Aurora council’s hearings on city ‘red tape’ expected to begin Feb. 17

AURORA | Business owners and others with a perspective to share on working with the City of Aurora are being invited to speak up at “red tape reduction” hearings scheduled tentatively for February, March and April.

The three hearings were suggested by the City Council’s newly-formed Red Tape Reduction Ad Hoc Committee in January.

Committee members — which include chair Dustin Zvonek and fellow councilors Francoise Bergan, Curtis Gardner, Danielle Jurinsky and Juan Marcano — proposed businesses, community groups and the general public be given five minutes each to speak on topics that could include permits, licensing, city rules and regulations, taxes, fees and other conditions for doing business set by the city.

The hearings would be held at 8:30 a.m. on Feb. 17, noon on March 17 and 6 p.m. on April 20. Sign-up information and links to live video feeds of the hearings are being posted online at engageaurora.org/RedTape.

Additional hearing dates may be scheduled if there is enough interest shown by the public, the website notes. A form is also available on the website for people who would prefer to submit comments virtually.

Council members will have to vote to allow the committee hearings to take place, which Zvonek said is a “formality.” The proposed hearing schedule was not opposed at a study session Monday.