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

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of new, younger homebuyers able to move in. There is also limited public water and sewers, which is
a drawback to new homeowners.

What infrastructure investment or maintenance needs do you foresee as critical to the Town’s
continued success?
More initiative on flood plains and wetlands is needed. We also need to address the negative impacts
of climate change including stormwater management. The NW portion of the Town has no water lines
as the state decided they didn’t want to expand them past Knox Farm.

There is an aging population and a lack of housing that suits their needs. Since they can’t move, there
is no housing for young people to move in. There is aging and declining housing on Old Glenwood
Road that aren’t selling because the lots are small, and the homes are too close together.

What services or facilities will be needed to support seniors in the future?
We will need increased shuttle or van service from the senior center, a larger senior center with
recreational programming, and affordable housing and progressive care facilities. There are currently
not many downsizing options; housing demand outweighs supply. We are looking at rezoning to allow
in-law suites to alleviate that.

Are there areas in Town where you believe growth or redevelopment should be encouraged or
restricted? What types of development would you like to see?
We should encourage growth along major roads and within population centers like the Village. Olean
Road is underdeveloped and within the sewer district, which would be a good place for housing.
Residential growth is self-limiting as there are minimum lot sizes because of septic system limitations.
It’s hard for homeowners to expand their homes because of the septic systems, so subdivisions are
cost prohibitive.

What are the biggest transportation challenges you experience when traveling within Aurora,
such as traffic congestion, road conditions, or lack of sidewalks?
Safety leading to high school is a huge transportation challenge; a lot of kids walk, but there are no
sidewalks. The Town doesn’t own all the roads so adding sidewalks is not always feasible. Topography
also restricts the installation of sidewalks. There is a lack of public transportation. Winter is hard on
roads leading to harsh conditions on the roads not maintained by the Town. There are no issues with
congestion.

What are the biggest operational challenges your department faces?
We need more employees at the senior center- most are volunteers. The Building and Code
Enforcement Department should have a full-time clerk, Town provided vehicles, and an electrical
inspector. The Department should be self-funding, however this would cause permit prices to
increase significantly so it isn’t practical.

Are there new technologies or systems that could improve your department’s efficiency or
effectiveness?
We would love to have an online payment option for permits and applications; it would increase our
efficiency. Currently, the department only takes cash or checks which delays the process. The current
software meets daily needs for operations.

How effectively does your department coordinate with other Town departments and where could
it be improved?
The Building and Code Department has strong working relationships with both the Town and Village
departments and is the point of contact for the public regarding zoning and land use questions.

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