Aurora City Council considering Piping Rock Health Products tax abatement, update to zoning code – The Portager

Aurora City Council on Oct. 14 eyed but did not pass a number of measures, instead deciding to see the items through the required three-reading process for non-emergency legislation.

New to council was a 12-year, 100% property tax abatement for Piping Rock Health Products in return for that company’s $19 million investment to its property at 777 Lena Dr.

The company maintains a packaging and warehouse facility at the property and plans to add on to one structure and build another. Documents submitted to the city indicate that in 2026, the company plans to add 20 new jobs at its Aurora site, which already has 260 employees.

The new employees would add $1.16 million to the company’s payroll. Aurora’s income tax rate is 2%, so even with the tax abatement, the city will realize about $23,200 in increased revenue, payroll administrator Marcy Janus said.

Council will consider the legislation later this month, with the third required reading in early November.

Also in upcoming sessions, council will consider a five-year, $150,000-a-year contract with LTech Solutions Ltd., which manages all of Aurora’s IT and telecommunications. The price represents a 4.2% increase over what the city currently pays LTech, which has held Aurora’s contract since 2019.

That matter remains in committee: council will review it for the first time later this month.

Council is also eying a $98,330 contract with ZoneCo LLC to evaluate, update, rewrite and modernize Aurora’s zoning code and subdivision regulations, which haven’t been updated since 2000.

The update is meant to eliminate contradictions, improve clarity and create a code consistent with current laws.

The company will submit their recommendations to Aurora’s Planning Commission, then to City Council, which will vote on each proposed change, said Planning, Zoning and Building Director Denise Januska.

Like the tax abatement measure, council will review the Zoneco contract later this month and early in November.

A proposal for the Aurora Police Department to purchase 18 Automated External Defibrillators from Stryker Corp., a Kalamazoo, Michigan-based medical technologies company, is set to go to third reading.

The necessary funds — $33,074 — would be drawn from the city’s share of the opioid settlement fund. According to a Sept. 11 memo council received, APD currently has eight AEDs “in the field” and several more in other city buildings. Most were purchased in 2007, and the memo indicates that replacement batteries, pads and repairs will not be available for that model “in approximately one year.” The model itself is being discontinued, the memo reads.

Council is expected to vote on the matter later this month.

Council members did approve:

Wendy DiAlesandro is a former Record Publishing Co. reporter and contributing writer for The Portager.

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