Council hears plan to form Downtown Development Authority; appointments and TIF will follow

Laura Perry, deputy city manager, and Naomi Lacewell of Progressive Urban Management Associates briefed Council on proposed next steps for forming an Aurora Downtown Development Authority (DDA).

Perry explained the DDA is a state-statute-driven special district created by voters and funded primarily through tax-increment financing (TIF). She said the most important point is that no DDA action or spending can occur until the inaugural board is appointed and the DDA’s plan of development is approved by City Council.

Staff recommended aligning the DDA’s inaugural appointment process with the city’s existing boards-and-commissions procedures, initially appointing seven of the 11 possible board seats (one council member plus six community members) to allow for cross-pollination with a Community Development Corporation (CDC). Perry outlined a proposed timeline: open applications early January through February, conduct public interviews in late February/early March, require legal eligibility checks against state statute, and solicit public nomination letters and references. Council discussed weighting and verification of public nomination letters and asked staff to structure the process to avoid popularity-contest effects.

Perry said Council will have three touch points in the first year — appointing board members, approving the plan of development, and receiving an operating plan and budget — before the DDA can expend any funds. Staff also noted a parallel effort to stand up a CDC to partner with the DDA on housing, small-business support and programs extending beyond the DDA boundary.

Council asked staff to prioritize recruitment that includes renters and residents in the district and confirmed the recommended seven-member starting composition.