Water lease agreement, water management planned approved

The regular session saw the approval of two contentious water issues, after a lengthy debate from council.

A lease agreement that would see Aurora lease up to 200 acre-feet of water in the Arkansas Basin to Nestle Waters North America Inc. for $800 per-acre foot passed by a vote of 7 to 4, with Councilmembers Renie Peterson, Bob FitzGerald, Larry Beer and Ryan Frazier voting no.

The agreement would be renewed annually for a period of 10 years, and would be contingent on available supply. The water leased from Aurora would go to replace water taken from the Arkansas Valley to bottle and sell.

In other action, the council passed a water management plan that would see Aurora citizens setting their own three-day-a-week watering schedules, as opposed to having their timetables set by the city.

The final vote on resolution 10b, which would implement the 2009 Water Management Plan, came after Councilman Brad Pierce added an amendment that would allow citizens to set their own three days for watering, providing the city's reservoirs were at 80 percent or more. After the amendment passed by a vote of 7-3, the final resolution was carried by a vote of 8-2, which Councilmembers Steve Hogan and Bob Broom voting no.

Capital fund shortfall addressed

Aurora budget officer Jason Batchelor addressed the need for $15 million to $20 million in cuts to the capital plan during the next five years.

Citing shortfalls in revenue Batchelor presented a list of possible cuts that was scheduled to return to the council during its spring workshop in two months.

But council called for a closer inspection of the proposed list of 24 itemized cuts before the spring workshop.

Masonic cornerstone ceremony wins initial approval

A masonic cornerstone ceremony for a Prairie Waters Project building that earned initial hesitation from certain members of the Aurora City Council has won initial approval.

Aurora Water spokesman Greg Baker said that the ceremony - which features traditional blessings and benedictions from Masonic representatives during the foundation phase of construction - has precedents in the city.

Specifically, the ceremony was a feature of the foundation ceremony for the city's Municipal Justice Center in 1989.

Final approval for the ceremony will come before the full Aurora City Council during a regular session.

Markert, Peterson announce grant awards for the Aurora Mental Health Center

 - Councilwomen Molly Markert and Renie Peterson announced the award of about $313,000 to put an Aurora Youth Options program together at the Aurora Mental Health Center.

Council commentary - March 23

It's 5:45 p.m., and I'm in the Aurora Room at the Aurora Municipal Center, waiting for the city council to arrive for study session.

On tap for council tonight are several issues related to water and landscaping restrictions in the city for 2009, as well as finalizing an official name for the Prairie Water Project's Aurora Reservoir Water Purification Facility. Council will also tackle a question regarding a capstone ceremony for the new water system.

Look for updates as they arrive ...

Xeriscape amendment revived

An amendment specifying landscape requirements for residential landscapes has reappeared before council after more than six months of dormancy.

The amendment to the city's landscaping standards would cut the allowable lawn sizes made of thirsty grasses like Kentucky Bluegrass from 45 to 33 percent, while boosting the amount of xeriscape, or drought-resistant, plant material from 75 to 100 percent.

The amendment failed to pass the city council last year, when it was sent back to the Citizens Water Advisory Committee for further review in June. Councilwoman Molly Markert objected to the measure, stating it would implement unfair requirements on homeowners.

The amendment passed the council tonight 6-5, with Mayor Ed Tauer casting the deciding vote.

NSP approach approved

After lengthy debate about the specific approach of the program, the council gave its initial approval to a resolution that would implement the Neighborhood Stabilization Program, a national initiative designed to help stabilize areas affected by high foreclosures.

The program, which would provide about $4.5 million to rehabilitate abandoned and foreclosed homes, sparked pointed debate from councilmembers.

Councilman Steve Hogan voiced a preference for an approach that would stress demolition and future development of properties in lieu of reconstruction, an option he said would cost more money and transform less property.

Joseph Garcia, director of community development for the city, said that while the city has the power to demolish blighted property under the program, the priority would be rehabilitating and reselling homes.

After the debate, the council voted to move forward with the resolution as its written, with a stress on purchase, rehabilitation and reselling for use in a recycling fund.

Watering debate

In discussing the 2009 Water Management Plan, council has split regarding a voluntary or mandatory lawn watering schedule.

Councilmembers Sandstrom and Markert have voiced support for a voluntary system, stating that citizens can competently manage their water. The high market prices of water would control usage, she said. Markert agreed stating that a mandatory watering schedule would be similar to "undermining our citizens" by forcing a schedule.

Councilmembers Hogan, Peterson and Beer, however, have voiced a mandatory schedule determined by address. In a semi-arid climate prone to shortages, and in a year that's seen little measurable moisture in the city, a mandatory schedule would help encourage a culture of conservation.

The latter position ultimately won out in a vote of 5 to 3. A Water Management Plan including a mandatory schedule will come back before council.

Naming of south campus, Masonic cornerstone issue delayed.

Two items from the study session agenda -- the renaming of a south campus site to the Aurora Reservoir Water Purification Facility and the approval of a Masonic cornerstone ceremony in the construction of a PWP site -- have been delayed.

Study Session -- March 2

Tonight's agenda boasts a diverse set of items, from the official naming of the south campus of the Prairie Waters Project to approving a request from a local Masonic Lodge to dedicate a cornerstone on future construction projects in the city.

Also on the slate for study session tonight: Changes regarding the city's policy toward tap fees in response to the current recession, the approval of the 2009 water management plan, amendments to xeriscape regulations, modifications to the city's domestic violence plea bargaining guidelines and the approval of the intelligent transportation systems strategic plan.

I'm all hopped up on caffeine and ready to navigate the dense thicket of municipal policy. Join me, won't you?