Southtowns Record

COMPREHENSIVE PLAN DRAFT

Government
Town of Aurora
Board
Town Board
Meeting
Feb 4, 2026
Kind
Other
Topics
Zoning and land use, Water, sewer and drainage, Parks and recreation, Budget and taxes, Roads and traffic, Housing, Energy and data center siting, Public safety

Original document

Same meeting

Text · page 123 of 154

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Given the preceding information, it is fair to say that the Town of Aurora is generally wealthy, highly
educated, and mostly White with high accessibility to resources. Therefore, for the most part, the
residents of the town have lower sensitivity to climate hazards. The most vulnerable populations in
Aurora are likely therefore:

  •  (1) the elderly, especially those that live alone;
  •  (2) children;
  •  (3) the immunocompromised and disabled; and
  •  (4) people who work in high-exposure industries such as agriculture, construction, and
  transportation.

The Town and its stakeholders should plan on how to specifically address these populations in case of
a significant flooding event.

B.  Population Exposed to 1% and 0.2% Annual Chance Flood Event
Based on GIS data and satellite imagery of the Town of Aurora, there are approximately 220 residential
parcels in Zone A or AE (100-year flood), or approximately 7% of the 3,159 residential parcels in the Town.
There are approximately 139 parcels in the shaded Zone X area (500-year flood), or 4.4% of residential
parcels.

C.  Impacts of Flood on Vulnerable Populations
The effects of a flood can be particularly devastating for vulnerable populations. As mentioned
previously, this is not because of their own inability to cope with or be resilient in the event of a flood,
but rather because they may systematically lack the resources necessary to evacuate beforehand,
protect themselves against a flood, and/or recover in the aftermath of a flood. A non-exhaustive list of
potential effects on vulnerable populations is provided below.

 The elderly, especially those  Elderly people may have fewer resources to be forewarned of
 that live alone  floods, such as due to lack of internet access. They may also lack
  the resources to evacuate the area swiftly by not being able to drive
  or by not owning a vehicle. Elderly people who live alone are more
  likely to be isolated from others, though they are not always. They
  may have less of a support network to help them prepare for a flood,
  evacuate if needed, and clean up/recover after a flood. Additionally,
  many elderly people do not work and therefore have limited to no
  income that they can leverage to protect themselves or recover.
  Elderly people who live in care facilities tend to have a substantially
  lower degree of independence and their protection and
  preparedness are at the discretion of the care facility. Elderly people
  living in care facilities may also be disabled and need medical care
  that may not be available during a flood event. For both elderly
  people living independently or in a care facility, the aftermath of a
  flood can substantially impact on their health as they may be
  physically weaker and more susceptible to illnesses caused by
  mold, pollution, etc.
 Children  Children are entirely dependent on their caretakers in the case of a
  flood. For school children, in the case of an emergency, their
  protection and emergency preparedness are at the discretion of
  school administrators or other authoritative adults. Children,
  particularly those under age 5, are also more susceptible to illnesses

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