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Aurora moves animal shelter plan forward; city staff to seek up to $27 million in COP financing
Summary
City staff presented plans for a new 38,000-square-foot animal shelter estimated at $51 million total and asked council to allow staff to market up to $27 million in certificates of participation (COPs); the project drew at least one council objection over competing public needs.
City staff told the Aurora City Council study session on June 9, 2025 that the city is preparing to finance a new animal shelter and asked authority to go to market with certificates of participation (COPs) for up to $27,000,000.
Jessica Prosser, director of Housing and Community Services, described a project intended to replace an aging, 1980s-era facility with “about a 38,000-square-foot new facility and housing for about 250 animals,” located on a roughly five-acre portion of a 15‑acre city parcel southeast of the current site. Prosser said the new design would separate court-hold animals from adoptable animals, separate dogs and cats, and provide more indoor-outdoor space and secure staff-only yards.
Prosser listed a capital stack that includes impact fees, capital fund dollars, previously committed ARPA funds, and estate gifts. She said the project team must spend committed ARPA funds before the end of 2026. Teresa Sedmack, City Treasurer, outlined the requested ordinance to allow staff to issue COPs: a market authorization for a maximum of $27,000,000, at a maximum interest rate of 6% over a 30‑year financing term, with staff planning to go to market in August.
Sedmack summarized that the ordinance before council would allow marketing of the debt; final terms would return to council for approval. Prosser said the overall project budget was approximately $51,000,000 with about $39,000,000 estimated for hard costs and contingencies and escalators built into the budget.
Council reaction split. Council Member O’Rider publicly objected to using nearly $30 million in debt for the shelter while the city faces other capital needs such as additional fire stations and police facilities, saying he was “not gonna support it.” Council members Burge and Arcos, and others, voiced support, stressing that the current shelter is out of compliance with governing standards and that renovating the existing facility would likely cost as much or more while failing to meet operational needs. Burge noted staff had begun outreach to neighboring jurisdictions about updating intergovernmental agreements for shelter services; staff said Arapahoe County’s IGA pays about $36,000 annually under an older agreement and that negotiations are scheduled.
Staff asked only for council permission to move the item forward to a regular council meeting so the city could go to market; council did not approve final debt terms at the study session.
