Latest news with #ZoningandEconomicDevelopmentCommittee
Yahoo
05-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Aurora considering bike plan that recommends miles of new paths
Aurora is considering adopting a new biking plan that would look to dramatically increase the number of bike lanes, paths and sidewalks in the city. The city currently has 'pretty decent biking infrastructure,' but the 2025 City of Aurora's Bicycle Pedestrian Plan proposes expanding that infrastructure to link existing routes and adding sidewalks to every feasible location within the city. That's according to Eric Mueller, a planner at Epstein Global, who presented the Aurora City Council's Building, Zoning and Economic Development Committee a brief overview of the plan on April 23. His presentation showed that the plan would recommend nearly 135 miles of new bike infrastructure along with 279 miles of new sidewalks. The plan doesn't propose just a single type of bike path – instead, it specifies eight different types. Some are connected to roads, such as marked bike routes, bike lanes and paved shoulders, while others are not, such as trails. Proposals for bike-friendly policies, programs and procedures, along with pedestrian safety measures especially around intersections, are also included in the proposed plan. Ald. Patty Smith, 8th Ward, said she was 'in awe' of the plan but felt like there was no ceiling, it was just 'everything you could ever want in the biking world.' 'It's a lot of miles. It's a lot of money. It's a lot of great stuff,' Smith said. 'I wish we could call Santa Claus and ask him to show up tomorrow and fix this for us.' According to Mueller, the plan also includes ways to fund the various projects, such as through grants. He said the plan is good for about 10 to 15 years, but 'we'd be kidding ourselves if we expected everything we suggested to get implemented.' Ald. Mike Saville, 6th Ward, said the report was great but the city needs to make sure the plan actually gets implemented. Often, the city pays for plans but then something happens and the city's focus changes, so the plan ends up 'collecting dust on the shelf,' he said. Mueller's presentation at that meeting was a brief overview of the plan, with a more in-depth presentation and discussion expected at the upcoming City Council Committee of the Whole meeting on Tuesday. But he did show off what he called a feature project of the plan: a proposed connection between the Virgil Gilman Trail and the Waubonsee Creek Trail. While Mueller said the paths would ideally connect along the nearby creek, the city has been unable to speak to the landowner about an easement, so the plan proposes a slightly 'roundabout' path that he said is the second-best option. This connection was the thing Epstein Global heard most from residents, according to Mueller. Public engagement began in 2023, and residents strongly supported improving biking and walking infrastructure throughout Aurora, he said. Aurora's current Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan was adopted in 2009. In 2023, the city selected Epstein to update the plan at a cost of around $50,000, according to past reporting. The 2025 City of Aurora's Bicycle Pedestrian Plan was unanimously approved by the Building, Zoning and Economic Development Committee, but it must still go before the Committee of the Whole before going to the Aurora City Council for final approval. rsmith@
Chicago Tribune
05-05-2025
- Business
- Chicago Tribune
Aurora considering bike plan that recommends miles of new paths
Aurora is considering adopting a new biking plan that would look to dramatically increase the number of bike lanes, paths and sidewalks in the city. The city currently has 'pretty decent biking infrastructure,' but the 2025 City of Aurora's Bicycle Pedestrian Plan proposes expanding that infrastructure to link existing routes and adding sidewalks to every feasible location within the city. That's according to Eric Mueller, a planner at Epstein Global, who presented the Aurora City Council's Building, Zoning and Economic Development Committee a brief overview of the plan on April 23. His presentation showed that the plan would recommend nearly 135 miles of new bike infrastructure along with 279 miles of new sidewalks. The plan doesn't propose just a single type of bike path – instead, it specifies eight different types. Some are connected to roads, such as marked bike routes, bike lanes and paved shoulders, while others are not, such as trails. Proposals for bike-friendly policies, programs and procedures, along with pedestrian safety measures especially around intersections, are also included in the proposed plan. Ald. Patty Smith, 8th Ward, said she was 'in awe' of the plan but felt like there was no ceiling, it was just 'everything you could ever want in the biking world.' 'It's a lot of miles. It's a lot of money. It's a lot of great stuff,' Smith said. 'I wish we could call Santa Claus and ask him to show up tomorrow and fix this for us.' According to Mueller, the plan also includes ways to fund the various projects, such as through grants. He said the plan is good for about 10 to 15 years, but 'we'd be kidding ourselves if we expected everything we suggested to get implemented.' Ald. Mike Saville, 6th Ward, said the report was great but the city needs to make sure the plan actually gets implemented. Often, the city pays for plans but then something happens and the city's focus changes, so the plan ends up 'collecting dust on the shelf,' he said. Mueller's presentation at that meeting was a brief overview of the plan, with a more in-depth presentation and discussion expected at the upcoming City Council Committee of the Whole meeting on Tuesday. But he did show off what he called a feature project of the plan: a proposed connection between the Virgil Gilman Trail and the Waubonsee Creek Trail. While Mueller said the paths would ideally connect along the nearby creek, the city has been unable to speak to the landowner about an easement, so the plan proposes a slightly 'roundabout' path that he said is the second-best option. This connection was the thing Epstein Global heard most from residents, according to Mueller. Public engagement began in 2023, and residents strongly supported improving biking and walking infrastructure throughout Aurora, he said. Aurora's current Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan was adopted in 2009. In 2023, the city selected Epstein to update the plan at a cost of around $50,000, according to past reporting. The 2025 City of Aurora's Bicycle Pedestrian Plan was unanimously approved by the Building, Zoning and Economic Development Committee, but it must still go before the Committee of the Whole before going to the Aurora City Council for final approval.
Yahoo
22-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Association for Individual Development looking to build 20 supportive housing units in Aurora
The Association for Individual Development, an organization also known as AID, that provides services to people with physical, developmental, intellectual and mental health challenges, is looking to build a new supportive housing project in Aurora. The new 20 units of supportive housing would be located in the old school building at the corner of Jackson Street and Second Avenue on Aurora's East Side. That building, which would be renovated into apartments and expanded as a part of this project, is currently owned by the nearby Iglesia Evangelica Luterana San Pablo, which is a partner with AID in this project. AID would also be partnering on the development with The Neighbor Project and Hesed House, two Aurora-based organizations focused on housing, but this project would be 'slightly different than straight-up affordable housing,' according to AID President and CEO Lore Baker. She told the Aurora City Council's Building, Zoning and Economic Development Committee on Feb. 12 that these units would be for people who are both low-income, specifically those who make 30% or less of the area's median income, and need ongoing services and support. As for who may need ongoing support, Baker said that may include people with any kind of disability, those who have multiple chronic conditions that make it difficult to hold down long-term employment and people previously or actively experiencing homelessness, as well as veterans. On Tuesday, the project went before the City Council Committee of the Whole, which sets the council's agenda for the following week. That committee placed the three items related to AID's proposed project on the Feb. 25 City Council meeting's consent agenda, which is typically used for routine or non-controversial items that are all approved with one vote and without discussion instead of needing to vote on and talk about each individual item. At Tuesday's meeting, Baker said AID would look to break ground in the spring if the project is approved at the City Council meeting. After groundbreaking, the construction would likely take a year, she said. The old school building's classrooms would be converted into 10 apartments, while an addition to the building would bring an extra 10 units, according to Liezel Pimentel of WJW Architects. The school building's gym would be converted into a lounge and community space for residents as well as a half basketball court, she said at the Feb. 12 Building, Zoning and Economic Development Committee meeting. The addition would have brick and stay at a height of only two stories to keep with the existing buildings on site, Pimentel said. According to her presentation, 14 of the units are set to be one-bedroom while the other six would be two-bedroom units. Each of the units are set to include full kitchens, full bathrooms and 'ample' storage, a staff report about the project included with the Feb. 12 meeting's agenda said. The project is also expected to hold on-site offices, both for property management and supportive services staff, according to the staff report. A bowling alley in the school building's basement that is currently open to the public would stay. In addition to restoring the historic school building to save it from 'continuing to fall into disrepair and possible demolition while adding additional housing to the neighborhood on an underutilized parking lot,' the project would also add landscaping to the property, including along Second Avenue, the staff report said. A landscaped courtyard area with outdoor seating would be created on the property, which would also serve as a shared path for the apartment building and existing buildings on site, according to Pimentel. The project would dedicate 20 parking spaces to the apartments, but that parking lot would be shared with the church, and there are more than enough spaces for both the church and the development, city staff said at the Feb. 12 committee meeting. One of the three items set to come before the Aurora City Council at the Feb. 25 meeting would subdivide the property into three — one for the church and its related buildings, one for the supportive housing project and one for an existing two-unit residential house. Another item set to come before City Council would rezone the three properties to match their proposed or current uses, and the last item would approve the supportive housing project's plan. rsmith@
Chicago Tribune
21-02-2025
- Business
- Chicago Tribune
Association for Individual Development looking to build 20 supportive housing units in Aurora
The Association for Individual Development, an organization also known as AID, that provides services to people with physical, developmental, intellectual and mental health challenges, is looking to build a new supportive housing project in Aurora. The new 20 units of supportive housing would be located in the old school building at the corner of Jackson Street and Second Avenue on Aurora's East Side. That building, which would be renovated into apartments and expanded as a part of this project, is currently owned by the nearby Iglesia Evangelica Luterana San Pablo, which is a partner with AID in this project. AID would also be partnering on the development with The Neighbor Project and Hesed House, two Aurora-based organizations focused on housing, but this project would be 'slightly different than straight-up affordable housing,' according to AID President and CEO Lore Baker. She told the Aurora City Council's Building, Zoning and Economic Development Committee on Feb. 12 that these units would be for people who are both low-income, specifically those who make 30% or less of the area's median income, and need ongoing services and support. As for who may need ongoing support, Baker said that may include people with any kind of disability, those who have multiple chronic conditions that make it difficult to hold down long-term employment and people previously or actively experiencing homelessness, as well as veterans. On Tuesday, the project went before the City Council Committee of the Whole, which sets the council's agenda for the following week. That committee placed the three items related to AID's proposed project on the Feb. 25 City Council meeting's consent agenda, which is typically used for routine or non-controversial items that are all approved with one vote and without discussion instead of needing to vote on and talk about each individual item. At Tuesday's meeting, Baker said AID would look to break ground in the spring if the project is approved at the City Council meeting. After groundbreaking, the construction would likely take a year, she said. The old school building's classrooms would be converted into 10 apartments, while an addition to the building would bring an extra 10 units, according to Liezel Pimentel of WJW Architects. The school building's gym would be converted into a lounge and community space for residents as well as a half basketball court, she said at the Feb. 12 Building, Zoning and Economic Development Committee meeting. The addition would have brick and stay at a height of only two stories to keep with the existing buildings on site, Pimentel said. According to her presentation, 14 of the units are set to be one-bedroom while the other six would be two-bedroom units. Each of the units are set to include full kitchens, full bathrooms and 'ample' storage, a staff report about the project included with the Feb. 12 meeting's agenda said. The project is also expected to hold on-site offices, both for property management and supportive services staff, according to the staff report. A bowling alley in the school building's basement that is currently open to the public would stay. In addition to restoring the historic school building to save it from 'continuing to fall into disrepair and possible demolition while adding additional housing to the neighborhood on an underutilized parking lot,' the project would also add landscaping to the property, including along Second Avenue, the staff report said. A landscaped courtyard area with outdoor seating would be created on the property, which would also serve as a shared path for the apartment building and existing buildings on site, according to Pimentel. The project would dedicate 20 parking spaces to the apartments, but that parking lot would be shared with the church, and there are more than enough spaces for both the church and the development, city staff said at the Feb. 12 committee meeting. One of the three items set to come before the Aurora City Council at the Feb. 25 meeting would subdivide the property into three — one for the church and its related buildings, one for the supportive housing project and one for an existing two-unit residential house. Another item set to come before City Council would rezone the three properties to match their proposed or current uses, and the last item would approve the supportive housing project's plan.
