speaks to that we're not going to accept federal funds if it compromises the program and so it is in contradiction but and I don't think we should uh you know I think there is a direction certainly that I want to go that I think the majority wants to go uh in terms of what the outcome is that we want in terms of people getting um back on their feet getting job training and getting jobs and so uh the the notion that we're going to uh social move I don't want to use that some people will differ that differently but that we are going to collaborate in terms of compromise uh what we want to accomplish I don't think is is the direction certainly that I want to go uh in terms of what at the end of the day will be an aurora program so mayor you are not very opposed opposed to this okay council member Lawson thank you mayor I just have a question though if we're if we're going to be seeking funding or we're going to be asking for those funding I think that the collaboration is going to be important I know you want to go a different direction and it's going to be the direction of what you know Aurora sees but if we're asking for support um I think that these collaborations or these intergovernmental collaborations are going to be significant and important so I guess I'm not really understanding your reasoning mayor well it's it's first of all I think the language is unnecessary because it speaks to it already in the resolution uh in terms of of working with other entities and establishing igas and so I don't think the language is necessary and so and and so I I'm concerned that it could be interpreted as as policy where what I want to do is show leadership for the state what I want to do is come up with an approach since everything else that seemed to have failed come well not everything but but I think the ready to work program is very successful in the fort line model that's going to be replicated at the former Ridgeview Academy I think is successful too and I think for some people they can't work permanent supportive uh permanent Supportive Housing is successful but but I think because of the language is unnecessary I'm concerned that it might be interpreted to saying we're going to just negotiate our approach with everybody I think we ought to show leadership and by showing leadership I think we show the state and the counties that this is what we want to do and and either you can come along or not I believe that the governor absolutely will support this program he spoke to having one navigation campus on the east side of town and one navigation campus on the west side of town and so I think that I think this program is is a is a good program and I think it's going to be accepted by the administration mayor Pro tem yes council member Coombs so I think e either the pro the language is unnecessary because it's already implied or it's contradictory it to what's already in the resolution it can't really be both so that's one point but the other point is that with respect to showing leadership I think if we look at what was brought to us by in Houston where they said we need someone to step up and show leadership on Regional collaboration that's what it was about was about Regional collaboration so showing leadership is not about dragging our fellow jurisdictions along Kicking and Screaming to something they've already said they're not going to do when we're relying mostly on their money not ours and equally on their political will two hours so showing leadership isn't I'm gonna force you to do what I want showing leadership is we're going to work together collaboratively we're going to recognize each other as equals in the process so I I just think that it's really misguided to say that this is opposed to showing leadership this is what showing leadership would look like in this situation and if I can recognize myself I think the issue is is in the second part of in the development of necessary structure and we don't know it that really implies and I we already do work obviously with our federal state you know our local government so I I think we we do that and I don't think it's necessary to to at that Amendment further discussion mayor part time council member zavonik and council member Marcano thanks um so I agree with the mayor that one of my concerns with this amendment is that it does potentially tie us to the federal government's preferred policy of housing first which is really a niche policy that only works for a small segment of the unhoused population those who are because of either mental or physical disabilities unable to ever be to reach self-reliance or self-sufficiency and so I do believe that the city should try to do something different we have a decade of experience in this country that shows the housing first in and of itself doesn't work and what we should do is encourage our regional partners and the state to do something different to take a maybe an all of the above approach where we don't treat everything with the one-size-fits-all policy that has led to cities like San Francisco because that's what housing first looks like in late stages um so I agree that we we shouldn't have this language in here I we passed last week in study session um as part of our federal priorities um an official position for the city to request a waiver or a block grant from the federal government to give cities and hopefully the state more flexibility and how they would spend funding for homelessness so it's not just housing first we have housing as a part of our solution through the permanent Supportive Housing that the mayor mentioned earlier but I believe that we have a real opportunity to help people reach self-sufficiency to help people with behavioral and mental health or behavioral and addiction issues which right now and under housing first are left untreated unless they want to we can encourage them and incentivize them to become self-sufficient self-reliant and I think there's a better way and we should lead in that way instead of just following along and even if that does ultimately lead to us not getting the the funding from the state and and our regional Partners we should do something different rather than go down the same game failed path that we've seen over the past decade with housing first I might ask a question you do expect to get monies from philanthropic organizations is that correct not for the construction but for the operations of the facility okay thank you um council member marcana sorry thank you ma'am um I just feel the need to for the public correct the record what you just heard was a string of falsehoods housing first is Far and Away the most effective approach that you can take to solving homelessness I encourage my colleague who was offered an opportunity to and denied or rejected it for whatever reason to go to Houston and to see what they have done the evidence speaks for itself look beyond our rhetoric look and see what's actually delivered results but I also want to remind my colleagues we're not just talking about housing first here we're talking about being leaders through intergovernmental collaboration to actually secure once in a lifetime funding to do something in Aurora that will benefit not just Aurora but also the region that is the purpose of the state's notice of funding upcoming notice the funding opportunity and why we're putting together this resolution and narrowly tailoring this against the best evidence available is not just setting ourselves up for failure setting the state up for failure so I would encourage you all to rethink your approach to this and lean into cooperation so that we can deliver the results our residents are asking us to deliver and oh council member Coombs um yeah so I mean again it seems like the idea that's being presented here the rhetoric that's being presented here is we're going to do what we want to do everyone else be damned um and that is exactly the kind of thinking that has gotten us where we are where we have a bunch of different entities scattered around doing stuff pulling in different directions and using resources to pull in different directions instead of taking our resources putting them together and all pulling in the same direction for once we're insisting that we're not going to participate in that because we just don't think that's what's going to be effective despite the fact that the data says otherwise and it's just really disappointing because we had the opportunity to pull in the same direction as everybody and be a team as a region and we're just saying nope no we're not going to do that and it just it's disappointing and kind of childish yes council member Gardner I have a question for the um City attorney so even if we don't add in this sentence we could still collaborate with these other jurisdictions and governmental agencies and all that yes and there's language and the resolution already yeah okay so the mayor referred to essentially it's not needed and we're spending a whole bunch of time talking about something for no reason and I know you can't answer that but okay further discussion on the amendment okay CNN could you please call for the vote Katie mayor there's a tie vote many of us know on the amendment okay the amendment does not pass with six no votes and five yes votes the no votes from Council Members Ivana Kaufman Bergen Gardner drinsky and sunberg okay um council member marcona do you have further amendments um yes ma'am so if we can scroll down and apologies here I have to ensure that this is not already covered in the most recent resolution um yeah so Amendment nine here uh is to co-locate the necessary services to the maximum extent possible and that's just to add a little bit of cushion to the language here I know staff is going to try to do their best to put that there but I just want to make sure that we're sending a message to our partners that you know we realize that not everything may be able to be co-located mayor mayor I think um The Madam chairman I think it is expressed in the language of the resolution currently but I think the reinforcing it is not a problem that the fact is that the goal is to have our partner agencies uh on the campus whether it's mental health whether it's addiction recovery whether it's job training that I think we are better served by having them on the campus and doing whatever we can to have them there further discussion that's a member Lawson I guess what I don't understand is on the oration with you know our federal state and local partners that was kind of a reinstatement of this one but this one is to maximize the extent possible I guess I'm just I guess I'm fine with it but I just I'm just trying to understand councilmember Mercado and that comment wasn't for you it was for the mayor but on extent possible if we're already kind of doing that and we're going to be doing that in our programming why do you think it needs to be reinforced in the in the amendment um thank you council member Lawson oh I think that was for the mayor or was that for my comment was for the mayor on the last one but he's reinforcing okay Tim we need a second on this one oh sorry do we have a second on this one second councilmember Coombs thank you sorry uh council member Marcano okay thank you ma'am um and thank you councilor Blossom for the question um the reason this language is still in the Amendments list is because this is based off of the previous resolution that we discussed not knowing that there would be a whole new one coming forward here um so it that said um I felt it was important to stress that we're trying to do these things to the maximum extent possible and not send a message to staff for our regional partners that all of the services must be co-located end of thought so I wanted to demonstrate that flexibility again at the Spirit of cooperation um yeah that was the idea mayor and two uh councilman council member Lawson this is this is really to it reinforces his Spirit of the proposal whereas uh the other proposal the the prior Amendment the concern was that it it uh would cause uh us to negotiate or compromise uh the direction that we're trying to take here and so I oppose that support this one okay further discussion okay CNN call for the question on that Amendment council member zabanic yes the motion passes with nine yes votes and when no vote from council member zenberg are we done we're getting there though all right uh so this one um Amendment 10. um it was originally a smaller revision um based off the language you see here this was after the mayor and I workshopped language to the previous resolution but that language appears to have now be gone from the resolution that we're looking at today so this would in this case strike provide case management through a navigation Center and then replace it with the language you see here provide a navigation Center to offer short-term Bridge housing along with Supportive Services while long-term housing is being sucked and the original language was arranged but that was a change that the mayor proposed to me when we had that discussion that I agreed with and that's why it's changed to sought now so councilmember marcona you're adding that entire bullet now no ma'am the provide case management through a navigation Center so that's the third bullet and the resolution um in our backup and replace that uh with what you see on the screen here oh sorry mayor well he needs a second first is there a second mayor Pro tem yes on second we have a second from council member Coombs discussion mayor I think it's absolutely unnecessary uh in the revisions that have already been done uh with a resolution that you know it it's people are going to be the people are participating in programs whether it's job training or it's about that are going to be in transitional housing and so that to me the notion that my concern of this is is it's a different approach um in looking at it and and taking a second look at it that it just it's it's taking people who might otherwise be in case management B and participating in mental health care participating addiction recovery participating in job training and shortchanging that to put them into housing I think it's important that they go through those programs so they don't recidivate and go back on the street and so I I just think that I'm concerned about the the direction of the language mayor Pro tem yes council member Coombs um so to me this says just case management what's currently there provide the case management through a navigation Center you just mentioned a bunch of Supportive Services that aren't case management and so this actually says along with Supportive Services so that more broadly encompasses what you just said people would get at the navigation Center the only difference is this is saying that the navigation Center would offer short-term Bridge housing which you already said that's part of the intent is that they would have transitional housing so I guess my question would be could transitional housing be substituted for short-term Bridge housing because as far as I can tell that's the only difference between what you just said and what's here is the language about the housing Supportive Services is more than case management and you listed off a bunch of stuff that's not case management mayor transitional housing is on the campus itself in the latter phase okay further discussion come here protect yes council member Marcano thank you ma'am um so I want to thank councilor kuns for her comments and I would consider that a friendly Amendment uh if the mayor was amenable to that um and I just want to point out that in a navigation Center um does not preclude um case management arranging folks with you know or sorry seeking long-term housing for folks who are successful and enrolled in any of the programs that this campus would offer does not preclude um you know case management I don't understand where that connection is coming from um in fact any program that we're embarking and to try to address homelessness needs to have case management and if I'm not mistaken that's actually addressed elsewhere in the Resolute well it is addressed elsewhere in the resolution and we'll actually be talking about how to measure that success in a couple of amendments here um so mayor I mean you did not have an issue with the verbiage before um I don't think this fund some this is fundamentally different um than what you are trying to do here I just feel like it adds Clarity um to that and one of the things that I want to focus on most here is specifying or Dem demonstrating that a navigation Center is not just a rebranded congregate shelter it is a bridge between folks who are experiencing you know you know effectively living in those kinds of conditions and moving more towards that self-reliance and Independence that I think we all want to see and I think it's important that we point that out because I have seen other cities who just after you know going to other places where branded their shelters as navigation centers and you know patted themselves in the back and I don't think that's what we want to be doing okay further discussion okay seeing none call for the question the motion does not pass with six no votes four yes votes the no votes from council member zavonic Lawson Bergen Gardner drinsky and sunberg and before we get to the next amendment I just want to make a statement that we did this last time with 17 amendments and here we are again I this is a resolution that should be fairly simple we're just basically needing this resolution mayor to get funding right go ahead mayor um this resolution sets a direction uh in terms of uh how we're going to what number one it sets the direction uh for uh well I think we've decided that we will have a campus and so this sets a direction of policy direction for that campus right mayor Pro tem yes council member so we didn't go through all the Amendments last time because people said we don't want to go through these amendments in the meeting mayor sit down with folks and Hammer them out and bring it back and then that didn't happen despite that being requested so that's why we're doing this in this meeting instead of not doing this in this meeting is because the attempt was made to do what was asked and the mayor chose not to participate and I understand that I'm just my point is this is this is unnecessary for us to be doing this many amendments on a resolution mayor did you have something I I had all the Amendments uh before before me I I did add some in to the resolution along with the ones that had passed and so there was consideration for them okay council member Marcano do you have another amendment yes ma'am um so I want to move forward this next one that's Amendment 11. um and that's provide rapid rehousing services to ensure a quick exit from homelessness for low Acuity individuals and Families so these are this idea for this is to serve folks who don't really need to be in the campus it's just folks who are down on their luck and this the idea of including it in this resolution is to ensure that all of our jurisdictional partners understand that this is a priority for us and that you know if we can combine our efforts in this we'll create a stronger net to ensure no one falls through foreign second we have a second from council member Coombs discussion mayor uh one thing that I I didn't um George I think question did I um I can't remember I know I dealt with the issue about families that I that I the the direction is to have a partner non-profit deal with families and not have families on the campus um Jessica George do you remember that yes mayor I just got a fine I'm sorry and in the meantime if I can ask a question to you mayor um the rapid re-housing we do that currently with Jessica or I guess that would be for Jessica sorry yes we currently um offer rapid re-housing through our different service providers um and through some of the federal funding we received okay so we're already doing this okay mayor Pro tem yes council member savonik question for Jessica Jessica um councilman Marcano mentioned that rapid rehousing is for those experiencing who are down on their luck can anybody get into rapid rehousing and are there conditions I can get back to you on the exact conditions but typically it's folks that can afford their rent or a portion of it and it's a two-year time limit with case management associated with it and it is often people that have very recently become homeless not necessarily someone that's chronically homeless so often families are individuals that have very recently become homelessness and we want to make sure they get housed quickly but without any conditions and it doesn't necessarily just because they lost their job it could be for any reason that they've they're recently experiencing homelessness right yeah it may not just be job loss it could be for all the reasons people would become homeless um and so we uh they would get their partnered up with one of the agencies that offer rapid rehousing like the Salvation Army does for us in Aurora and they're assigned a case manager that works with them for those that period of time it's up to two years not everybody takes up that time to make sure that they're able to then you know be on their own after that yes council member Coombs there definitely are conditions because I've actually tried to refer folks for Rapid rehousing that have not qualified so there are conditions for Rapid rehousing yeah and I was going to say I mean they have to have conditions of not bringing drugs into the pallet homes correct so the pal Ms are not oh those are necessarily considered rapid rehousing they would be this bridge or transitional housing but someone may then qualify for Rapid rehousing that was in our shelters to get housed okay thank you and further yes council member Mercado that's not me to answer the mayor's question there's a whereas Clause a city shall be responsible for identifying an alternative and alternative location to provide for the needs of homeless families while providing emergency shelter until transfer can occur okay so mayor that is in the resolution um Jessica um where is this the is this done currently out of the day Resource Center or out of uh your department rapid re-housing is done out of our partner agencies Mile High Salvation Army and is funded partially with our federal funds both HUD home as well as ESG and then separately we have our Flex fund which is operated out of the city and that is not long term that's just the one-time assistance for folks either you know your first month rent things like that okay so this this is current policy although the the element that might be well I suppose a wooden the family part wouldn't be even though we say we're going to deal with a partner agency off the campus to deal with family issues but if but we do say under emergency purposes we will until we can locate relocate them um I'm not opposed to that provision is it this is this is current policy correct currently I've been rehousing through current partner agencies and and it is in the resolution already George this amendment is not just it addressed I was answering the mayor's question about whether it addressed families but this specifically all right thank you for the clarification mayor Pro Tem yes Council I'm sorry council member Medina thank you I'd like to ask Jessica a little a question around the rapid housing what's the availability of that so say if you had 50 people would we be able to get housing within a certain time frame is it a year two years five years so the funds we have for Rapid rehousing are fairly limited I can get back to you with exactly the number of families and individuals that utilize the program on a yearly basis but it is it there we probably if you said tomorrow we have 50 people would not have the funding to get all of them housed right away it's it's a process and again there's limited funds for Rapid rehousing okay thank you um mayor mayor Tim if you're in support of this but if this says provide that means we have to in well sure so would we say if possible I just don't want us to be you know having to be tied to this if we absolutely cannot yes council member Mercado thank you ma'am we use provide um as strong language for a couple of other points in the resolution um this is just to show a commitment to the strategy and again in the spirit of intergovernmental collaboration since this is not something that's feasible for the city of Aurora to Embark in on itself is to send a message to all of our partners that this is something that we believe it should be a priority um and to you know basically get them to join us in doing this so because rapid rehousing is something that is available here and there and part of the success with rapid rehousing that we learned from Houston was that collaboration consolidation of resources I think as Mark put it cobbling together the funding to get folks in you know rapidly rehoused uh when necessary to keep folks from becoming long-term homeless hey mayor um Jessica let me ask you this so my concern is that so we have specific streams of Revenue or sources of funding that support rapid rehousing correct yes so this uh what I what I don't want to see is that other funds being diverted from all the programs that we have that we're talking about uh in the navigation Center uh towards Rapid rehousing and so that's my concern about having it there maybe there's another way to word it but um I think that that's I don't want to be taking funds that would go for mental health for addiction recovery from those things when we currently have streams of of Revenue or or funds that we're using for Rapid rehousing correct so the funding from HUD for Rapid rehousing could not be used for something like addiction recovery it's specific similar to ESG there's a certain portion that has to go to Sheltering so it's it's more specific so my my point though is going the other way that by this uh this amendment we're going the other way we're using funds that aren't committed uh but for Rapid to support rapid rehousing may I pretend if I may yeah sorry I think that would be my concern um I would just say those types of things would be worked out in an operations agreement and the operator um you know and partners would figure out exactly how they're going to move people into housing through the transitional piece of the navigation Center and so rapid rehousing would be one of many tools and funding sources used to get people housed depending on their individual situation their income the different benefits that are eligible for them and so this would be one of many different ways to get people housed okay here for time council member Coombs yeah so the addiction for the organizations that do provide these Services they get the funding for that through like the office of Behavioral Health and Human Services right there are already streams of funding for those services that they use to provide those Services they don't use housing funds to provide Supportive Services they use Supportive Services funds and they're different buckets of money so you're not going to see the money being taken away from those things for rapid rehousing in the same way that you don't see housing money taken to pay for those things that's not how the money works I think we're really getting into the weeds of this resolution which is I thought was going to be a little bit more General mayor do you want to speak on this rapid rehousing uh I'm not opposed to it um you're not opposed to it I'm okay I'm confused but I think I think we're we're keep restating the obvious uh just to get an amendment passed but um I I think it's I think it's a harmless Amendment okay any further discussion okay see none call for the question on the amendment council member thank you that there's a tie vote mayor mayor Jess the motion passes with six yes votes five no votes from council member zabonic mayor Pro Tim Bergen councilmember Gardner jarinski and sunberg all right uh next up let's go down to 13. we can come back to 12. to the audience that it is 8 11 and we are only on this particular 11a we have a full agenda so you will likely be here until the wee hours of the morning go ahead council member Marcano thank you um so this one is I think one that the mayor and I discussed as well and I thought he was supportive of but I don't see it updated in this uh resolution before us tonight so it's to strike the offer Workforce Development opportunities with more clear languages provide opportunities for Workforce Development through job training and educational assistance in coordination with case management is there a second sorry King we have a motion and a second further discussion yeah I think it's unnecessary and I think where uh again we're just you know we just want to get amendments past year but adding an educational assistance uh in coordination with case management educational assistance can be a very broad uh thing in terms of learning degrees that don't necessarily lead to um jobs that pay a living wage and so I think it's uh I think again an unnecessary language but could be interpreted in a way that's contrary to the intent of the proposal okay further discussion uh council member jorinsky and then council member Marcano yeah um I I just am really disappointed I mean we asked as a council that the mayor and council member Marcano meet and hash this out and now there's a room full of people being held hostage to sit through this bloviating English class uh at ego seeking ego and Glory seeking hostage situation and I'm tired of being held hostage quite frankly and we're not housing anybody we can talk and talk and talk we're not inching any closer to housing anybody by sitting here for all these hours nobody has anybody idea what's going on and half the people in this room were probably lost their Amendment sick six so this is really old and mayor you you find some of them unnecessary and others not unnecessary they're all unnecessary this is unnecessary let's come up with real solutions let's have real conversations you you brought this forward and I don't want I don't know if you guys are I don't know what's going on if we're squaring up for next year's mayor's race is kind of what it appears to to me at this point but I would really have liked this to have been hashed out and brought back like we asked this is ridiculous and I would like to release all these hostages okay thank you council member mercano and then mayor thank you um yeah I also would have preferred that we actually sat down and asked this out unfortunately councilman rodrinski that did not happen this didn't even go to a policy committee where we could have hashed all of this out long in advance so it is what it is um for what it's worth I think having folks see how the sausage is made is Illuminating so um yeah and I believe the mayor was up next mayor I would just urge a no vote uh on amendment 13. I think it's absolutely a necessary time I would like to call for the question have a call for the question so um that does not allow any further debate on this item so we're going to be voting on closing debate so that will be the the question Katie so you're if you're voting yes you're voting to close debate if you're voting no you're closing you're voting to continue it oh there's no debate there's no discussion it's a point of inquiry it's not a debate okay yeah is this a motion to close debate just on this amendment okay great mayor proton do we have a second for that oh I'm sorry do we have uh I'll second it mayor Kaufman uh many of us know mayor this is to end the debate to end the debate oh I'm sorry yes I'm sorry I was looking at the amendment yes the emotion passes with eight yes votes three no votes from councilman Medina Coombs and Mario to end the debate and vote on council member mercado's Amendment okay so we are now voting on councilmember marcano's Amendment which is amendment 13. the emotion does not pass with four yes votes six no votes from Council Members evonik Lawson Bergen Gardner drinsky and sunberg council member Marcano what's up thank you man um so 14 here um is how we're going to measure the success of this campus so it changes the existing language which is very very vague um and I agree we shouldn't be looking at just meal serves and best provided but tries to add a little bit of idea of what we want to measure for so it strikes the existing language and replaces it with continuously magic for everyone enrolled in the program the efficacy of the programs follows the utilization of Supportive Services the localization of Workforce Development opportunities the housing status and income sources for 36 months beginning from their move-in date and the employment status and income level for 36 months beginning from their move-in date do you have a second council member Coombs second did it um mayor is unnecessary um the these are issues that are going to be in the RFP right uh when we when we in terms of the the detail and there's going to be a lot more detail that even council member McConnell is offering up and call for the question I have a call for the question and we have a second so we are now voting to end debate a yes is to end debate who had the motion and who had the second it was mayor and then zavonic we're keeping you guys on your toes okay yesvo is to intubate a no is to not mayor Kaufman hello neighbor vote Yes councilmember comes councilmember comes I'm sorry thank you the motion passes with seven yes votes for no votes from council member Medina Marcano kums and Mario okay so now uh we are now voting on Amendment 14. okay should have come up on your screen we're voting for Amendment 14. foreign the motion does not pass with four yes votes and six no votes from council member zavonic Lawson Bergen Garner jinsky and sunberg council member Mercado do you have more um yeah sure let's go ahead and 15. so it's going to be Reliance on Community Support uh striking that existing pact um bullet interfacing it with a more detailed initiative um searching support from individuals private businesses non-governmental organizations and philanthropic foundations do we have a second second council member Coombs okay mayor discussion I think it's uh unnecessary again I mean it's all you're just restating the obvious uh call for the question okay we we have a call for the question from the mayor and a second from council member zavonic we are now voting to end debate thanks mayor Kaufman um to call for the question may vote Yes on call for the question okay and now we'll we will be voting I don't have all the votes yet I'm sorry oh I'm sorry I'm trying to get done with this yeah councilmember McConnell I need your vote apologies the motion passes with eight yes votes three no votes from council member Medina creams and Mario okay so now we will vote on Amendment 15. councilmember Medina durinsky thank you the emotion does not pass with four yes votes six no votes from council members of annik Lawson Bergen Gardner drinsky and sunberg okay I guess we're going for Amendment 16 Mark council member Marcato um yes well actually we'll go to 17 on this one since it's a new ad um and I guess we don't want to add Clarity to existing statements so this one is develop a strategy to reach out to jurisdictions throughout the Metropolitan region with the goal of building consensus on a shared Regional strategy utilizing evidence-based best practices to produce homelessness sharing resources and eliminating redundancies were appropriate to maximize the effectiveness of our Collective efforts do we have a second oh Council um council member Mario seconded it mayor discussion uh it's already stated about working with surrounding jurisdictions uh in developing igas um uh call for the question okay it's unnecessary do we have a second for call for the question okay we have a second from council member jorinski we are now voting to close debate mayor Kaufman uh members no I'll call for the question yes the motion passes with seven yes votes for no votes from councilmember Medina Marcano comes in Mario okay and now we are voting on Amendment 17. no oh yes I'm sorry we voted for to close debate yeah so we're now voting on Amendment 17. council member zabonic no the motion does not pass with four yes vote six no votes from council member savonik Lawson Bergen Gardner drinsky and sunberg okay is that it councilman McConnell Save The Best For Last so we'll go back to Amendment 12 and that's to provide permanent Supportive Housing services to ensure stability and supported recovery for individuals and families for whom for whom for whom rapid re-housing alone would not be enough to prevent homelessness um do you have a second bear in mind this is not an exclusion to anything else but this is a yes and and it is a key component of regional collaboration on this effort especially where federal dollars are involved and where you know other jurisdictions are involved we're an outlier currently in our opposition to permanent Supportive Housing which is very frustrating say the least what number is that one um that is amendment 12. okay thank you is there a second second we have a second from council member Coombs uh discussion mayor I think is that necessary there are other organizations that are doing permanent Supportive Housing we certainly support those but this is unnecessary language outers are no vote and call it the question okay is there a second to close debate dransky gerinsky councilmember jarinsky so we are now voting to close debate mayor Kaufman uh mirror Jess council member the motion passes with seven yes votes and four no votes from council member Medina McConnell Combs and Maria oh no okay now we're on 12 sorry then I voted all the time to the amendment what it doesn't matter to the call for the question the emotion does not pass with four yes votes and six no votes from council member zavana Clawson Bergen Gardner adrinsky and sunberg okay council member mercano is that the end of your amendments that'll do all right and now we are voting on the original resolution correct correct with any approved amendments yes is there uh motion we already have oh we already did it sorry discussion uh sorry in discussion go ahead council member Mercado thank you ma'am uh and I do want to thank my colleagues for um their other patience for the first few amendments here I am very disappointed um that folks decided to continue to abuse calling for the question uh in spite of actually having some you know short but important Dialogue on each of these amendments I don't believe that these amendments were unnecessary I think that when we're crafting resolutions we're crafting law be it resolutions or ordinance or whatever else we need to be as clear as possible with what our intent is and most importantly with this resolution you all we need to be signaling to our partners that we are willing to be collaborative that we are willing to work with them in good faith um and you know that we have a clear idea of the potential that we can realize with a campus here so the abuse of the call for the question that we've seen out of this Council over the last last year I think is extremely shameful and it shows that folks are not willing or able to defend their stances and don't have the patience to craft thoughtful policy and I think that that's really really a shame um I I will say that overall since we have rejected amendments that actually make this a resolution more collaborative and open and focus on policy that actually serves as many people as possible as opposed to a more exclusive campus I'm a no on this I don't think this is a wise use of resources I don't think that we're going to be able to muster the regional support necessary because we're closing us off and we're choosing to fail as opposed to follow in the footsteps of successful policy of utilizing evidence to our advantage and actually addressing this issue in a meaningful way for our own residents so I we can do so much better than this and I'm very upset with how this has turned out mayor proton yes council member jorinsky I think the real abuse is being accused of abuse by somebody who is sitting in the comfort of their own home currently while so many of us a pretty busy Council chamber tonight made it a point and we're very thoughtful to show up so before you go accusing somebody of abuse show up in person and say it to our face next time I'll gladly do that point of order please you're not recognized council member Marcano thank you I'm actually at home for medical reasons so I'm sorry I mean if you want to see my surgery wound I'm happy to show it to you I don't think you'll like what you see but um yeah I make no apologies for not being there that's why we have the flexible rules that we have and goodness knows I show up in person when I'm able to and you know I'm not afraid to tell you what I think to your face so thanks for that did he just do that in person too you bet okay um any further discussion I just want to make it one point is that um although in seven and a half years that I've been on Council we have had amendments to resolutions but it's typically one amendment that does not change the entire resolution and get into the weeds it's typically I mean I I don't know councilmember Lawson might remember if if we've ever had this many amendments on a resolution and I think maybe um you know if we're going to do this in the future that think about how how to make this um not so lengthy with so many results so so many amendments yes go ahead council member Marcato I just want to say this should have been brought to a policy committee so that we should have hashed all of this out ahead of time um or the mayor could have actually taken me up on my repeat offers to meet up in person and go through these I probably would have still brought a thing or two but it wouldn't have been you know so many um it's just I think a lack of leadership and a lack of following our procedure that we have established for good reason so mayor thank you um uh first of all I had all of the Amendments from council member McConnell that I was able to review took some didn't take some so the ones I didn't take obviously I didn't agree with one was kind of marginal on the rehousing thing and I certainly took a second look at that but they were all considered and and let me tell you this for those that are upset about the length of the process this is a major policy initiative this is about leading in a different direction in this state because what different jurisdictions municipalities have been doing has failed and so uh when I was a soldier before I was a marine the model for the Army infantry was lead follower get out of the way and Colorado I mean Aurora Colorado is leading uh we LED on water conservation we're going to lead on uh how to how to combat homelessness uh and it's it's not going to be by you know um giving somebody free place to stay without any requirements it's it's going to be a tough love approach in moving people uh into self-sufficiency through through work and dealing with addiction recovery and dealing with the mental health challenges that they have and it's not just people that are in encampments there are a lot of people that are homeless that are that are in shelters or that are couch surfing or they don't have stable housing and so the the I think the uh the challenge is greater than maybe what we see on a daily basis but um I think this is this is a different approach but I but I think that it it's certainly demonstrated success in Colorado Springs and and we can uh we it will evolve as we move forward but we are moving Aurora Colorado is moving in a different direction and it's about leadership I vote I'm we're going to move on to 11b I'm going to give you back the gavel mayor mayor Pro tem I'm sorry just we haven't voted did we not vote no oh my God I apologize I'm very tired oh no okay further discussion before we vote mayor Pro tem councilmember Combs I just want to clarify that part of the reason this stuff wouldn't happen is also because prior Mayors would speak to their colleagues even in disagreement even if it was just to say I'm not going to support what you're bringing forward here and if we want to lead we should start in our own backyard cheers okay call for the vote council member Marianne Sandberg thank you the motion passes with seven yes votes three no votes from council member Marcano Cruz and Maria thank you I I actually did vote earlier and that's why I thought we finished the vote because on your on just for the audience we have we have a system that allows us to vote virtually uh and I did okay thank you to the resolution uh the time is now 8 34 we will take a break uh to 8 40. uh Council stands in recess thank you [Music] foreign [Music] foreign [Music] [Music] foreign [Music] [Music] foreign [Music] [Music] [Music] thank you [Music] [Music] foreign [Music] foreign [Music] [Music] [Music] foreign city council for Monday uh November 14th uh 2022 is called back to order with the clerk now please read the title to item number 11b item 11b is resolution 2022-200 a resolution of the city council of the city of Aurora Colorado approving the 2023 operating plan and budget for the Citadel on Colfax business Improvement District a brief presentation by staff thank you mayor and Council I'm Carol Toth manager of accounting and this evening we are bringing forward the 2023 operating plans and budgets for the 10 business Improvement districts that are organized within the city state statute does require that excuse me each bid file their operating plan and budget with the city clerk for city council review and approval the 10 items tonight are 11b through 11l and they were approved by the m f policy committee on September the 22nd and city council study session on October 17th 11b is for the Citadel on Colfax and their 2023 budget is approximately 1.2 million and is funded through the remaining Bond proceeds of their 2020 issuance property taxes and tax revenue from the Colfax Sable Metro District their 2023 plan is to continue to construct and maintain public improvements at the development including Street improvements Landscaping traffic signalization and site furnishings uh questions to staff seeing no questions of Staff motion is in order mayor I moved to approve 11b moved by council member somberg seconded by Medina second right council member Medina to approve item number 11b discussion I see no discussion call for the question on the adoption of item number 11b the motion passes to adopt resolution 2022-200 now please be the title time number 11c m11c is resolution 2022-201 a resolution of the city council of the city of Aurora Colorado approving the 2023 operating plan and budget for the creative painted Prairie business business Improvement District number one uh brief presentation by staff Prairie number budget is thirty thousand dollars funded through developer advances and they do not anticipate any major public improvements in 2023. questions to staff uh seeing none uh motion is in order I moved to approval MNC let's move by council member sunberg second by Medina because remember Medina Drew of item number 11c discussion seeing uh no discussion question before this is the adoption of item number 11c call for the question the motion passes to adopt resolution 2022-201 um that's our motion is in order mayor we're on item 11d now oh I'm sorry 11 d uh but could please read the title of item number 11d resolution 2022-202 a resolution of the city council of the city of Aurora Colorado approving the 2023 operating plan and budget for the painted Prairie business district business Improvement District number two a brief presentation by staff for painted print at Prairie number two the 2023 budget is third is twenty five thousand again mainly uh funded through developer advances and they do not anticipate any major improvements in 2023 questions to staff I'm seeing none motion is in order mayor I moved to approve 11d moved by council member sunberg second by Bergen second by mayor Jim Bergen to prove item number 11 d uh discussion seeing no discussion called the question on the adoption of item number 11d booms and councilmember Lawson I clicked yes the motion passes to approve resolution 2022-202 clerk now please read the title to item number 11e item 11e is resolution 2022-203 a resolution of the city council of the city of Aurora Colorado approving the 2023 operating plan and budget for the proteas business Improvement District uh representation by staff for Port payus bid the 2023 budget is approximately six hundred and twelve thousand dollars in its funding sources or its beginning funds available that are mainly due to development or advances that received in Prior years property taxes and public Improvement fees their 2023 plan will be to undertake projects as the development needs arise questions to staff seeing none motion is in order mayor I moved to approval 11e moved by councilmember somberg second by e councilmember Lawson to prove item number 11 e discussion uh call for the question on the adoption of item number 11e passes to adopt resolution 2022-203 right now I appreciate the time one quarter uh council member comes um can we move 13A up because we have like 20 something resolutions um how do we do that to the agenda how do we do that aside the agenda to do that some that's a requirement yeah you're just setting it aside okay so Amir I moved to set aside the agenda to move up 13A okay um it's been removed by councilmember comb second to buy to amend the uh agenda to place 13A in front of 13 is it 13f or I mean 11f or after 11e doctor let me after 11 e very well uh with Chloe now please number 13A um did we vote on it office ouch these uh democracy stuff okay um is there is there a discussion on the Coombs Amendment to the agenda seeing none uh I call for the question on the coons Amendment too um oh okay I was just point a bird or sorry I didn't hear the second so we it we're able to do this per the attorney because I've never seen us move public hearing but I'm fine with it I just want to point out we're doing this because we had 17 amendments on a resolution mayor uh customer Garden um again I'll be voting no on this I brought forward an item several months ago to address this very issue of having to deal with perfunctory resolutions like we are tonight and um my Council colleague should support that rather than just moving the agenda around at random okay um is there further discussion uh seeing none uh the question before us is the adoption of the Coombs Amendment to the agenda to move item number 13A up after item number 11e further discussion seeing none call for the question on the cruise Amendment Jess the motion does not pass with five yes votes six no votes from council member mercano Lawson Bergen Gardner jensy and sunberg um we just did 11e with cook now please reach out top number 11f item 11f is resolution 2022-204 a resolution of the city council of the city of Aurora Colorado approving the 2023 operating plan and budget for the tower business Improvement District uh brief presentation by staff the 2023 Tower revised budget is a hundred and ten thousand and it's part Revenue source is from property tax a 2.5 mil Levy that's new in 2023 you might recall that this was added at the study session and their plan is to undertake projects as development needs arise in 2023. uh questions to staff they're seeing none motion is in order mayor I moved to approve 11f moved by councilmember Sonnenberg second by second by councilmember Lawson to approve our number 11 f uh discussion seeing none call for the question on the adoption of item number 11f mayor point of order customer I have a question for the clerk all of these resolutions moved unanimously out of study sessions so can we take them all in a single vote we were advised that these need to be taken separately because they are budget items and each one needs to be voted on separately but I can have the City attorney weigh in as well uh with the clerk now please talk to item number 11g yes and I'm sorry all right I'm 11 f uh resolution 2022 204 passed in item 11g is resolution to 2002 205 resolution of the city council of the city of Aurora Colorado approving the 2023 operating plan and budget for the Wendler business Improvement District number one uh brief presentation myself 2023 budget is fifty thousand dollars again mainly funded through developer advances and they do not anticipate any major public improvements in 2023. questions to staff seeing none um no motion is in order mayor I moved to approval 11g remove my council member Sunbury seconded by customer Coons to approve item number 11g discussion they're seeing none call for the question on the adoption of item number 11g council member Insurance the motion passes to adopt resolution 2022-205. Floyd now please read the time to time number 11-h all right m11h is resolution 2022-206 a resolution of the city council of the city of Aurora Colorado approving the 2023 operating plan and budget for the Windler business Improvement District number two uh brief presentation by staff winlord number two's 2023 budget is also fifty thousand dollars again mainly from developer advances and they do not anticipate any major public improvements in 2023 the questions of staff seeing none motion is an order mayor ain't moved to approval 11-h Remember by council member sunberg seconded by council member drinsky to approve item number 11-h discussion seeing no discussion question before us is the adoption of item number 11 age call for question okay thank you the motion passes to adopt resolution 2022-206. right now please take the time to item number 11 I item 11 I is resolution 2022-207 your resolution of the city council of the city of Aurora Colorado approving the 2023 operating plan and budget for the Fitzsimmons visit business improvement district brief presentation by staff uh Fitzsimmons business improvements district has a budget of about 13 420 and there are no major uh improvements planned this budget question is the staff uh motion is an order motion to approve 119. sorry motion is in order Medina Medina I'm sorry oh council member Medina moved by council member Medina second by Catherine robertski uh discussion seeing none uh the question before us is the adoption on item number 11i um call for the question councilmember Maria thank you the motion passes to adopt resolution 2022-207. Clark now please number 11 Jay item 11j's resolution 2022 208 a resolution of the city council of the city of Aurora Colorado appointing a member of the board of directors of the Fitzsimmons business Improvement project we're presentation by staff the bid currently is a five-member board with three vacancies this motion will approve the appointment of Scott pro cop owner of Ursula Brewery to the board um questions and staff we're seeing none um motion is in order May our motion to approve item and J moved by councilman drisky seconded by Coombs customer recruits to approve item number 11j discussion they're seeing no discussion the question is the adoption of item number 11 Jay call for the question the motion passes to adopt resolution 2022-208 Greg now please item number 11k all right I'm 11k is resolution 2022-209 a resolution of the city council of the city of Aurora Colorado approving the 2023 operating plan and budget for the Havana business Improvement District uh brief presentation by staff the Habana bid has a 2023 project of approximately 1.44 million half of it is coming from uh new property tax revenues and the other half is from carryover funds from the previous year no major public improvements mostly uh marketing and programming like they do annually um questions to staff motion is in order mayor motion to approve 11k moved by council member Gardner second bye [Music] I'm sorry uh councilmember McConnell uh discussion I'm seeing another question before us is the adoption of item number 11k call for the question the motion passes to adopt resolution 2022-209 Clark now please read to item number 11l item 11l is resolution 2022 to 10 your resolution of the city council of the city of Aurora Colorado approving the 2023 operating plan on budget for the park side at City Center business Improvement District uh brief presentation by staff keeping the Parkside at City Center business Improvement District anticipates General and Debt Service fund of 1.3 million in 2023 that's comprised of an operating fund what's primarily for maintenance it's about 200 000 and a Debt Service fund the beginning fund balance of 2 million together the general Debt Service funds anticipate about 1.3 million expenditures in 2023. me questions yourself uh councilor Combs um will any of the funds being used for maintenance be directed toward repairing any of the damage that was caused my understanding is that the damage from the explosion that recently occurred was related to some other infrastructure issues not just the um utility room in the building itself so has there been any conversation about how that may impact the budget of the bid or is it only the Metro District that will be liable in that case yeah I I I'm not aware of that the the operating budget is really small it's for it's pretty much already spoken for it's for you know the the bid um budget audit and plowing snow plow maintenance things like that so I'm anticipating not it is probably Metro District further questions to staff motion is an order mayor mayor Tim motion to approve 11l soon Boom by the mayor for attempt seconded by Gardner Same by councilmember Gardner to prove item number 11 discussion I'm saying no discussion questions before is this Redemption about number 11 A.M call for the question councilmember Maria the motion passes to adopt resolution 2022-210 Chloe now I please get the title title number 11 in item 11m is resolution 2022 to 11 consideration of the city council to approve a resolution for the First Amendment to an IGA between the city of Aurora acting buying through its utility Enterprise to Irma drainage and flood control district to be a mile high flood District Southeast Metro storm water authority the Cherry Creek Basin water quality Authority in Arapahoe County regarding design and construction of drainage and flood control improvements for Cherry Creek restoration at Arapahoe Road uh representation my staff this resolution increases funding by fifty thousand dollars for erosion control measures in Cherry Creek near Arapahoe Road uh questions to staff I'm seeing none motion is in order mayor had moved to approval Lebanon is removed by councilmember summary second bye Council our coach to approve item number 11 m M discussion I've seen a non-questionable forces adoption environment number 11 and M call for the question the motion passes to adopt resolution 2022-11 we could not please the title to item number um 11 in item 11 in is resolution 2022 to 12 consideration to approve a resolution of the city council of the city of Aurora from IGA between the city of Aurora acting by and through its utility Enterprise and the urban drainage and flood control district DBA Mile High flood District regarding final design and construction of drainage and flood control improvements for Westerly Creek at Alameda and Dakota Avenue uh brief presentation by staff so this resolution provides six hundred thousand dollars in design and construction fees to be matched by the mile high flood District for storm sewer improvements um basically Upstream of Expo Park in Virginia questions staff uh mayor I have a question how many entities will be sharing in the cost of that six hundred thousand I'm sorry how many entities will be chipping in for the six hundred thousand just Mile High and the city of Aurora so just those two further discussion our question further questions to staff and seeing none motion is an order Mary moved to approval Lebanon Mr councilmember sunberg's second by Coombs councilman recruits to approve item number 11 in discussion uh seeing no uh further discussion I see no discussion our question before us is adoption of item number 11 and call for the question council member Mario thank you the motion passes to adopt resolution 2022-12 well coach now please be the title title number 11-0 item 11-0 is resolution 2022-13 consideration to approve a resolution of the city council for the Second Amendment to extend the first revised water transmission transmission service contract amount that your Aurora and Colorado Springs joint Water Authority um brief presentation myself well I apologize I didn't see that on my list your honor Ian best for the city attorney's office this is an amendment to The Joint Water Authority second agreement extending the term I apologize I didn't see you I got slightly distracted and I expected furniture so I apologize I'm sorry council members for the record my name is Alexandra Davis deputy director of water resources for the Aurora Water Department this is a resolution to amend a joint Water Authority contract to extend an existing agreement the agreement to operate the Otero pipeline extension was going to expire on December 31st 2022 this agreement will extend that joint water authority to allow the further operation of the pipeline for another five years with two five-year extensions after that questions of staff I've seen none motion as an order Mary moved to approval 11-0 moved by councilman Sundberg seconded by Coombs councilman Coombs to approve item number 110 discussion see no discussion the question before us is the adoption of item number 11-0 call for the question mayor pro team thank you the motion passes to top resolution 2022-13 so we now please do the tile Tottenham number 11 P item 11p is resolution 2022-14 a resolution of the city council of the city of Aurora Colorado appointing directors to the board of directors of the Colfax Sable Metropolitan District questions to staff I'm sorry I'm sorry presentation okay being a dancing amateur in the office of development this resolution is requesting that Council appoint two individuals to the board of directors of the Colfax Sable Metropolitan District this serves the Citadel on Colfax development my questions is staff see non-motion is in order mayor councilman Coast move to approve 11p moved by councilman mccoom seconded by second the second white councilmember Lawson um to approve I remember 11p discussion see no discussion uh call for the question on the adoption of item number 11p council member Mario yes the motion passes to adopt resolution 2022-14 with the clerk now please read time with item number 11q item 11q's resolution 2022-15 a resolution of the city council of the city of Aurora Colorado appointing directors to the board of directors of the point Metropolitan districts a brief presentation by staff this resolution is requesting that Council appoint directors to fill vacancies on the board of the point Metropolitan District uh questions to staff mayor councilmember mayor protein um were so these vacancies occurred because of some disqualifications it there was a property transfer in 2019 not the more recent things that have transpired at the point and it they were inadvertently disqualified and the council for the Metropolitan District just caught the error recently thank you further questions to staff I've seen none motion is in order a motion to approve 11 Q it's been moved by a man pretend second to buy more common uh second by councilmember Marcano uh to prove item number 11q discussion I was saying non-questionable forces adoption of item number 11q call for the question okay the motion passes to adopt resolution 2020 to 2 15. clerk now please do time Todd number 11 R item 11R is resolution 2022 216 the resolution of the city council of the city of Aurora Colorado appointing a member of the board of directors of the Windler business Improvement District number one a brief presentation by staff this resolution is requesting the appointment of two individuals by Council to the Windler bid one board of directors questions to staff seeing none motion is in order Mary moved to approval webinar it's approved by councilmember sunberg second by e second uh councilmember Lawson to approve item number 11 2.11r uh discussion uh see no discussion call for the question on the adoption of item number 11R the motion passes to adopt resolution 2022-16. look now please do the title Tide of number 11s item 11s is resolution 2022-17 a resolution of the city council of the city of Aurora Colorado appointing a member of the board of directors of the Windler business Improvement District number two pre-presentation by staff the Windler bid number two is requesting the appointment of two individuals to the board of directors by city council questions to staff I'm seeing non-motion is in order quick to remove move forward 11s let's remove my councilmember Sunbury seconded by Medina uh councilmember Medina to approve item number 11s discussion I've seen no discussion uh of course before this is adoption of item number 11 has a call for the question the motion passes stood up resolution 2022-17 Craig now please read the top Todd remember 11t item 11t is resolution 2022 to 18 a resolution of the city council of the city of Aurora Colorado approving the IGA between the Cherry Creek School District and the city of Aurora regarding school resource officers questions this uh free presentation by staff the city attorney's office off they'll just give a brief overview this is a resolution for an agreement for SRO services with Cherry Creek School District last school year we were having some assistance from the Arapahoe County Sheriff's Office with SRO services this agreement is a renewal of our previous agreement and then also the expectations regarding the funding that they provided for some school safety measures breaching shotguns and the Nazareth program questions to staff mayor uh mayor pretend um Source officers will be allocated between the different schools uh currently we'll have eight in the high schools and then as needed services in the middle schools as well okay well I'm extremely happy to see this happening because I know they're very important for our schools thank you thank you and um there's so there are no more Personnel from the Arapahoe County Sheriff's Office no you're uh that's correct okay further questions to staff uh seeing none motion is in order mayor mayor Jim to approve 11t it's removed by mayor for 10 seconds by mayor second second by council member Law Center approval number 11 T discussion I've seen no discussion the the question before us is the adoption of item number 11 T call for the question councilman thank you the motion passes to adopt resolution 2022-18 included now please read the title title number 11 to you all right I'm 11U is resolution 2022 219 approving the IGA between Denver and Aurora regarding funding design and pre-construction of the East Colfax Avenue bus Rapid Transit project Ed by staff good evening mayor and council members for the record my name is Carly Campuzano and I'm the traffic manager within the public works department this item is an IGA between the city of Aurora and the City and County of Denver to provide design funding for the Colfax brt project that's the bus Rapid Transit project details about the project scope were presented at the Taps subcommittee meeting earlier this year three different times most recently in September and details about the scope were also presented to full Council during a study session meeting in May this IGA is for design only for the project within the city of Aurora limits and the city will be contributing 2.33 million dollars for the improvements within the Aurora section available for any questions questions and staff I've seen none um motion is in order mayor motion to approve item 11U by councilmember Gardner seconded by Coombs councilmember Combs to approve where item number 11 where are we you eleven you uh discussion uh seeing uh no discussion um a question before us is the adoption of item number 11 you call for the question councilmember sunberg the motion passes to adopt resolution 2022-19 we're now pleased to talk to number 11 V item 11v is resolution 2022-220 a resolution of the city council of the city of Aurora Colorado approving the IJ between the city of Aurora and the City of count and the City and County of Denver regarding the ownership and maintenance responsibilities for the Peoria Crossing project representation by staff good evening mayor and members of city council my name is Matt kozikowski I'm the transportation project delivery manager with for this public works department uh the Peoria Crossing project was delivered utilizing a Dr Cog tip Grant with funding Partners from RTD Denver and Aurora the project constructed a 600-foot span bridge on Peoria Street just north of 33rd the IGA being presented for approval this evening is between the city of Aurora and the City and County of Denver to define the ownership operations maintenance and reimbursement responsibilities the agreement details specific elements of the structure but is generally very simple Denver is responsible for their side Aurora is responsible for their side and the structure itself is shared maintenance routine maintenance is also split in a logical manner staff is available for any questions Council might have on this IGA questions to staff mayor uh mayor for Tim the maintenance would include snow like snow removal and Trash Services that's correct um the city of Aurora is responsible for snow removal and I'm sorry I got that backwards the city of Denver is currently plowing the bridge and we the city of Aurora is currently street sweeping it oh okay thank you so much uh further questions to staff seeing none motion is an order yeah customer comes move to approve 11v moved by councilman coomb seconded by Medina second by council member Medina uh to approve item number 11 V um discussion see no discussion called for the question on the adoption of item number 11v the motion passes stood up resolution 2022-220. now please read the title title number 11 W item 11w is resolution 2022-221 a resolution of the city council of the city of Aurora Colorado expressing there were a city council's approval of a reimbursement agreement between the city of Aurora acting by and through its utility Enterprise and Nash inspiration LLC a brief presentation of my staff um thank you I didn't introduce myself previously my name is Vern Adam I'm the Engineering Services manager for Aurora Water this resolution provides a reimbursement to Nash inspiration for a Regional Detention Pond that was built in the rocking horse development the agreement is in the amount of 1.493 million dollars even though the summer indicates 1.346 the discrepancy being the soft costs associated that are in the agreement so this Pond was built some years ago and we've been in negotiation with Nash there's been a lot of turnover from their staff so we're just now bringing this resolution to council questions to staff I'm seeing none motion is in order Mary moved to approve 11w ick it's been moved by council member Sunbury seconded by Birkin second by mayor for Jim Bergen uh to approve our number 11w discussion so you know discussion question before says the adoption of item number 11 W call for the question councilmember Maria the motion passes to adopt resolution 2022-221 Chloe now please read the talk to item number 11 x item 11x is resolution 2022-22 a resolution of the city council of the city of our Colorado expressing of our city council's support of an IGA between the city of Aurora acting buying through its utility Enterprise and the Board of Governors of the Colorado State University system acting by and through Colorado State University for the use and benefit of the Colorado State Forest Service a brief presentation by staff director for water resources for the Aurora Water Department in August of this year this Council approved an IGA with the U.S forest Service and the Colorado State Forest Service which set forth a framework by which the city of Aurora would partner with the forest services and other entities to develop and Implement Forest Health treatments these treatments include thinning brush reduction they include various uh I'm sorry I'm blanking on the different types of treatments they prescribe fire other Forest Health treatments and Rehabilitation as well as Mitigation Of burned land this particular agreement is um so the first IGA set forth the framework but it did not provide for any specific funding and each specific project and the funding Associated therewith was to come back to Council in a separate agreement so this is a separate agreement for three hundred thousand dollars to be spent over three years to implement a number of Forest Health projects in MacArthur Gulch and Deer Park area which both of which are above strontius Springs Reservoir which is significant and critical infrastructure to the Aurora Water Department questions to staff sitting down motion is in order mayor councilor comes moved to approve 11x all right it's moved by councilmember cooling second by Sunday customer sunberg to approve item number 11x discussion uh seeing no discussion the question before this is adoption environment I'm number 11 x call for the question council member Mario the motion passage setup resolution 2022-22 um with clerk now please do the talk to item number 11 I requesting the Aurora city council support of an agreement between the city of Aurora Colorado acting by and through its utility Enterprise and stewardships west pre-presentation by staff and council members this for the record again Alexandra Davis deputy director of Water Resources this agreement similar to the last agreement is to implement that framework with the U.S forest Service in Colorado State Forest Service this particular agreement is with a non-profit organization known as stewardship West who Partners to implement Forest thinning treatments on land in ways that make it a little bit less expensive for the U.S forest Service and Colorado State Forest Service so by partnering with stewardship West we hope to clear about 500 acres in the Miller Gulch area which is also in the Watershed above strontia Springs Reservoir questions to staff seeing that motion is an order Mary moved to approval 11 why councilmember sunberg second bar Coombs guy councilman comes to approve 11y uh discussion uh seeing no discussion uh call for the question on the adoption of item number uh seeing no discussion uh call for the question on the adoption about number 11 why the motion passes to top resolution 2022-223. so now please read the title title number 11c item 11c is resolution 2022-224 expressing the Aurora city council support of an IGA water lease agreement between the city of Aurora Colorado acting buying through its utility Enterprise and the Board of Water Works of Pueblo Colorado uh pre-presentation by staff Davis deputy director of water resources for the Aurora Water Department this agreement is a lease agreement with the city of Pueblo or I'm sorry with the Pueblo Board of Water Works for 9 000 acre feet of water from their Twin Lake system this water is High Mountain Water it will enter into our system by gravity and is completely reusable so we consider this water quite valuable the total cost of the lease is 7.4 million dollars for the 9 000 acre feet the water will be delivered primarily in the spring and the late fall with some delivery to occur during the summer questions to staff they're seeing none motion is in order mayor Council workers moved to approve 11z as we moved by councilmember coolum seconded by Sunbury councilmember sunberg to approve on number 11z discussion I've seen no discussion uh call for the question on the adoption environment item number 11z motion passes to adopt resolution 2022-24. great now please read the title to item number 11 double A all right I'm 11 double A is resolution 2022 225 expressing City council's direction to the city manager to have appropriate City staff creating an ad hoc citizens Charter review task force existing for four months with the purpose of the task force being determining whether any proposed changes to the city Charter should be recommended to that ad hoc Charter Review Committee of city council and to review and provide feedback and a written report into the ad hoc Charter Review Committee of City Council on any proposed Charter amendments recommended by that task force uh councilman raccoons um yeah so this item passed out of study session unanimously after some amendments that were requested by my colleagues in the ad hoc Charter Review Committee and I thank the city attorney's office for assistance with making those amendments and if they're any further comments by the staff from the city attorney's office I welcome those otherwise I move the item and request the support of my colleagues um share the comments thank you oh and sorry just one further comment for me just each of us will be able to appoint one person to this committee to simplify the appointment process and speed us along and being able to get um feedback from our constituents Charter Amendments have you moved 11 and double A yep so I'll move 11 double a mayor is there a second yeah I will second it please it's a move by customer second by mayor Tim uh mayor Patel did you have commentary no I I support this um there was a lot of discussion after the charter committee so I am in support uh further discussion uh see nine question before us is the adoption of item number double a uh call for the question council member Maria the motion passes to adopt resolution 2022-225. very not pleasure to talk to item number 11 A B item 11 A B is resolution 2022 226 changing the official name designation of the Aurora city council chambers to the Paul Tower Aurora city council chambers and directing the city manager to prepare an appropriate dedication plaque for display in the chambers as well as changing City signage and documents to reflect the new designation of the chambers this resolution supersedes resolution R 9337 pertaining to naming of city parks and buildings but in this instance only councilor Gardner thank you mayor many of you might know some of you might not that are listening um long time council member and mayor of Aurora Paul Tower recently passed away and the purpose of this resolution is to rename our council chambers in his honor between his time serving on Council and mayor it was several decades but I think more importantly him and his wife Kate spent years working in our community and and also Aurora saw significant growth and development while he he was mayor including the University of Colorado campus that whole that whole campus this building that we are sitting in in lots lots of other examples so um I think it's appropriate to honor him in this way we have other City buildings and Roads and and schools and in other facilities named after influential or impactful individuals in our community and I think this is an appropriate way to honor Mr Tower and his his time that he spent serving our city so I would ask my colleagues to vote Yes motion is in order mayor councilman Carter a motion to approve item 11 A B moved by councilor Gardner second bye Sunbury customer service to approve item number 11 A B discussion I was seeing no discussion of the question before says the adoption provider number 11 a b um call for the question foreign passes to adopt resolution 2022-26. it's great now I appreciate your time to have number 11ac all right I'm 11ac it's resolution 2022-227 to amend the rules of ordering procedure for the Aurora Colorado city council regarding backup material for the council member sponsored items um brief presentation by staff I'm sorry um council member joinski um I want to just go ahead and let councilmember Gardner say something really quick um about this so I have a I'm not on um thank you councilman patrinsky so I have a an amendment that I would like um to propose and this I would propose adding in at the end of the bolded section that was added by councilmember durensky and it would read additionally in any information or presentations presented at study session or regular city council meeting must be included in the backup packet provided to the public before that meeting and I do accept that as a friendly amendment I think there's going to have to be um in the form of an amendment so let's move the proposal first okay so mayor motion to approve item 11acc it's been moved by councilmembergerinski second by second Sorry by council member Gardner uh then a recognized council member Gardner for an amendment thank you mayor uh so this would add additionally any information or presentations presented at study session or regular city council meeting must be included in the backup packet provided to the public before that meeting and it's been seconded by councilmembergerinski as a friendly Amendment yes our discussion on the Gardner Amendment us seeing none of call up with a question on the Gardner Amendment to the two um where are we on here 211 a b a d AC council member zabonic yes the motion passes to adopt resolution 2022-227 as amended so we're now I'm sorry that was just for the amendment yeah now we're back to the resolution itself uh further discussion of amendments on uh house resolution is it um AC none I'm sorry Maria yeah I just wanted to ask I I think I support the direction of this ordinance I just want to make sure that we aren't creating a situation or circumstance where staff isn't able to share the full scope of um any concerns that they have I I know I have not always agreed with the position that the city has taken and sometimes I do but I think City staff is there to do their job right they are um the subject matter experts they're the budget experts they're the engineers um and I just I don't know I I just wanted to make the comment ask the question is there anything in here that precludes staff from you know painting a full picture of any concerns they have um councilman a response or uh I I mean I don't even know Hunter so I guess that's a matter of opinion um and and if you need further information or you feel like staff hasn't been able to fully explain something then I would suggest circling back with them I'm not really sure call us to answer that city manager Jim twerling thank you Mary yes I don't see that it will present any any issues for staff that I don't see any problem with it further discussion mayor uh councilman Memorial yeah just to be clear I wasn't asking for an opinion from councilmember jerinsky um I don't wanted to hear from staff just to make sure that it's on the record that moving forward yes we should be coordinating with council members but we're not asking for staff to not do their job we're not asking for staff to not have difficult conversations with council members even if they don't want to hear it um that we're not asking staff to um turned a blind eye there are serious legitimate concerns especially to our budget especially to you know important parts of our city so I just want that on the record um as we pass this so thank you uh further discussion mayor uh councilorinski uh yeah I would just like it on the record too it looks very nice and bright and sunny where council member Mario is at um not asking for my opinions further discussion let's see now I know I'm sorry and I'll call for the question grounded okay um let's see where are we at here uh the call there's a motion to call for the question uh moved by councilmanski seconded by a second second by councilman sunburg um discussion oh no no this is non-debatable uh call for the question mayor Kaufman mayor Kaufman how would you like to vote on ending the debate I'm available chess councilmember thank you the motion passes with nine yes votes two no votes from council member Coombs and council member modigil so very well the question for us is the adoption of item number 11 AC call for the question the motion passes to adopt resolution 2022-27. okay now please number 11 A.D item 11 A.D is resolution 2022-228 a resolution of the city council of the city of Aurora Colorado appointing members to the Fitzsimmons Innovation Community master plan and general development plan subcommittee uh councilmember Dustin savonik thanks mayor um so this resolution it directs the city manager to appoint the necessary staff to work with the newly created subcommittee that was created by the Fitzsimmons Innovation communities board of directors the purpose of the subcommittee is to update the the master plan and the Mobility plan for that campus the the Fitzsimmons Innovation campus holds enormous opportunity not just for the city of Aurora but for the region and the state and is the the master plan has not been updated in quite some time and so this subcommittee will have the opportunity to meet on a more frequent basis and as they go through that process I believed it was necessary to have the appropriate City staff whether it's from planning Public Works and so forth to be to work alongside of them so that as the any recommendations or changes needed in the GDB in the GDP can be noted and there can be input from staff along the way and so that's this resolution is fairly straightforward I've had a chance to talk with City staff about this to ensure that they could and believed it was a good idea to support it and have gotten the thumbs up I feel the way to I feel that same way motion is in order motion to approve mayor motion approve I love item 11 a d Moon block councilor is veronic secondary council member durensky to approve item number 11 AED discussion mayor mayor for Jim um councilman zavonik so once that subcommittee concludes this then it would come back to council Just for information or yeah so um I assume that and it's very high it was very likely that the recommendations for the updated master plan that they'll come up with and Mobility plan will require changes to the GDP which belongs with us so there will be changes that we will have to ultimately approve as a part of that plan okay further discussion I've seen none um with who seconded president II uh jorinski's second okay uh further discussion uh seeing no uh further discussion the question before this is adoption of vitamin number 11 A.D call for the question the motion passes to adopt resolution 2022-28 the time is now uh 9 36 we will stand in recess until 9 41 in order to give time for the announcement for the call online council is in recess until 9 41. the members of the public who would like to speak on an ordinance and have not already spoken to an operator press star 3 before the item is called by the clerk for those watching on Channel 8. call 855-695-3475 to be connected and then press star three as the mayor mentioned council is taking a short break to allow any additional speakers to sign up please be patient and stay on the line until the operator is able to take down your information thank you [Music] thank you [Music] thank you foreign foreign [Music] foreign foreign foreign foreign foreign foreign [Music] foreign [Music] [Music] thank you the regular meeting of the Aurora city council for work November 14 2022 is called back to order with the clerk now please read the title to item number 12a 22 71 an ordinance amending chapter 146 of the city code of the city of Aurora Colorado relating to standards for other types of signs public hearing is now open uh presentation uh by staff good evening mayor city council I'm Brandon camarata manager in the planning department tonight as you mentioned we have a unified development ordinance Amendment relating to the sign code specifically 146 410 6 relating to other types of signs this amendment impacts only the signed category of pennant and streamer signs there's an example in your package what the amendment does is remove the permit requirement and time limitation for those types of signs this amendment was introduced at the October 12th ped policy committee meeting by council members vonic this uh then the item was taken to the Planning Commission meeting on October 26th where this proposal was presented at a public hearing and was unanimously recommended for approval by the Planning Commission in accordance with the review criteria in the Udo if there's any questions I would try to answer them questions to staff well this is uh this is a public hearing though right now yes okay so but there's no application okay uh questions to staff no I remember Tim the requirements on the masonry uh excuse me repeat the question please did they oh no I'm on the wrong one sorry cool further questions to staff 12a um is there anybody from the public who wishes to be heard on the side no there's not public hearings closed motion is in order mayor uh council members uh motion to approve item 12a if we moved by council member zavonic seconded by terinsky second by council member to rescue to approve out number 12a discussion mayor uh councilor zovanic yeah I just um briefly wanted to give a quick overview of why I brought this forward um it was brought to my attention that there were limitations on Penance around businesses and uh and looking at it there were three requirements repentance and and um staff mentioned this there there was the permit requirement that you had to get there was a requirement for how long or a limitation on how long you could have Penance hanging and then there was one on uh requirement that said it had to be in good condition and frankly that was the only one that made sense to me um if if somebody wants to put up their Bronco pendants all year long which I don't know why you'd want to do that today they should be able to do it and requiring businesses to go and get a permit to use pendants which is are oftentimes used to to advertise a sell or an event that's coming up just doesn't make sense I brought this one forward but candidly I've talked to council members drinsky and sunberg about the idea of going through code and looking for other places like this where it's one and an undue burden on businesses but two this is requiring code enforcement and we get lots of complaints from our constituents about the need for code enforcement and so having them going in and forcing this type of code doesn't seem to make a lot of sense so I think there's an opportunity for us to review other codes like this and get them off the books so with that I'd urge you yes vote further discussion mayor councilmember Coombs I do support this and I think it totally makes sense but I do want to note that I did recently have a constituent expressed concern that we were changing codes in a way that meant that code enforcement wasn't going to happen on issues that they thought should be enforced that are maybe things we might think of as trivial one of the things was the placement of trash cans was of concern and that of course reduces the burden on Code Enforcement but it was something that has bothered people so I think we do want to consider that sometimes we have codes that seem trivial to us that our constituents actually do want to see enforced nonetheless I'm going to support this because it does make sense for further questions I mean uh further discussion seeing another question before us is the adoption of item number 12a call for the question the motion passes to adopt ordinance 2022-71. report now please hear the title number 13A item 13 a is public hearing and appeal of the October 12 2022 planning commission's approval of the Grand Avenue townhome site plan with an adjustment public hearing is now open uh presentation by staff thank you mayor good evening City Council Members I am Stephen Rodriguez with planning and development services and this is the presentation for the Grand Avenue site plan with one adjustment appeal that was recently passed at the Planning Commission on October 12th of this year a little background information this plan is for 53 town homes the applicant sitting beside me to my right is red T homes zoning is mixed use original Aurora three different zones which I will go over and the adjustment is for the minimum lot size for six Lots on one of the sites about 11 of the 53 proposed townhome Lots so a little bit about the appeal and the procedure per code 1465313a any decision by the Planning Commission may be appealed by the council appeals may be submitted by an affected applicant or in this case adjacent property owner must be filed with the city manager within 10 calendar days after the decision and must specifically reference the section of the code that has not been applied correctly the three appellants who appealed this case met all of those requirements and Council can review this appeal based on code standards and criteria and vote to uphold modify or overturn the decision by the Planning Commission let's see vicinity map for little context this is in the Southeast area of the intersection of Colfax and Yosemite pretty much off of Akron and Alton streets it is mostly surrounded by single-family detached homes however there is the northernmost site that has the Vega Academy school to the West and multi-family to the East and a bank to the north of budding Colfax the next slide zoning a place type five sites are in three separate mixed-use original Aurora zones mixed-use original original Roar Main Street to the north original Aurora residential mixed use over to Yosemite from Akron and mixed use original R2 medium density for the remainder of the sites all three of these Zone districts permit a broad range of housing types The Proposal is also located in the original Aurora Place type which is the city's first neighborhood original Roar characterized by Street grid commercial corridors established residential areas Etc the city seeks to maintain and strengthen the traditional character of the original Aurora area while accommodating targeting targeted reinvestment through infill Redevelopment and adaptive reuse so the proposal is consistent with the place type character for this area quick look at the site plan the north arrows to the right here this diagram shows townhome entrances fronting the streets as required by code there's on-site private yard space provided for every town home unit detached garages and drainage corridors are also Present part all parking for the residences are accessed from private alleys or drives that are behind the town homes so the requisite notices were sent to adjacent property owners and registered neighborhood organizations were also notified we received through the different reviews and Cycles a few comments from Neighbors and two registered HOAs and the comments were generally supportive of the project with concerns about lighting parking and building design and colors the applicant did hold two virtual neighborhood meetings which I will elaborate a little bit on later primary issues that were discussed throughout the review neighborhood engagement the adjustment requests Building architecture and site layout and so we will take a quick look at each one of those for neighborhood engagement like I said there were two virtual meetings held January 4th and August 25th the latter was conducted after a request from the East Colfax Community Collective Aurora organization main topics that were discussed were displacement neighborhood character town home price points and gentrification those were only some of the issues brought up so at that meeting the applicant addressed the concerns addressed I will emphasize that the applicant also met with Nano to work together on the building elevations and the current elevations reflect their approval or sign off on those elevation types next issue the adjustment per the applicable section of code 146 224e dimensional requirements this adjustment when it went before the Planning Commission and as before you this evening is for a slight reduction for six of the town home lots in site a to the very North to the minimum lot size for n Lots or interior lots for the town homes so staff supports the adjustment because it complies with code criteria and that it does not result in increased on-street parking produces no material adverse impact on any budding lot and we will result in a perception of development quality equal to or better than would have been required without the adjustment Next Issue discuss Building architecture the proposed building design and elevations meet the requirements of the udl regarding four-sided architecture provide changes in materials and colors provides variation of roof form provides awning changes in wall planes and incorporates some brick wall system and smooth panel siding site layout some infrastructure comments also the lots are accessed from the streets via private drives and allies Townhomes are oriented to the street as required the required parking is provided to per unit majority of lots greatly exceed the minimum requirement of 360 square feet for on-site outdoor space and sidewalks will be widened as required for original Aurora standards so the approval criteria very important section here when we look at site plans that proceed to the Planning Commission or go to the city council as in this case is occurring we look at each application criteria and our staff conclusion is that this application complies with the applicable Udo standards for Town Home Development in regard to Building architecture use specific standards for town homes and is in compliance with the comprehensive plan original Aurora Place type and is a use by right in the three mixed-use original Aurora Zone districts that the project resides in it also enhances existing City infrastructure including drainage infrastructure improves multimodal connectivity to adjacent sites by providing improved sidewalks and connections as required is compatible with surrounding land uses which are primarily single-family residential land uses and lastly mitigates adverse impacts to the surrounding area to the extent practicable in conclusion our finding is that we recommend approval of the site plan with one condition for the reduced townhome minimum lot size and we ask that a condition be added to resolve any outstanding technical issues prior to Recreation of the site plan and issuance of any building permits that concludes my presentation thank you presentation by the applicant good evening ladies and gentlemen city council mayor Kaufman my name is Nathan Adams I own red tea homes we are the developer for the Grand Avenue site you're going to hear two different narratives tonight in their opposing opposition has been disingenuous about our project to scare the community and but it's unfortunate you're going to hear from us that building 550 000 1800 square foot three and four bedroom town homes that meets the missing middle is much needed housing and meets a very attainable price point yes 550 000 is attainable in the metro area these days the average price of a home is close to 700 000 in the in the metro area uh it was over seven hundred thousand dollars before the market cooled off recently over the last few months due to a rapid rise in interest rates I personally hate that 550 000 is an attainable price point but here we are you're going to hear a narrative of opposition that we're building luxury housing that will ruin affordability in the neighborhood it's not factual we're going to hear about a lot of other things from the opposition that's just outside of the scope of what's being discussed tonight the good news is that you you don't have to pick between the two narratives today or other competing interests our proposed Townhomes are used by right all we are here to talk about is whether we meet the criteria in the Planning Commission that the Planning Commission voted unanimously for with me tonight I also have Joshua Bots who is the project manager and will speak to the criteria that is being challenged thank you Nathan thank you Council Nathan if you could click the next slide for me lately I'm going to speak to the Udo criteria that was appealed adequacy of existing infrastructure and public improvements specifically water Wastewater Street Trail and sidewalk have adequate capacity to serve the proposed development and any burdens have been mitigated to a degree practical so far we've been through five development application reviews before we schedule the Planning Commission hearing in this review we've worked with public works or water or a fire Excel Energy and all agencies have no outstanding comment for our development application read approved so I did also want to speak to the um idea that we're actually improving the existing infrastructure on the site as well this would include widening the sidewalks to the six foot standard and modernizing the Ada ramps to current standards we agree with City staff there is adequate capacity to serve this development secondly I will look at the compatibility of surrounding uses in terms of size scale and building facade materials we were intentional about the size of the buildings the materials chosen the master plan states that an original Aurora the common building material is masonry each of the proposed homes will consist of 35 percent masonry on Street facing facades the fabric of the community will be continued with setbacks consistent to the existing neighborhood and finally we'll look at mitigation and mitigating any adverse impacts to a degree practical we do understand this conversational displacement but that's not a development impact that the criteria is reviewing in this case the criteria is looking for quantitative impacts like sound measured in decibels visual measured and Cat foot candles and traffic typically with adjacents with adjacent dissimilar uses let's say an industrial storage yard next to a residential neighborhood careful consideration is needed for mitigation in this design our proposal is residential adjacent to residential so commercial noise is a non-factor visually the Townhomes will not block the natural light or views to other neighboring properties and the light has been measured and regulated through phone metric plants which the city has reviewed in regards to traffic impacts the amount of generated traffic from our proposal was not enough to even warrant a traffic letter or study and the impact was deemed negligible by City staff that concludes the criteria discussion I'm going to turn this back over to Nathan to discuss who we are as a company that's right a little bit of our red tea red tea is a small it may be medium-sized local developer we only build in the Denver metro area we build a higher standard and we're intentional about that as we believe construction practices should be more environmentally friendly and the home that we deliver should be a healthy place to live so there are a few logos up here I want to talk through on this Slide the U.S Green Building Council logo is the third party that verifies that we build to a higher standard that higher standard we adhere to is a lead gold certification or higher and I'll talk about the higher part here in a little bit along the lines of doing better by the environment we partner with a non-profit called one tree planted we plant two trees for every tree we use in the construction of a home we calculated that to be 27 trees for a 1500 square foot home so we plant 54 trees for every home we build and we plant more if we build bigger energy star is the certification for all electric appliances we install energy star appliances are more efficient use less energy along the lines of building better almost exactly four miles Southwest of the Grand Ave site we have foundations on the ground for what will be the first lead zero homes constructed in Colorado they'll be the first west of the Mississippi River and homes two through eight in the entire country that'll be built to The Standard I'd like to State for the record because I know the appellants are coming up next it would be my expectation that the signers of the letter present for the Appellate and not Pawn to somebody else to present got one more slide here and if you believe in the need for attainably priced housing better constructed housing concern for the environment and the end user and that we've met the criteria we respectfully ask for your vote to approve this site plan and adjustment thank you a public invited to be heard mayor we have the Appellate presentation next okay very well is the Appellate here to present did then we go to public you can go Spanish translator buenosis good evening my name is my name is Avenue street I was one of the residents that sent a letter but uh um letting you know that I am not right we need apartments with a better cost a low cost dollars [Music] grandchildren will be able to afford Homes at that cost so foreign affordable housing is built so that Community is able to pay for a lower price [Music] is on regards to the cost of the homes a lot of a lot of money a lot of money for us our families of low income thank you my name is thank you my name is Brendan green I'm with the East Colfax Community Collective and Elida is a member of our organization and we are also here to ask the city council to oppose this site plan um Ellie does lives right in between two developments that have been approved and the one that she referenced that is 700 000 is the ambient site that's on 14th and Yosemite and then we have the Grand Avenue site which is directly in front of her across the street from her house um myself I live on 13th and Wabash Street so I'm four blocks into the Denver side but I'm four blocks away from this site so I do consider this to be our neighborhood you know we know that this neighborhood is a very fluid neighborhood and we are in opposition to this site because and want to speak to um that we really feel that this site is in no way fits the character of our neighborhood and we do not feel like the developers are doing enough to mitigate the adverse impacts on the surrounding area as you all know the large majority of housing in this section of North Aurora Northwest Aurora has an abundance of naturally occurring affordable housing as has been mentioned the majority of these houses are older construction and these houses are providing lower cost housing to the Immigrant and Refugee populations that are such an important part of our community as these groups are listed in the Aurora housing strategy as a special population that's deserving special protections um because of the high concentration of natural occurring affordable housing and special populations in this neighborhood we believe it's irresponsible to to support a project of expensive town homes that will only Elevate the costs and put at risk this this source of relatively affordable housing one of the last sources a relatively affordable housing in the Denver metro area um in the aura housing strategies document there's there's a five-year plan that that gives priorities and priorities one two and three state number one that the city should build new deeply affordable units number two there should be the maintenance of deeply affordable units and number three there should be a maintenance of moderately affordable units and we strongly believe that the Grand Avenue site combined with the already approved ambient site on 14th and Yosemite not only will not Advance these goals but will undermine the city's ability to House special populations and protect natural occurring affordable housing that's so critical in this in this part of Aurora we as an organization have become very good at Distributing housing assistance since the pandemic started in the East Colfax Corridor we've helped more than 900 families unduplicated and have distributed more than three million dollars in rental assistance to folks in this neighborhood and so we're very intimately connected to this community and to their needs and we're very aware of the challenges that they're facing and have already seen since the first site was approved we've already seen neighboring apartment complexes raising the rents as much as 200 and so these are real impacts that we are not inventing we're seeing it the community is living it and it's um it's it's a big challenge for this the the residents of this neighborhood you know we have done studies into the um the composition of the workforce in in this corridor and the largest um jobs that our community are working is construction retail Health Care Food Services and administrative and Waste Services and according to the 2022 quarterly census of employment and wage data um what we've seen is that not anyone working in any of these professions could afford a mortgage of five hundred fifty thousand dollars the highest wage of those professions that I listed are construction workers and those workers are paid an average of 36 000 per year and so with that level of salary that individual could only afford a home with a mortgage of one hundred eleven thousand dollars assuming they had two income earners in the home they could afford a mortgage of two hundred twenty two thousand dollars and so an income and a mortgage of five hundred fifty thousand dollars is completely out of reach of the majority of the population of this community and if the top five professions of of the people who work and live in this neighborhood cannot afford this mortgage the question that we would have is who are we building these for you know are we building for the residents of Aurora are we building for the residents of this neighborhood Our concern is that we're not you know that we're putting something into this very unique neighborhood with immense diversity with um working class community that are the backbone of of our society and we are putting a expensive units in the middle of that that we believe will completely destabilize the ecosystem that exists um you know so according to the Aurora housing strategy as of 2017 Aurora had approximately 7 502 few rental units for renters earning less than twenty five thousand dollars a year to continue the Aurora housing strategy says that the number of affordable homes for sale in Aurora has dropped significantly between 2016 and 2017 56 percent of units sold were priced under 300 000 compared to 35 percent in 2018 and 2019. the strategy also states that more than 75 percent of the city's current renters need homes priced at less than 300 000 to attain ownership and that's all data that comes from your own research and the section of the of the housing strategy that this neighborhood falls under um you know you guys have some very specific recommendations of how to address the needs of this community so we're here to ask that you vote against the Grand Avenue site plan we think there's lots of things that can be done and have our own vision of a people's housing plan that that we think can really help to stabilize this neighborhood and many of our Visions are aligned we strongly believe that that development in neighborhoods at risk of displacement should be for the residents of that neighborhood we need development that addresses deeply affordable housing we need to activate public lands to build this deeply affordable housing we need existing natural occurring affordable housing should be protected and improved to meet the needs of residents and allow families to remain in their homes and their communities that's actually language from the Aurora housing strategy and we couldn't be more in agreement um and lastly we definitely need significant investment in community ownership and land trust models which is also something that is being piloted by the city of Aurora that we would hope could be expanded um and so many of these are you know top priorities in the Aurora housing strategy but what we're not seeing is that these priorities are being reflected in the decisions of the Planning Commission and tonight we're here to urge the city council to stick to your values to follow the the plans and strategies that have been laid out in your own housing document and listen to our community we are here not just to State the problem we're here to be a part of the solution and we're here to work with the city to advance affordable goals we invite the city council and the planning department to work with our organizations we're part of a group called The Grassroots Leadership Council that has 10 different organizations that are working in Northwest Aurora and we think that we can that we can do bigger and better things to address the housing crisis that we're facing in the Grand Avenue site plan is not that so we urge you to vote no thank you foreign is there any from anyone from the public that wishes to speak yes mayor we have a few individuals we're going to start with the individuals who need Spanish interpretation Alfonso Vasquez Alfonso Vasquez thank you okay magaly Bayard Yolanda Marine okay thank you foreign the Grand Avenue project is something that has a very concerned to our families our community our neighbors going through a very difficult economy and automatically we fall into the risk to have our rent foreign [Music] [Music] and this is a very strong amount [Music] I hope you're taking consideration our testimony thank you very much Yolanda SI buenoches my name is Yolanda Madre first of all I want to tell you I want to let you know that I'm a mother and a father Yes older son has been diagnosed with cancer he used to help me as support me with rent is when building this high cost houses all will be in our rents will be increased and we will be forced to leave I'm asking you that foreign [Music] I asked my God that he is [Music] that together we are able that you are able to make the right decision and I ask you that you do not forget that's all thank you Elvin Elvin noches [Music] very humbly I'm going to give you my testimony is I hope that you understand that this testimony speaks for a lot of the families and of low income in our community 500 . um [Music] and I earned this through my work I do not have a status in this country is 1 300 of rent for one bedroom apartment in a apartment in a bad condition to live in a dignified way high price we don't pay on time of course they throw us to the streets along with our families today we're here for you to listen to us [Music] in reality what we need in our community in our neighborhood Apartments we need houses that of affordable price for families of low income we also want to control and the other race um [Music] we are we are we don't agree with Grand Avenue project because it's not serving the needs of our community Community we are living in a crisis that's that's one okay yolenia 9101 [Music] my husband and I bought that house 13 years ago yeah you have experienced a lot of problems in those streets uh [Music] [Music] I have three children [Music] um honestly I want a safer place for them I am in favor that this homes will be built [Music] I believe this will bring more lighting to our streets not so much trash as I've seen since we lived there we started living there is honestly for me and my family [Music] this would be excellent for these homes to be built I know that but construction materials are expensive and um people here will not be able to build homes of two hundred thousand let's be real uh let's be real we want homes of 100 200 000. and in reality they can't be billed at that price if construction I am in favor of the construction for the safety of my family I'm in agreement thank you magali hola good evening tour is today I'm here to ask for your approval for this project I live a block away from Akron foreign I've seen a lot of things that maybe a lot of our neighbors haven't seen like um drugs that are drugs and especially because there's no homes in that area I used to walk through that site and I stopped doing it because there are people dealing um selling drugs the organizations and I don't see no organization coming to support us to see what is happening there my main concern is the well-being of my children because every night we hear shootings maybe you can make sure of this um through the phone calls to APD oses we've all heard it all of us that live around that area because they're bacon Lots people just go in mujeres women Elementary School the Boston Elementary School our children are walking through those streets there's [Music] um a lot of unsafe situations that's why I'm here to ask you for your vote foreign [Music] this cannot be happening continue to happen construction my husband works in construction I cannot imagine what happens when all the projects are denied have a job there has to be development they are bringing a good project that would benefit the community especially in safety yesterday and that's what we want for our children especially close to schools I ask you that you support this project you've done it before and please do it thank you thank you okay next we have Ram en foreign foreign [Music] I work myself as a single mom [Music] ENT right now the current situation I found out this big building is bigger than our neighborhood for us is cannot afford to buy house price keep going up they are available for me I am a singer more and I have to work alone with the four children [Music] I live nearby the school if possible I want to continue to live nearby my neighborhood thank you foreign [Music] we have experience about shooting everywhere in my neighborhood for us we so scared to go anywhere especially to the playground tomorrow we're gonna our baby is unsafe we are so scary right now [Music] [Music] all of my children and myself we so scared to go out from the baby because of everywhere I have a shooting the kind of experience we cannot go to playground even though we cannot get out from our babies we are all the time scary moment okay we had so much fairness about go we do far well even though we just go down to the berry but just pray around nearby the baby for a few minutes and come back to the our room this is our fairness right now be here to Saul thank you um my name is right now the construction make it for the housing is good tomorrow uh although it's like we are living as a refugee this apartment gonna be affect Ed Surah uh for the apartment Randy Price can be gone out again or the boss and then Construction Company should be understand foreign [Music] each other if anyone you already stay with the apartment you should be more understanding some of the family has four to five children foreign for the wealthy people for the 500 to 600 dollar is not difficult but for the poor people this is a lot of money so have to be considered for the poor so for the deaf project should be moved to the other side foreign thank you for all ladies and Gentlemen please understand me yes my name is [Music] I come from Thailand refugee campaign foreign [Music] myself is [Music] when I came to the America I have no English foreign as for me I'm not speaking English for the house price also so much for the rental fee is so high and then for me my pay is 18 per hour I came to here already being 14 years foreign [Music] price keep going on and up again right now we cannot afford able um foreign for everyone I have the requests like this all of the refugee of the homeless for us for everyone we cannot afford to rent the apartment anymore so please possible can do the rent price can be go down for us [Music] we are expecting to be gone down the price of the rent already five years as a refugee we are not safe many things we have Ensure but anyway we have no choice we have left children at home and we have to go to work it is [Music] [Music] as a refugee we have to request from the ladies and gentlemen and then it's like uh I also request from the God and then whoever can have us we are so much worried for our children we are because of their Soul Leader right now if they already grow up we don't have that much worry foreign thank you thank you very much thank you foreign [Music] Street apartment one is [Music] I want to bring up a concern I have so many kids I have nine children and my husband is the only one that's working right now you are meditated due to that reason I also have many payments and the income and all the payments that we have to make it's very difficult for us my rent just my rent alone is 1350 dollars so everything that we made I have no saving at all so I beg you guys to just make the right decision I just beg you guys to make the right decision for the underserved community and the refugee community and also for the project Developers yeah we'll give you guys the permission to do it but we wanted to be more affordable for the community members and the other surf community thank you very much [Applause] San Juan thank you Sharla good evening Council public speaker so I had to put some things down my name is Charlize and I've been part of this community since 1999. I came in here with a Habitat for Humanity I built my home I'm very very proud owner when my home was built I put in my Sweat Equity hours I was a single mother still a single mother [Music] raised my children there raise them to do the right thing and I was excited about coming into the community because of how Multicultural it was for and my children multiculture and just so that they could learn um to live with everyone that's in the community and I really wanted them to embrace everything and we did make lots of Family Friends with Community with refugees on um in the homes across the way in Denver where a lot of the refugees live so um what I did teach my children was if they [Music] um if they saw something that they needed to do the right thing um six months after moving into my my home with Habitat for Humanity my youngest twin at the time was nine years old and he witnessed a rape across the street I live off of 13th and Akron right across the street is all vacant land it's always been vacant land I don't want it to be vacant land anymore there's just so many unsavory things and so much criminal activity that goes on so when my nine-year-old witnessed a rape across the street um he called 9-1-1 to report the rape um the city is subpoenaed my my son to come in and testify what he had seen um he asked me Mom what should I do and I told him I said if you want to see change in your community you have to be a part of the change I gave him that responsibility if he wanted to do it or not at nine years old he chose to do it the man went to jail and the city awarded him as a hero for witnessing this rape and testifying it I've seen a lot of things in the 25 years that I've lived there I think that that was probably the more tragic situation because it touched my household um I test what I told and I have taught my children to be part of the community and to be part of the change I have opened my home as a licensed home provider I bring children in from all walks of life um I accept government assistance so those are just a few of the things that I that I do within my community I can't walk down the street with my child care children because there's too many drug needles condoms prostitution that's happening all days of hours of the day during the day and night I want to see some sort of Life come into my community and I think that this would be a great thing when it comes to this development to happen thank you cat Santos okay thank you um I've been a part of that neighborhood in that area for over 40 years so I've seen a lot of change one of my biggest problems with all this going on today is our opposition I've walked up and down my streets to say Boston Elementary I've walked up and down my streets to uh do other volunteer for my neighborhood none of our oppositions face I recognize I live a half a block from the area they're talking about and I don't know if you know there's been a lot of meth labs going on in them fields and up on Yosemite there and I think we need change we've been talking about change with the city of Aurora probably before some of youths were even council members and we used to do meetings after meetings the people that live in that original Aurora and we would go up to the library and we would talk about this and talk about this well let's do something now because better development in the area I think it's going to bring Crime down two summers ago a lot of my neighbors I was going to lose some neighbors and I asked mayor Kaufman to come to my home and meet with some neighbors he actually did he actually walked my neighborhood he saw what we were talking about and what we feel like a renter comes and moves off to another neighborhood we're narrowing down to how many people have actually lived there 10 or more years what I see is people coming now and buying our smaller homes renting them out and they're not going to afford the homes in my neighborhood anyway I got a house two doors down that they're renting it for 2400. the house next door to me is two thousand the house to my left it's a duplex two thousand for one eighteen hundred for the other the rest of us none of our houses go up for sale I've gotten three or four new neighbors that come from better neighborhoods in my neighborhood and I've had to beg them to stay got a firefighter on my street got nice people on my street now let's clean up the neighborhood and build a better neighborhood some of the people in the habitat houses we did affordable housing we welcomed affordable housing while some of the affordable housing wants better and I've raised a 48 year old daughter in that neighborhood I raised my 31 year old grandson and now I'm raising a child whose parents are imprint father's deceased his mother's in prison and he's a Vietnamese but I would appreciate that you let this development go on because we really need to clean up Colfax thank you Kelsey Medina oh and I did want to say I have quite a few signatures from my community hi there uh I recognize some of your faces from some Community stuff that I've done I'd like to just thank you guys for your time my name is Kelsey Medina I live in the 1100 block of Beeler Street which is only three blocks from this site I recognize many of these people from my community and I have seen their faces and I am also a program manager for Jesus on Colfax Ministries who deals with the unhoused and transient Motel population in Aurora and I would like to say that personally I would oppose this development because what we demand and what we have asked for directly of many of our city council is for deep affordable units and that's not happening we've asked to be engaged we've asked for help from the city for our organization and as a homeowner a person of the community my children also attend the same school and I would like to tell you that every Tuesday night my organization goes out on the streets of Colfax late at night usually around six to eight pm and we hand food to the unhoused residents of our community and I would like to say that not a single day goes by that affordable housing is not mentioned that it is not the top priority of our friends and other community members so for me I am a two-income English-speaking educated household who owns a home Marty a homeowner in the neighborhood invested in my community in many different facets but even for me this development would not be obtainable for me so just let that sink in we talk about two incomes we talk about assets debt to income all of those things have not been mentioned the other thing that I would like to mention is on the topic of safety because that has seemed to be a hot point of conversation and quite frankly building these homes doesn't change safety as we saw at 11th and Beeler as we saw when the police got involved and started putting cameras up it does not change where that go it just moves it it doesn't solve the issue it pushes it into my alley into my backyard I'm happy to have the difficult conversations with the people who are in my backyard lighting fires to keep warm because the city won't do anything so I hope to speak for the 600 plus that's your guys's numbers 600 plus unhoused people of our city to offer up some real solutions for affordable housing that's it Kayla horn [Applause] thank you so much I also live in the neighborhood and work with the unhoused and people living in the motels on East Colfax and I really appreciated listening to your plan your Housing Initiative I think that's something that Aurora really needs and something that has to happen for that plan to work is to have low income housing for those people to move into or you have people that are stuck in your facilities and so I'm opposed to this site for the same reasons that you should be that we need more low-income housing in our neighborhoods so whether it's this site or other sites I want you to consider where we're going to put low-income housing because we have to have it in Aurora for the rest of our plans to work um thank you so much gin Beverly my name is Jen I'm with the Liberation Center the city of Aurora is the only place I've ever called home for my 15 plus years in Colorado year after year we see time and time again the heart and soul of Aurora being turned into a memory by gentrification developers come into our areas and turn our communities into a place we can no longer see our families grow for Generations the gentrification process that is happening in the East Colfax area of Aurora is not helping this neighborhood by any means it's actually displaced in many of the residents in the area who are black and brown and who are still struggling after a pandemic we know the housing crisis in Aurora is a problem and affordable housing is more needed than any other an affordable housing development the main problem with this type of neighborhood transformation is that long-time residents are often forced out of the community due to Rising taxes and home values which they can no longer afford Builders and developers build high priced units despite the recognized need for construction of more affordable housing to accommodate the influx of new people moving to the city and state what the city of Aurora needs is to have its own resources poured back into the community I want to be able to work and live in Aurora without fearing that I'll eventually be priced out by developers and moved out and forced to move out of state building another high-priced housing area isn't going to clean up any of the issues that we heard a lot of these people talk about tonight and quite frankly we can say that conversation for another night that you guys want to keep us here for hours and argue back and forth about what you can say in person or on Zoom say a no to places like Grand Avenue could be a life or death situation for many of the families that are sitting here with their kids tonight and it's up to you council members to remove the boot that's on our neck that we call gentrification and do something tonight a five five thousand dollar home is not affordable for many of the people who voted you all into into this position and we don't want that in our community we want affordable housing we want Safe Streets but building a high priced home isn't the way to do it foreign Jeremy headland just up here right sorry I'm losing my nerves now I'm up here uh hey there my name is uh Jeremy Hedlund I live about six blocks away from the development so I am on the Denver side so I don't have the privilege of voting for you all but I uh I am pretty close and in the neighborhood um I wanted to thank the neighbors of mine that brought up safety because it's a real real concern in our neighborhood I live about a block away from when PIRA and for those who live around East Colfax like you know what that means and I've actually had my car uh hit and run sometime late at night um and it was the night that I was actually officiating My Best Friend's Wedding uh so I woke up late but it was my neighbors who came out there and tried to file a police report for me and who are waiting to tell me what happened my neighbors on My Block who I knew well and I know well another example that I wanted to share with you all is my neighbor next to me he was having things stolen out of his backyard uh nightly at a specific time around 2 A.M and he actually came over and knocked on my door and knocked on our other neighbor's doors and told us about this problem that we was having and we all committed collectively to lighting up our alley better and to you know keeping an eye out and even sometimes going out around 2 A.M to try to make sure that everything was cool in our alleyway those things wouldn't have happened if we hadn't known each other I really think that the first step in safety in a community has to be social bonds and people watching out for each other and people caring for each other and if we allow not just this development but for every development that we know is on its way in our neighborhood because developers are definitely eyeing our area to displace the people who already live there who do want safety who do want a good community and have built that in spite of the hurdles and disinvestment of both Denver and Aurora in our area I don't think that's a success If It Moves crime out of the neighborhood if there's no um there's nobody left in the neighborhood and we've split all these really strong social bonds and relationships to who knows where I don't even know where it's affordable in our metro area anymore then I think we've lost I think we've kind of lost the point and just because we have you know maybe what is now a nice neighborhood for some people like me who are homeowners I I don't count that as a massive win if I don't have all my original neighbors that make this place so exciting to live so yes I want to affirm it can be a scary place to live gunshots trash Etc I think the answer is us getting together and finding Solutions that'll actually empower the good working people who live there now and who just want a better life thank you [Applause] Bruno [Applause] fish ing uh hi everyone uh my name is Bruno I'm an organizer with the Liberation Center and I've been an aurora resident for 12 years and I'm opposed to the Grand Avenue development um I think that everyone who has a stake in this issue um like the residents of the neighborhood the city council the community organizations present here today we all have Aurora's interest in mind none of us want empty lots none of us want no development we all want driving thriving City and thriving communities but 56 of renters in Aurora could not afford to purchase any home costing over two hundred thousand dollars in this proposed site plan is more than double that amount with that ever increasing cost of rent that means that 56 of the renters in Aurora are at a constant threat of being displaced they're constantly living in instability this neighborhood in Aurora cannot Thrive if 10 to 20 years from now the only people who can afford to live here are like software Developers the healthcare industry is the third highest employer for people who live in the East Colfax Corridor Corridor what happens to the Anschutz Medical Center when the majority of the people who work there are pushed out of Aurora and can't afford to live there anymore the city's own research shows that 13 of renters in Aurora the only 13 of renters in Aurora could afford a house in the range of the Grand Avenue new development the claim that this is missing middle housing is wrong according to the housing there or a housing strategy there is an 11 difference between the number of renters in Aurora who can afford a home within the range of 400 to 600k and between the percentage of existing homes in this range meaning that there is already more of these expensive homes than there are renters in Aurora who can afford them Aurora's development will only continue to cater to affluent residents from outside of the city uh if it's always left up to the market and developers to decide what gets built and uh and and who it's for um if we keep on letting profits be the only driving force for development Aurora in Aurora we're not going to have a community left to protect it's not acceptable to throw up your hands and say that this development met the bare minimum criteria of the Planning and Zoning commission if displacement is not a development criteria it's not your constituents who are wrong it's the criteria that is wrong if you want a thriving Aurora please reject this site plan and invest in the people's housing plan thank you [Applause] Leon thank you Tom Klein okay Nate casa uh good evening my name is Nate Casa I'm an oral resident and immigrant and an organizer with the Liberation Center between living in East Colfax and Aurora I spent all my life here for about more than 20 years and today your neighbors organizers activists leaders are all coming together in opposition to the Grand Avenue development that's planned for the East Colfax neighborhood the Grand Ave development is not for the majority of people who live in Aura and certainly not for the people who live in the East Colfax community I'd like to say again according to the city's own statistics 56 of renters in Aura can't afford to purchase a home costing over 200 000. the city has more high-end homes than renters who can afford them meaning that new owners are more like to be residents more likely to be residents from outside the city potentially working versus our renters who are attaining ownership this high-end development is a prime example of housing being built not for our community who lives here now today but for future owners who threaten to gentrify our communities most people in the neighborhood are renters and building these Town Homes will inevitably raise the property values in the area and exacerbate the trend of rising rents in a neighborhood where the number of burdened households is approaching 50 percent this is untenable we consider Grand Avenue to be emblematic of a system of Housing Development which empowers private Market forces to shape the landscape of our city of our communities to decide on behalf of the public who gets to afford to live in Aurora and who doesn't who deserves to have a stable shelter and who doesn't this system of housing does not serve the majority of us no person should be allowed to come into our community and decide on our behalf that we should no longer afford to live here just because they have the money so we're against this development but we're not against all development we need development there is crime there's a lot of problems in this neighborhood I remember when I was about 10 years old my mom came home and she told me that someone had drove by her and fired shots at her that's a problem but this development what is building 500 000 500 000 Townhomes gonna do the people in this community can't afford to live there so it's going to bring in other folks and the rent is going to rise and it's going to strangle the people that are living here it's going to strangle the kids of the families that can't afford to make rent and those kids those young folks what are they going to do more crime it's not going to be better for them because they can't afford to live there it's going to only lead to more crime it's going to strangle them it's going to strangle the community so we're here today to say no to development that threatens to gentrify East Colfax and displace the working-class communities in the city of Aurora and East Colfax thank you Emily Emily Goodman hello and thank you for listening to all of us first and foremost I understand that many of you are quite disconnected from the community as you have shown repeatedly during this council meeting by having quite a bit of confusion on the city's rehousing and Rapid re-housing plans and the lack of funds to support the people of your community your constituents as many of you have been texting and laughing while we have a Community member crying over her son who has cancer and being unable to afford their rent because one of their income earners can no longer work so I understand that many of you are quite disconnected from the community's needs however I urge you to hear the community just some of the community that came here tonight to tell you their needs to fight for the housing strategy that Aurora set in place and has advocated for this development just like many others will cause displacement I understand that many of you probably come from quite privileged backgrounds again as you were texting and laughing repeatedly during this meeting but displacement is real gentrification is real and these families that we work with that we live next to are fighting every day struggles that many of us will never be able to actually understand so I urge you to actually hear to take a step back and as your duty as the council people of Aurora to vote no because it's your duty to fight for your constituents and their needs and they have spoken thank you Joey Joey Friedman yeah good evening council members mayor Kaufman my name is Joey Friedman um I represent the owners of the three apartment buildings that are on 14th Avenue that are adjacent to the northernmost lot of the proposed site and I'm also the co-founder of nnao Colorado um we offer monitor transitional sober living and peer coaching for individuals suffering from addiction reintegrating into society and that's what we're doing with those three Apartments so daily at those properties um well so first off I understand this is not my understanding was this was not meant to be a referendum on rent control there was a wonderful discussion about a navigation campus that is in the works that sounds like it covers a lot of bases and I know that not every vacant lot in the city can all become restrictive income-based housing projects that are fully funded by the public but I do understand that there's a lot of difficulties I see War every day people fighting just to survive and to get out of their their cycles that they're in in our own programming just trying to escape that Loop I am out in that site every single day I look out the windows of the buildings that we're trying to renovate and I see there are no legally habitable structures on there so people are talking about displacement if you have not been to the site there's no one there who lives there who's being displaced um it's an area that's very difficult to police we call the police often it has become a very informal Dumping Ground it it's hard for officers to get into the property because there's garbage that gets piled up onto it the city often has to get it cleaned out and then I don't know who they built maybe they build red tea I don't know because they're holding holding it right now um you know there's there's not a judgment but there's a lot of prostitution and sex work that goes on on this site uh you I see it I see blow jobs in cars I see people having sex on the front porch of the building that we're trying to renovate because we haven't gotten around to the funding yet excuse my language it's not a judgment on sex workers it's not a safe place for it to be occurring um we have frequent we have frequent break-ins we witnessed the individuals fleeing from the break-ins at all hours of the day so I do have staff on these on our buildings for us they flee into these sites so it's not like this is just some place um anyways it's not a park um there's no houses that are gonna be demolished here it's not safe at night it's not safe in the day these are blight on the area um this is you know the development of accessible housing and I understand that I understand 500 000 is a lot for a house but if you look at what's being sold in the neighborhood it's not so far off and these are going to be new houses um and they're three to four bedroom houses we just heard from a woman who has nine kids so that and so she and her husband with nine kids live in a thirteen hundred dollar apartment that must be a one bedroom apartment so I it's a horrible situation but I challenge anyone to find somebody who can develop with with private funding this many bedrooms for this low uh access price so you know I I invite anybody from the opposing group to come and visit us at the apartment building I've not I've not seen anybody going out and and working with people in these Lots it's a dangerous place I welcome a team of you guys to come and pick up the needles and the condoms and please do um because it's it's it's tough anyways I'll stop taking your time thank you very much I know everyone has everyone has work tomorrow so thank you mayor that was the last individual okay um questions of uh council members to the uh the applicant um to staff the applicant or the Appellate mayor uh applicant um your investment in in this area can you tell us you know a if you did your Market studies um and then what your investment is because everybody's like this 500 000 which we know is is High I mean Colorado um home prices have escalated So High um in the last few years um but what about your investment in terms of construction costs are you able to lower that price point or is that based on you know the three bedroom the four bedroom whatever you're doing um and and the amenities uh yes absolutely so total investment will be north of 20 million dollars to build 53 Townhomes uh if you just take that and divide it into 53 you're going to see the cost to build is quite high before we even go vertical on the site we will have spent north of 200 000 per door that's land cost that's architecture that's tap fees um that's infrastructure that we need to build out it doesn't matter what we build from the foundation up we're not meeting the 111 000 or 222 000 that was asked that we deliver it's simply not possible um I'd love to lower the price um I'd absolutely love to lower the price it's economics I've got to have construction costs come down the land costs what it costs was about fifty seven thousand dollars a door for the land cost um the only way to make the price move lower is the cost of construction and it simply is what it is receive follow-up with staff on have you has anybody had interest in that vacant lot before this developer not that any of us is aware of council member okay thank you is is it okay if I answer to help out oh sure go ahead um yeah so the property was on the market for quite some time uh we spent an extended period of time negotiating uh we were the only ones with interest okay thank you further questions of um staff the applicant or the Appellate mayor uh councilman Gardner uh thank you mayor so I my question is for staff and for the City attorney Dan money um okay walk me through I guess our legal obligation here it sounds like this proposed development meets all of the criteria in our comp plan does that give us a legal requirement to approve it and what potential liability do we face if we don't thank you councilmember under 5 3 13 of the Udo that's the zoning code um section A2 once an appeal is filed city council shall review the appeal based on the standards and criteria in the Udo and the record of decision of the Planning Commission so you're looking at the Udo which is the zoning code which is everything that other colleagues beside me have talked about and then the Planning Commission which which voted to approve this project you then go to what the Planning Commission used which is the site plan criteria under 543 B2 it has to comply with the Udo again the criteria in the Udo the city's existing infrastructure and public improvements so that's your your streets your sidewalks water all of that um and then it has to be compatible with the neighborhood and uh and that would be um as the fact finder as the the Appellate body um you would decide whether or not it fits within that now um part of making that decision also within the Udo or the Zone districts these Zone districts are mixed use and they are designed for um A diversity of housing types and the people who live there with the diversity of income so it does account for lower and higher and mixed and so forth to be built in these areas as far as your role tonight is you have to you go by the Udo so you must comply with the Udo now it's your role in prerogative to decide how you apply those standards so if somebody wants to again that's up to you to the council to decide how that fits in with those criteria and you all have the criteria in your in your packets and it's been explained by staff here tonight now the risk anything denied this is a use by right which a use by right means it's a zoning right that a project can come in if a governing body or the city county state anybody who says you can't use your land for something that's used by right that sets the city up for what's called The takings Challenge this would be if this would be challenged it'd be a regulatory takings through the law not a direct taking but that again would be the potential lawsuit and then that would have to be litigated in court and determined whether or not the government did do it takings or did not do it takings thank you uh further questions mayor councilmember Americano thank you sir um so this is for the applicants um I understand that the sticker price for a new home is 550 they're about um what do you estimate the HOA dues are going to be HOA dues or party wall depending on which direction that goes not decided yet we'll be low we'll intentionally keep them low uh my best guess is they'd be between 70 and 100 a month at most probably towards the lower end of that because we have an obligation to put one water line to each property in different municipalities we have the ability to put one water line to say a building with six units so we'll be on the low side common elements to take care of snow removal Landscape Maintenance there's no swimming pools there's no gym no fitness center there's nothing high-end fancy or candidly luxury about the project that's it mayor please proceed thank you sir um so uh have you estimated um the impact that this might have on comparable rents in the area or on property taxes due to the higher valuation of what is being proposed here compared to what's existing I have not uh for a multitude of reasons one we're a for sale development so we're not looking at rents two there's nothing habitable on the site we're adding inventory we're not subtracting any so candidly we haven't had a focus on rents um haven't looked at taxes taxes simply are what they are policy makers set taxes I don't further questions mayor um councilmember Maria Zach comes Coombs councilman thank you so I have one question for the developer which is that one thing we've heard is that the cost to be parking requirements often increases the cost of development so do you have an estimate of the amount that was the amount of the cost per home and cost to develop that is tied to the parking requirements and meeting or exceeding those for the city sure absolutely it's a very fair question um it's often more driven towards an apartment building or a condo project where you're parking underground for us we're going to build a for the majority of the units not for all we'll build the one car garage and then we'll have one additional off-street space that's very intentional so that we can keep the cost down a one-car garage for us to construct is about twelve thousand dollars be about double that if we were building a two car now we will have some mix of two-car garages in there but we're doing everything we can to keep the costs low but the only thing that we could do to bring the cost lower would be to not build it to a lead gold certification and for us that's non-negotiable we drew a line in the sand a while ago that we would build it better we would build it differently we would build it with the health of the end user in mind it's about the only place we have that maybe we could save money and that'd be about 25 to 30 000 a home okay and back to the parking though um I understand there's the cost of the garage itself but what about the density of the site if you didn't have the um parking requirements because it's sounds like it's over two per unit um doing the rough math that you guys built maybe that's exactly two per unit 106 parking spaces for 53 units and at three and four bedroom units it feels like the right amount of parking to me um you're certainly going to have oftentimes a husband and wife or two partners in the home wouldn't be surprised if you have children of driving age there'll be times with two parking two two parking spaces may not be enough for three and four bedroom town homes and I want to be clear we were intentional about three and four bedroom town homes so that we would have a higher probability of appealing to people that are currently in the neighborhood many of our other projects townhome projects are two-bedroom townhome projects so this was an intentional move by us okay and then I'm sorry Mary please resume continue okay thank you um the area does have actually much more ample access to Transit than the rest of the city did you look at Transit oriented development designation and the impact that may have on parking requirements again very similar to an answer I just gave we we don't set policy when a parking requirement is provided by the city we follow that would love to see more people taking Transportation public transportation as a green Builder it's hyper logical for us to push for that when we do site selection and they'll do a lead gold or hire certification that's a criteria we look at every single time candidly we've talked a lot about safety tonight I don't see a whole lot of people waiting for the bus on Colfax I mean I see a lot of people waiting for the bus on Colfax so I don't know what Colfax you're looking at that I'm not but um but we do have um the ability to get waivers associated with a TOD which I think this would probably qualify for I would have to refer to staff as to whether or not that's true so if you're looking for ways to encourage Transit use I think we do actually have policy in place that would enable that and would probably bring down the cost of development so I just want to raise that and then I do also have some questions for staff Jim I know we've had a lot of conversations about land banking did the city look at this site at all for purchase for land banking okay to my to my knowledge we haven't no okay well I wonder when we were looking at that versus when this was purchased but this is exactly the kind of opportunity um you know that I think would be beneficial for the city to look at moving forward um and then for um City attorney money um you talked about takings and the potential for a takings argument if we were to deny this proposal so I had a couple questions about past decisions that have been made including the housing study and housing plan being part of council decisions around housing decisions that come before us are we permitted to utilize the housing plan in making these decisions and and councilman thank you for the uh the question I believe that you can take into account um those plans but if you go strictly by code which is what a judge will do it'll say uh complies with applicable standards of the Udo other adopted city regulations so that might be where the housing plan goes into and then it goes on with any approved Master plans for the area which would not um not be relevant in this area conditions specifically applied to development of the property by the planning zoning commission or city council and a prior decision affecting this particular property so it depends on how that's interpreted in there so if it could be interpreted that way but again the um yeah it could be okay and then further on the takings issue um my understanding it is that as long as we have data demonstrating a compelling government interest that can be an argument against takings um or against being found that we have engaged in an illegal regulatory taking in the housing study which has been conducted has demonstrated a cost burden in relation to housing for our community as a whole as well as this particular area so could we use that as a defense since we already have a study on file for any potential takings claim you could use it as a defense um if we had to go to court we would probably use anything we could as a city as a defense so it would probably be used as a defense um would we be successful on it that would be the question on that um at the end of the day if the government takes land for a public purpose or not the government has to pay for it so it would be uh government would have to pay in either through lawsuit of a potential 1983 claim which has higher damages or through buying the land through some sort of kind of nation action and so forth but the government has to pay if they're if they want to prevent the use of the land okay thank you for other questions of the staff applicant or the Appellate mayor councilman regardo thank you I have a question for the applicant what impact do you think removing in all parking would have on your ability to obtain financing that's a great question um it would be a challenge there's a few things that you have to do in order to get financing to raise equity and to raise debt got to have an economically viable project and you've got to have a project that those that lend the money believe in has a high probability of selling or if you're a for rent developer of renting um or not near Light Rail it's it's bus and that's it so that would cause us a lot of grief uh it would make the sales incredibly difficult make the financing difficult as well I won't say impossible but difficult uh councilmember McConnell thank you sir following up on that point um I'm not sure if you understand the Colfax Corridor and the 15 is the most heavily utilized bus in all of rtd's network and this Corridor is about to become an RTD sorry brt Corridor a bus Rapid Transit Corridor so it's going to effectively be a light rail with frequency I think they were shooting for around what was it four to seven minutes if memory serves so it's going to be an incredible asset to the city and to this Pro and I think this project is extremely well located to take advantage of that um I did have a question regarding the land as well um do you currently own the land we do currently own the land yes are you aware of how long the folks that you bought the land uh owned it for I don't know exactly how long they've owned it for uh it wasn't relevant in any way shape or form to whether the project made sense and whether or not it made sense to develop on that site sure the clarification here the reason I'm asking is because I want to know if this person may be at one point intended to develop something on that land or if they were just a Speculator holding on to it with hopes of making a quick buck in the future which impacts you and it impacts our community because it increases the cost of development for no real reason other than someone's rent seeking so do you have any insight that you could share I honestly I feel like you just asked me the same question I don't have any insight because I simply do not know how long the person that owned the land before me on the on the land okay I would ask them the same question to staff if they have any records of the property and how many times it's turned uh turned hands and whatnot other than this brand in camerata with planning department um we would look to the county assessor for whatever information they have available in those regards I just want to say that I was called by neighbors I think last summer and went up there before I you know knew that it was going to be redeveloped and um there were no organizers there there were no developers there to get people out to turn out to a council meeting but I can tell you that the neighbors that met with me and I asked APD and code enforcement to go with me uh were incredibly upset about the board and how I think it was the southern end so I think that would have been 13th or 13th and out and in that area and there are I think three or four boarded up homes there for for that are continually broken into and all the thing illegal activity that was mentioned goes on there and they just wanted they just wanted to stop they wanted something done with that property for their safety and so I think there's a few people that reflected I think that those views here today of actual homeowners that live right by it and so um I'm relieved that something's happening it's one thing if we were tearing up tearing down low-income property to replace it with higher income properties which is another thing when you have a vacant parcel that is just crime infested that is just a blight on this neighborhood to re be able to redevelop that into something that I believe will but you know maybe three or four blocks away won't make a difference but I can tell you this to the people that that face that and see it every day this will make a difference further questions or comments mayor of sunberg councilmember I just have a couple comments just after listening and absorbing some information here Mr Green talked about a large amount of rental assistance and it just props on that but I wonder if you could sometimes provide a spreadsheet or a report to City Council on the work that you do in that be appreciated you also mentioned a high concentration a number of times a high concentration already there of naturally occurring affordable housing which is a good thing so my mind thinks well some variety could be good for the area now speaking of affordable housing the city of Aurora has 20 affordable housing projects in the pipeline I've happily personally supported such projects like Weatherstone Elevate Aurora Salud station 60. Etc so these are some great projects to look forward to to supply a attainable affordable housing City's working on it very interesting to hear testimony from from Neighbors from the gentleman that manages the apartment complex indicating there's there's uh there's not a huge value disparity between the the homes that are there now that could sell and the 550 000 I mean I'm sure there's a variety he emphasized that these empty places are not a park uh one lady indicated that I want us I want to see Life come into my community another Gallant has lived there for a while indicated that this could help improve lighting safety speeding drug use Etc and some words I picked up from the presentation originally it complies it enhances it improves it's compatible it mitigates so I I thank you guys for providing a service to increase Supply in our city thank you further uh questions are all the um are there any further questions of the uh the applicant um the staff the applicant or the Appellate I told Mike he said uh then public hearing is not closed um motion motion is there uh councilmember Gardner motion to approve item 13A White Castle over Gardner second by zavonic second right council members have wanted to approve item number 13A discussion mayor mayor uh mayor for Jim um yeah I just want to say that um to those that spoke tonight um you know it's hard to hear the stories that we have heard um and and certainly the city needs affordable housing and um I recently actually sat on um a hearing for for a developer that is trying to bring in affordable housing it was for uh chaffa to get state grants and so they could not actually bring affordable housing to any City including Aurora unless they were able to to basically get these government grants that then makes it affordable for them to have these affordable housing attainable housing so it's it can be done but it's those grants are far and few between we only have so many per year that that any developer can apply for it's across the state of Colorado so there are ways for us to you know to try to work on getting affordable housing as well as reducing possibly construction costs with some of our standards that we have which I think the mayor has a task force on affordable housing that will be addressing but in the end this is vacant land it is obviously we heard there was no one interested in doing any formidable housing there and I think I think it's actually needed to improve the neighborhood and and hopefully we will then be able to do other projects in the area down the road so um you know like I said it's it's heartbreaking to hear stories but I think I think this is a good project further uh comments mayor discussion uh councilor Gardner thank you um yeah I guess first I want to start by saying thank you to um residents from Aurora that showed up to speak tonight um appreciate you taking the time to come out and give your thoughts um you know it's frustrating to me that um the developers of this project have been put through some of the things that they have been put through by organizations that are not in Aurora that are not in our city um and that's that's really frustrating the the fact of the matter is they have a right to build what they are asking to build we do not have a legal right to turn it down and you know frankly for those that spent their time making comments about our background or where we might have come from um you need to do your history before you you make comments about people and I can assure you using your public comment time to criticize our where we came from or where we go grew up it's not going to help your case if you decide to come back and speak again in the future but you know I for those of you who are from Aurora that decided to spend your time to come and speak you know some of you are sold bill of goods some of you were lied to by organizations that are not in Aurora that are not in our city and I think that's too bad in some cases you were used as pawns to push rent control at the state you were told that this argument was about affordable housing and gentrification and displacement when it wasn't we have very specific criteria in our Udo and our comprehensive plan that we have to follow and when reviewing these plans and you were told that this was about affordable housing you were told that this was about gentrification you were told this is about displacement and it's about none of those and and for those of you who were lied to by some of these organizations I really want to apologize I think that's too bad will continue to as councilmember Sundberg pointed out support affordable housing projects that are appropriate for our city but certainly will not be bullied by organizations from Denver further discussion mayor counselor you know when we're talking about affordable housing I mean in some in some instances that can be a pretty loose term I mean there is a housing shortage in every in every price point right now so I think there are a lot of people in the 500 000 range that that haven't been able to find a home or they got into massive bidding wars and the the good thing about New home builds is you avoid those bidding wars and so somebody who can truly and honestly afford a 500 000 home they're going to get that new build for five hundred thousand dollars they're not going to get into a bidding war um with a cash investor or somebody who has more money than them and then all of a sudden this home is is now going for six hundred thousand dollars so with with the new build they're honestly and genuinely going to get their home for what it's advertised for um and and I just want to say that in the past um I took some criticism from some of my colleagues because I have stood up to um a developer a commercial developer that I felt was truly displacing people in our community a business of 29 years and a business of 24 years that I felt this developer was willing to I guess throw away is kind of how I felt about it and I stood up to that developer and I took some criticism from um some of my colleagues that I mostly um align with and mostly agree with but but I stood up and I cannot find how this um this build is going to displace anyone and I think that it will bring you know more eyes and ears into the community to help keep people safe you know vacant Lots I I see it all over town all over the metro area things that go on in in vacant lots and you know the story about this this woman being raped in a vacant in a vacant field that's kind of the Perfect Crime right if no one's around to to hear you scream or um you know that that's kind of the perfect the perfect uh place for these types of crimes to happen drug use you know where there's these vacancies and I also would like to thank the applicant for wanting to develop in this community and wanting something good to come into this community so I will also be supporting this further discussion mayor that's all right um councilman ricano Medina couple comments I've heard a lot of talk about I know people on this side I know people on this side I work in North Aurora constantly which I don't see half of you have there half the time I'm there daily you can ask them because I'm there I'm on the ground yeah for you to assume this or that it doesn't make any sense to me you know and saying that it's not going to displace or it's not going to change people it will change that Community I know I've been in there for 15 years you can't tell me it hasn't changed any piece that we put there the Stanley changed it did we ask the community what if they wanted it no we went ahead you know how I know that I got statistics you want statistics I've got that I can show you a study where Stanley didn't even know how to reach out to the community who did they reach out to us who knew the community to get the survey to see about them ninety percent of the people didn't even know the Stanley existed that lived a block away from there so those are things that I think people need to understand is that we have to have a better way to communicate when things are coming in I'm not against the development either but the thing is why are we not talking to the very people who were there first if this is okay with them why can't we include them how many people in this survey can you tell me Steph how many of these two uh meetings that you had how many constituents actually came because I can guarantee you it's probably less than 10. right and did you reach out to all the Immigrant Refugee population there probably no because the only way I know how we we do things having worked for the city we post a sign assuming that everybody reads English everybody has access to a computer everybody has access to all these things I'm appalled that we don't have better choices there and I will certainly look at ways that we can mitigate that in the future thank you further discussion mayor cousin originski yeah so I I mean I I don't know if uh one of the constituents can can further comment on it but we did receive an email that Nano has been involved um with the developer and and that the community has actually been involved for some time I'm not sure for the other uh residents that are here if only Nano was reached out to you I'm not sure maybe you guys can speak to that maybe Nano can speak to that but it does sound like the community has been involved for a long time in this mayor mayor for Jim um my understanding is the notice goes out to every neighborhood registered neighborhood association and residents within I can't remember how many miles is it one mile or it's adjacent property adjacent Property Owners so that that definitely that notice went out and there were two neighborhood meetings correct I misunderstood I apologize are you referring to notices that went out to neighbors for these neighborhood meetings I'll do you so I'd be happy to answer that um we did engage very early on with Nano and Del Mar both were actually in opposition it's really important to us as a company that when we have opposition that we go and we meet with them and we understand why they're in opposition gives us an opportunity to educate it gives us an opportunity to compromise so we met with both of those organizations and we were able to change them from opposition to support by allowing them to have a say in the development many of the folks here in opposition tonight are coming from the East Colfax Collective they were not even a registered neighborhood organization when they reached out to us the first time through the city and we held that meeting quite quickly once we were informed I offered up my cell phone and my email address and candidly they refused to engage until they came to my office on Thursday of last week it was pretty late in the game when we finally got to sit down with them so they did not come to your other meeting no none of the other meetings they didn't know who we were last year when we were doing this I mean we were doing this in 2021 and and uh most of 2022. we didn't know who they were I don't think they knew who we were until probably two months ago okay thank you further discussion mayor uh councilmember McConnell mayor I think that was actually someone else although I do want to speak but I can watch them first please okay so remember Gardner I think um everything's been said but not everybody said it council member Gardner thank you mayor um yeah one other thing I wanted to bring up that I failed to mention um in my first comments uh to the the commenters that that talked about crime um I wanted to Briefly summarize a memo that came out from our police chief last week in regards to crime in the area just to let you know that we have heard it um we've heard the concerns we know it's an issue and it's something that we're you know putting a lot of emphasis on our interim Police Chief Dan Oates and the district one Command Staff is putting a lot of emphasis on it and you know encouraged to report that in the three months since they have placed an increased focus on crime in the area there's been a 60 decrease in average crime events including zero homicides 75 reduction in drug crimes and 60 reduction in motor vehicle thefts and this development is specifically in this area and so I think um you know with the increased Focus as well as uh some some good development in the area we'll continue to turn the crime around so thank you for bringing up those concerns it's always been a priority for me that our residents feel safe in this city and you know one of the things I heard tonight from residents is they don't feel safe in this neighborhood right now and I will always make that a priority and I know a lot of my colleagues will too so I'm just letting everyone know we hear those concerns because thank you sir so first I want to start with just saying that the housing product here and the amenities that are being offered honestly I think they're great I think this might be a little overpark given the proximity to the busiest Transit Corridor and the Metro but is what it is this is actually the kind of Housing Development that I want to see all over the city but at a reasonable price our median income in Aurora is 67.7 K a year for a family of four to afford this you're going to need an income of about 140 000 minimum um I just don't see how bringing this kind of product into this area of town our lowest income most diverse part of town where you heard from people you know they're trying to survive on 18 an hour and not understanding that this is going to lead to displacement through raising property values by raising comps in the area and we're going to end up with a larger issue especially larger public safety issue than we currently have as more and more people begin to struggle when before they were maybe maybe able to you know Cobble out um some kind of an existence um this is when I when I talk about addressing the root causes of crime and like a real Public Safety strategy this is Paramount to that and we create these situation in our city that we're dealing with today we created that previous councils created that some out of ignorance some knowing full moment they were doing and not caring because they didn't live in that part of town we have an opportunity to reverse course from a public policy standpoint and actually prioritize the people who already live in our communities and work with developers who might be well intentioned and might be providing good housing product to actually be able to reach prices that our residents need because you actually create a safe and prosperous Community when folks aren't struggling to make make ends meet when they have that housing stability that I think you know this Council certainly seems to take for granted I want to address the vacant land issue as well I agree completely that having vacant land there can be a magnet for anti-social and dangerous Behavior utilizing that kind of space for Community benefit is how you deter crime and as I mentioned earlier building high quality housing that's actually affordable for the folks who live in the community where they're able to put down routes where their kids are able to actually put down routes on a concept and Thrive there is how you create a safe Community Building half a million dollar town homes in an area that's meeting the median income comes around thirty six to forty thousand dollars is not that y'all this is going to lead to displacement it's going to amplify the issues that we're already experiencing and maybe just move them a block or two down the road and I want to be clear uh to my colleagues our Udo has item F you can look up and look in the backup that requires the application mitigates any adverse impacts on the surrounding area to the maximum degree practicable no one has apparently studied how this is going to impact existing residents existing Property Owners the hardship or displacement that this McGregor we're again creating a public safety and prosperity bomb here that is going to cause damage to the existing community and that is gentrification it is when you develop or redevelop without giving a damn about the existing residents and businesses and then you just subject them to the limbs of the market so that someone can turn a profit and I understand that some of y'all are willing to defend that to the Grave I am not we are here because we're supposed to put our community first and protect the people that make Aurora great and allow them to thrive what we're doing here is setting them up for failure and displacement so I do not support this project again the design of the product I think is great but this is not the spot for it at least not without deep affordability further discussion mayor council member Coombs and and we I think can wrap this up fairly soon okay I about the developer but I saw that this was for a late submission approval and that it was specifically asked to be moved to today's meeting when we had 30 resolutions on the agenda when the mayor is the one that asked for that and is the only person that sees the agenda and sets the agenda and so I think that's problematic it impacted people's ability to stay and participate and it was asked to be moved to the end of the meeting so that's very concerning to me I think we need to maybe open up our agenda setting process so that we don't have a 30 resolution night when we know that we're also going to have public testimony that's a problem in addition one of the organizations that was involved in speaking for the appellant was specifically called out during when the arpa grant item was pulled from the consent agenda and so I just want to say that I very much hope that that was not an effort at intimidation and that this isn't going to these people's decision to exercise their first amendment rights is not going to be used to take away funding that they are using to support the community and that we're looking at the Merit of that funding that was awarded and that this is not taken into consideration I want to make sure that's called out on the record and then I want to point to some of the things that the community said and this is relevant to the development the top five professions in this area cannot afford a cost of a home in this development that's not housing for those people and construction is the most lucrative job among those professions construction is the industry where wage theft is the most prevalent in the form of paying people sub-minimum wages under the table and the economic impact of that practice is in the millions so how many of these people actually are making even less than what we might otherwise expect for construction and how is that impacting their ability to afford these homes attainable missing middle housing is not what we're talking about when we're talking about the subsidized housing with chaffa grants that the city is supporting and funding so while that is important actual attainable missing middle housing is absolutely necessary and this is not that to call 550 000 Town Homes missing middle housing is appalling especially hearing what we're hearing from the community and speaking to I think most of the people on this Council the majority of whom did well maybe the majority at this point did spend five hundred fifty thousand dollars on their house that's neither here nor there what I do know is that the house that I rent that is a single family home larger than these Town Homes um on like single-family detached sold last year for less money than what these homes are about to be sold for and honestly five years ago go it probably would have sold for less than three hundred thousand dollars what you're saying is because the market is so outrageous the market is so exploitative the market has so successfully displaced the people who used to be able to afford to live in this city now for the region 550 000 constitutes missing middle housing but that is so detached from what people actually experience as a council member in this city who works in an educated profession outside of council I could not afford one of these town homes um so if I can't then probably most of the people living in this city cannot this is not attainable missing middle housing for the people who actually live in this city and if we're going to take our responsibility seriously as a council we are going to look at those housing plans that we put in place we are going to look at the housing study that was conducted specifically to acknowledge this reality in our city and we cannot in good conscience go ahead and say sure build 550 000 town homes in an area where people cannot even afford the rentals that are currently there and certainly aren't going to qualify to buy those homes further discussion councilman Maria thank you um I will try to be brief I know it's late um I did want to acknowledge a couple points um uh especially in regard to the organization I appreciate councilmember Coombs calling out the um delayed vote on some of the our dollars that have been vetted by staff for projects that um are worthy of investing in um I hope that this isn't uh you know going to be used in retaliation um I I also to just speak about the organization my understanding is that they are a registered neighborhood organization in environment but they do have Aurora members so I don't want to Discount the fact that um they also represent our constituencies as well so to frame it as as anything other than that sure yes there are neighbors from Denver but frankly especially in that area people don't really they just want to know that their neighborhood is safe they want to know that they you know have community that they have amenities folks aren't necessarily going to observe a arbitrary boundary like we do as politicians so I think it actually makes a lot of sense to have a lot of collaboration I've worked with this organization and others in the past to organize Denver Aurora walks around the neighborhood so that people can feel safe that they can stay connected to their community members um and feel that they have a space and a way to impact what goes on in their Community um so I you know I want to be very clear that um that's you know this isn't just some Denver organization um that's just pouring in resources and you know opinions they have a real numbers they represent our constituencies and our registered neighborhood organization just like any other just their neighborhood organization um that would come to speak um so I wanted to be clear there and you know I think um from from the the applicant just I am a little disappointed in um the way in which you know you refer to the the comments um made by the organization saying that they're just straight out lying you know I think I am I'm disappointed together I didn't hear any disparaging comments um directly to um you all as a business and organization very much rooted in um their comments were very much rooted in the impact um and so I think I would ask you to do better next time um I think there are um just the I find it really challenging to have this conversation because you know I think there are some some positive things right being lead certified is is a really big deal right the fact that it's going to be near age um Us Rapid Transit station it is not just one and two bedroom um product I think um is there's a lot of positive things but in the grander scope of I think our responsibility what I feel like as our responsibility as a council um and being intersectional and acknowledging that we also have plans around our housing plan and affordability and acknowledging the reality of of who is there what people can afford in that district is is barn on and is critical and I think that's what I'm hearing as the most alien thing people aren't against development right it's not that they don't want to see anything there they just want to see something that they can benefit from that they get to enjoy down the line um and it's disappointing that people would take that out of context I didn't hear anybody disagreeing that they didn't want a safe um community and uh you know we did get a report from our chief of police uh we could go about some improvements in criminal activity and I'm I want to thank them for their work um but nothing changed there wasn't a Housing Development that created that change that is to say that this Housing Development will equal that change clearly isn't isn't the case um I do agree that more people right um and not having they get lots is a good idea um you know we could talk about you know non-policing ways to prevent crime lighting all of that right that that's all real um and I you know don't I just came off the realities and the the scary stories that y'all have shared that that is really hard to hear um and I can understand why it's tempting to make that Association new development equals safer Community but guess what we're actively creating safer communities in the statistics um from the police chief they have improved they've they've achieved a 60 decrease in crime an average crime per month but that's not because there was a new development there um in fact they cited um being able to um use the criminal nuisance property determination process as one of the key factors in um creating a safer community in that area so I want to just also push back a challenge that that we can't have those things now um with with the people that we have um and we should be pushing forward um greater accountability and and safer communities regardless of the price of the homes in that area I think everyone deserves that home it shouldn't just be reserved for people who can afford five hundred thousand dollar town um so you know I at the end of the day I know this is not easy I want to thank everyone who came out to speak whether you were or against this project do you think that um there were some Salient points that we heard and I hope that that but I want to be clear that this development does not equal the resolution that you seek and um you know I think that's important to underscore um and and you know thank you to organizations like um the East Colfax Community Collective for paying attention to people and empowering people who otherwise not feel like they have a say uh or understand how this this stuff it's complicated they don't end the amount of learning um you have to do to have to understand that stuff so um you know thank you for showing up for giving you know Everyday People a say and what goes on and I hope that moving forward that we can continue to prioritize these strategies that are in our housing uh strategy that would have made it cheaper would have made it more likely for them to be mixed income that's a big push that I know we've had um in the city and in that housing strategy as well and other creative uh ways that we might address that because I don't necessarily think um what I heard was in opposition of one another it's just um we're not prioritizing uh things that should be like that deeper so um yes thank you all for your time um I know it's late um and you know I hope we can continue to work together to resolve our our housing issues mayor uh councilmember summer after that demonstration of promised brevity I'd like to call for the question it's been moved by councilmember sunburg seconded by second by council member duransky should call over the question non-debatable motion mayor Kaufman may vote Yes the motion passes with nine yes votes and two no votes to call for the question and vote on the main motion yeah call for the question on item number 13A for the item 13A the main motion mayor how would you like to vote um I may evoke Jess okay there's seven yes votes for no votes the motion passes the no votes from council member Medina Marcano Coombs Mario hello now we please read the title title number 14a item 14a is ordinance 20 2272 introduction in what Lawrence's City Council of the city of Aurora Colorado vacating two portions of the public right-of-way for Gun Club Road located east of E-470 between East 38th Avenue and East 48th Avenue city of Aurora County of Adams state of Colorado a brief presentation by staff good evening Debbie bickmeyer senior planner in uh the applicant their tropolis area coordinating Metro District proposes to bake me two segments of Gun Club Road looking at each to be 470 between 38th Avenue and 48th Avenue the street vacation request is part of a plan to facilitate development for the Aurora Highlands master plan Street vacations are not subject to Planning Commission review and are directly the responsibility of the city council the subject right-of-way segments are currently unpaved and have no utilities subsequently the North and South access has been replaced with the construction of Main Street from 26th Avenue to 42nd Avenue the proposed right-of-way vacation meets the criteria found in section 146-5.4.2 point B 0.3 C therefore staff recommends approval of the proposed vacation that concludes my presentation questions to staff I've seen none motion is in order mayor I've moved to approve 14a the movement by councilmember sunberg second by Bergen second by mayor protem Bergen to approve item number 14a discussion and seeing no discussion questions before this is adoption of item number 14a call for the questions council members oh thank you the motion passes to adopt ordinance 2022-72. very now pleased with the title number 14b item 14b is ordinance 2020 273 an ordinance of the city of Aurora Colorado appropriating sons of money in addition to those appropriated and ordinances numbers 20 21 56 and 28 22 24 for the 2022 fiscal year pre-presentation by staff is your microphone on okay uh Jackie Ayman with the budget office departments have two opportunities each year to adjust their current year budgets once in the spring and once in the fall So today we're looking at the fall supplemental which includes several adjustments to Capital project budgets in accordance with the 2023 Capital Improvement program which will be included in the budget ordinance in a couple of items it also includes several technical items which are adjustments to appropriate grants reimbursements and program income so new new Revenue to the city or new funds there are also technical adjustments to transfer existing budgets between departments and to move existing budgets between one project or another but the whole supplemental is pretty straightforward so if there are any questions we can facilitate questions or staff uh seeing none thank you very much um motion is in order mayor motion to approve 14b moved by council member Gardner secondary Sunburst taken by council member sunberg to approve item number 14b discussion so you know discussion before this is the adoption of item number 14 B call for the question thank you the motion passes to adopt ordinance 20 22.73 [Music] um where I'm gonna take uh since items number um the the following items uh where you unanimously approved in first reading item number 15a item number 15b item number 15 E I don't know 15 F I'm Number 15 H item number 15 I item number 15 J item number 15K 15L 15 M 15n and 15-0 and I can take those in one motion mayor I'd like to approve all of those that you just mentioned it's removed by councilmember sunberg second bye saying my uh councilmember McConnell McConnell um is there any discussion uh seeing no discussion call for the question on all those we haven't gotten the pop-up yet right no I'm sorry it's no you're good to make sure it wasn't bugged out no it froze on my end for a second all right well I'm a yes whenever it pops up thank you sorry it's still loading damn okay um everybody vote we called the vote uh we did but my system just went down so I'm gonna have to do a manual vote okay one moment please okay mayor Pro Tim Bergen yes councilmember Coombs yes councilmember Gardner yes councilmember dransky yes councilmember Lawson yes council member mercano yes council member Medina yes councilmember Mario yes councilmember Stenberg council member zavonic yes the motion passes could not please be the title Tottenham number 15c item 15 C is ordinance 20 2258 in ordinance of the city of Aurora Colorado adopting and operating in Capital Improvements project budget for the fiscal year beginning January 1st 2023 and ending December 31st 2023. Marie presentation by staff good morning mayor council uh what we've got here is uh the approval of the the adopting budget orders there's two ordinances here the adopting and then the uh appropriating she got going on it's a culmination of a lot of work from from both staff and Council and a lot of meetings going on here it does include um the change that was made at the at the last meeting adding the police officers for a quarter of the year questions to staff I've seen none uh motion is in order motion to approve 15c moved by councilmember Gardner second by sunburn councilmember sunberg to approve item number 15c discussion customer comes I'm still no what yeah councilmember Maria yeah I just also wanted to share some Nuance here I mean I think there were some you know positive things that came out of the budget but just the decision around the um CDI office and the independent monitor I I'm just very much opposed so I won't be supporting the budget um for that reason further discussion mayor uh councilmember Lawson I'm going to be supporting the budget because of the certain things that are in there for public you know for the first residents but I am very very this is an upside down budget and I'm very disappointed in the things that were cut and I mentioned those in the last time I spoke which is the independent monitoring the Dei I mean very disappointed in that so further discussion come here councilman McConnell thank you sir likewise I disagree with some of the items that were cut out of the budget um that but I so I will not be supporting adopting the budget but I will be supporting the Appropriations and the other measures coming forward further discussions uh seeing none the question before us is the adoption of item number 15c call for the question does everybody see the vote on their screen no no you might need to log back in mayor Pro Tim Bergen yes council member Coombs no councilmember or councilmember Gardner yes councilmember rodrinsky yes councilmember Lawson yes councilmember mercano no councilmember Medina no councilmember Maria councilmember sunberg and council member savonik yes well with the clerk now please read the time to I don't know 50 oh did you call in the vote the motion passes with six yes votes and four no votes okay now please read the title title number 15 D item 15 D is ordinance 20 2259 in ordinance of the city of Aurora Colorado appropriating sons of money to defray expenses and liabilities for the fiscal year beginning January 1st 2023 and ending December 31st 2023. well representation by staff this is the second of the of the 2023 uh budget appropriation uh ordinance right here uh the presentation was the same as before uh questions to staff seeing none motion is in order mayor mayor that's where it goes move to approve 15D ruled by councilmember coomb seconded by Gardner councilmember Gardener to approve uh item number fish d uh discussion I've seen no discussion question before us is the adoption of item number 15 D call for the question council member Medina yes councilmembergerinsky yes councilmember Coombs yes council members Denberg yes council member zavonic yes councilmember Lawson yes councilmember Gardner councilmember Gardner mayor protein Bergen yes councilmember mercano yes councilmember Maria yes okay the motion passes to adopt ordinance 2022-59 uh we'll talk now please I'm Number 15 G item 15g is ordinance 20 22 62 consideration of the city council of the city of Aurora to approve an ordinance amending certain sections of chapter 138 of the city code of the city of Aurora relating to services for the provisions of water a brief presentation by staff thank you Council this is the ordinance water sewer and storm water rate increases and adjustment to our connection fees the ordinance proposes an increase of four percent to water rates five percent pursuer rates and three and a half percent for storm water Additionally the connection fees will be adjusted to using water conservation ornaments so we're creating a surcharge for non-recoverable water on those the fee for that water will be increased by about 20 percent of 24 recoverable water actually it comes down overall it's a little bit of an increase please questions to staff I say now in motion is in order mayor councilor Cruz uh moved to approve 15 G so moved by councilman Combs seconded by Mark Connor [Music] um to approve item number 15 d g g um discussion mayor uh councilor Gardner thank you um I'm still going to be a no vote on this I explained at the last meeting my reasoning is why so I won't belabor the point but appreciate Marshall and his staff and their time working on this but I will still be a no vote for the discussion mayor mayor Jim um Marshall if we don't pass the water rate what is the what are the consequences um we would have to rethink how we cover operating costs the next the next year we could cut into some reserves which is probably not the best idea I would also have to refake how we are addressing for example defaults in the water supply I can't hear you what's that not on okay um oh that's better I would have to rethink how we operate some things we operate proactively to exceed regulatory requirements right now for example pfas we don't have to remove from the water supply but we're choosing to and that has a significant cost in the system LED service lines we technically don't have to remove right now but we've chosen to be proactive with that so we would have to rethink um what we're doing proactively and the consequences would be significant um for the confidence of the public in in the water system would have to send Public Notices out informing people were choosing to delay or defer some of those things specifically on pfas we would be required to notify the public that there is pfas in the water supply and then would we actually have to raise rates next year by a higher amount yeah the rate increases would compound most of those regulatory things we could delay would be a delay for a year or two and then we would be required to comply so we would destroy public confidence and then come along and raise rates anyway and then we just approved the budget correct correct okay thank you further discussion or questions to staff um I've seen non motion the motion oh um further discussion seeing non call for the question on on the adoption of I don't remember 15 J 15 G um council members no councilmember Medina yes council member Coombs yes councilmember Lawson no council member Mario yes mayor protein Bergen my colleagues are saying no so that it looks good to the public I'm a yes council member drinsky it has nothing to do with looking good for the public I am a no the emotion passes with six yes votes and four no votes from council member savonik Lawson Gardner and drinsky so it passes yes good okay um uh with code now please do you talk to number 19a item 19a's consideration to appoint two members to the Aurora immigrant and Refugee Commission um motion is in order mayor mayor Tim motion to appoint Carlos Diaz and Cora Lee betron Guerrero Guerrero I'm French I don't do Spanish okay um discussion what is there a second so that doesn't require a second the Sun Break second does that require a second yes okay uh moved by mayor for 10 seconds uh discussion I was saying no discussion and the question is uh the appointment of Carlos Diaz and Guerrero to the Aurora immigrant Refugee Commission mayor Kaufman uh yes mayor Rogers yes Mr Medina councilmember Lawson yes councilmember Barrio yes mayor Pro tem Bergen yes councilmember Coombs yes the motion passes for 19a clerk please read the title title number 19B all right I'm 19 B is consideration to appoint one member to the library board uh motion mayor uh councilmember Cruz moved to a point Hannah Portner to the library board it's been moved by customer second by second uh second by councilmember Lawson to appoint Hannah a partner to the library board discussion you see none of the question before us is the adoption of um 19B and appointing Hannah partner to the library board I call for the question mayor Kaufman yes mayor protein Bergen yes council member Medina councilmember zevanic councilmember Lawson yes councilmember Maria yes the motion passes for item 19B Lord please show your title Todd of 19c item 19 sees consideration to reappoint one member to the general employee's Retirement Board uh motion mayor councilmember McConnell thank you sir move to a point Tom tobiason to the general employees retirement report I was removed by councilmember McConnell seconded by Birkin May pretend Bergen to appoint Tom tobiason to the general Employees Retirement Board discussion um call for the question uh on the appointment of time devised into the general Employees Retirement Board mayor Kaufman yes council member Medina yes council members of anik Yes mayor Pro tem Bergen yes council member Mario yes councilmember Lawson yes the motion passes for 19c uh cool weather please read in town tonight I don't know 19d item 19d is consideration to a point one member to the Joint Water Authority motion mayor customer Cruz uh move to a point Matthew alsop to the Joint Water Authority my councilman seconded by mark because of our Econo to a point uh Matthew also up to the Joint Water Authority discussion let's see no discussion of course before us is the appointment of Matthew also up to the Joint Water Authority call for the question Amir Kaufman yes mayor Pro Tim Bergen yes since the member Lawson McGee council member Mario yes and council member zevanic yes the motion passes for item 19d record now please number 19e item 19e's consideration to appoint one member to the home Stakes steering committee uh motion mayor all right councilman comes move to a point Matthew also up to the home stake steering committee so we moved by councilman seconded by Sudbury I was taking my councilmember Sunbury to appoint Matthew alsop to the Home State student committee call for the question mayor Kaufman yes council member savonik yes council member Mario yes councilmember Lawson yes mayor Pro tem Bergen yes and councilmember Medina yes the motion passes from item 19e reports mayor has no report reports by Council councilman Lawson thank you mayor um I just want to just say get my condolences um to Ernie Clark who was a great leader in our community I remember when he moved over to the East Bank shopping center and I went over and visited the shop and just the joy and just seeing what he did in the community is it will never be forgotten I also want to another great leader who passed Dr Jules Smith with Rising Star Missionary Baptist Church the mayor and I did attend his celebration on November 5th and he was also another great leader that will never be forgotten for all of the work that he's done in the city of Aurora he was one of the founders of the NAACP Aurora Branch so he will heavily be missed but never forgotten that's all I have mayor thank you uh councilmember Gardner uh council member jerinsky I would just like losses in our community that councilmember Lawson said and then also I would just like to wish everybody a Happy Thanksgiving so remember it's Savannah no report let's see councilman Maria thanks mayor uh my condolences to our community members we also got a notification that one of our um uh fire rescue family members one of their family members so um just wanted us in condolences there um uh my town hall is normally on the Mother's Day as you know that is um Thanksgiving so uh in November so we're gonna reschedule 45th week um uh December 1st at the Moorhead recreation center and uh Happy Thanksgiving days off councilmember sunburn for the sake of time no report sir uh councilmember Medina don't report councilmember McConnell thank you sir uh first I want to thank all of our residents who voted in the 2022 elections based on the initial counts we more than doubled our participation from the 2021 election and the results speak for themselves I want to give a special shout out to voters under 40 who puts historical Trends and turned out it nearly triple the rate that we usually see from midterms so thank you all for using the power of your vote I also want to thank everyone who ran whether you prevailed or not for stepping up to serve our community congratulations to all the winners and I'm optimistic for the collaborative opportunities Aurora has in the coming year with our new partners at the county and state level our next Ward 4 meeting is going to be on Thursday January 12th at 6 30 pm at Colorado early colleges we're going to be joined by Arapahoe County District 4 commissioner Leslie summey to discuss her role on the County Commission and how the city of Aurora can work together with Arapahoe County to provide services to our residents we'll also have more on the agenda and the agenda pending confirmation from invited speakers and finally have a safe and fun-filled Thanksgiving customer comes here thank you um first of all absolutely Echo the condolences stated by councilmember Lawson and council member Muriel and want to say that I did hear from Ernie Clark's volunteers and his daughter that they absolutely intend to continue his legacy so we will be continuing to work with them on getting both funding and space to continue providing those bikes for our community so if that's something folks are interested in please stay plugged in you can certainly feel free to reach out to me as I'll continue to be kind of in contact with all of those folks and then our Ward 5 town hall meeting is tomorrow night at Central Rec Center as well as on WebEx so at 6 00 PM so feel free to join us and have a great night and Happy Thanksgiving mayor for Tim thank you um just real quickly I want to also next in my condolences to the family of Ernie Clark and then also my town hall is this Wednesday topic is on crime motor vehicle theft and Prosecuting crime and lastly Happy Thanksgiving I am cooking without a double oven because it's been out for almost a year thanks everybody meeting John [Music] thank you [Music] foreign [Music] foreign