Aurora council adopts 13th Avenue Station urban renewal plan and creates two TIF areas to fund bridge for housing

The Aurora City Council unanimously adopted Ordinance 2026-06 on March 9 to establish an urban renewal plan for the 13th Avenue Station area and to create two associated tax-increment-financing (TIF) areas.

Jennifer Roscoe, Planning & Business Development, told council the plan targets vacant and underutilized land around the station and uses incremental tax revenues to help fund infrastructure that will enable residential development, including workforce and affordable housing. The plan identifies two TIF areas: Area 1 south of Tollgate Creek and Area 2 encompassing RTD property north of Tollgate Creek. Roscoe said available incremental revenues under the plan would include 100% of city taxes (property, use, sales, lodgers tax), 100% of Mile High Flood District property tax, 70% of Aurora Public Schools property tax and 65% of Arapahoe County property tax for the purposes of TIF.

Roscoe said the principal infrastructure investment envisioned is a bridge over Tollgate Creek to improve access to two infill parcels near Aurora’s R line; the original bridge cost estimate was about $8,000,000, though she noted additional engineering could increase that figure and that the plan would provide a mechanism to accommodate higher costs.

Council members asked staff to elaborate on costs and timing; staff said engineering work is ongoing and no final bridge cost has been set. The council moved and then unanimously voted to adopt the plan and establish the TIF areas.

Ending: With the ordinance adopted, the city and Aurora Urban Renewal Authority (AURA) can proceed with the urban renewal area and TIF structure to advance infrastructure projects intended to unlock workforce and affordable housing at the 13th Avenue Station site.