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2.2 THREE CHARACTER AREAS

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To tailor zoning, subdivision, and development standards to different areas of Aurora, this UDO defines three different character areas. The three character areas generally reflect areas of the City that were platted and developed at different times.

Subarea A generally includes areas of west Aurora that were primarily developed and platted before or within the decade after World War II, with development occurring in the southern portion of the area into the 1970s. These areas are generally characterized by rectangular blocks with a typical 330 ft. by 660 ft. dimension, often bisected by a north-south or east-west alley. Residential lots were often created with street frontages of between 25 and 50 feet, and arterial and collector street frontages were often designed for small-scale commercial or multifamily uses. Both residential and non-residential buildings tend to be smaller than those in Subarea B, and often reflect traditional designs and brick, stone, and masonry construction methods. Currently, Subarea A includes a mix of industrial, residential and commercial developments. Future development will occur as mainly infill as well as redevelopment of existing sites and structures. Larger developments are expected to occur along transit routes.  Execution of the landscape standards within Subarea A is more challenging due to the existing infrastructure and the largely adaptive re-use of existing structures. As a result, landscape standards will focus on building frontages (i.e. streetscapes and pedestrian corridors) as well as the integration of Low Impact Development (LID) practices to address ongoing storm water management issues.

Subarea B generally includes areas that were platted and developed after World War II. These areas are generally characterized by larger blocks, often with curvilinear streets that do not create predictable block dimensions. These areas often have fewer local through streets and often rely on larger arterial and collector streets for connectivity between neighborhoods. Building architecture is generally less traditional, reflecting a variety of post-war styles, and often include a variety of surface materials, including stone, masonry, wood, stucco, as well as metal as an accent material. In many areas, lot platting oriented the rear property lines of residential lots along street rights-of-way, which has in some cases created “fence canyons” and auto-oriented streetscapes. Subarea B has a suburban character, with a mix of older residential subdivisions existing retail strip shopping centers, and growing industrial campuses.  Future development will occur as mainly infill as well as redevelopment of existing sites and structures.

Figure 2.3-1: Character Areas

Subarea C generally includes rolling, semi-arid, largely undeveloped lands with large open fields of prairie grass in northeast Aurora and mostly developed newer developments in southeast Aurora. It currently includes expanding residential developments, industrial parks and areas of City-owned open spaces and parks. Development pressures within Subarea C continue to rise as the demand for more housing choices intensifies; the pressure for large industrial storage facilities increases and the need for expanded infrastructure to accommodate the demands of growth become a priority. Because these lands will develop over a long period of time, their layouts, design, and building styles need to be flexible enough to accommodate new forms of development at a variety of development densities while avoiding patterns and practices that have increased traffic congestion and/or reduced the visual appeal of the City in the past.

Some development standards in this UDO vary depending on where the property is located. Figure 2.3-1 is a conceptual map showing the general boundaries of each Subarea. More detailed official maps depicting the official boundaries of each Subarea are available from the Planning Department. (Ord. No. 2020-37 § 2, 10-05-2020; Ord. No. 2019-49 § 1, 08-19-2019)