Everyone who cares about quality of life, the environment and the nation’s economic development has a vested interest in how land is used and developed.

Drawing on powers conferred by the tenth amendment to the U.S. Constitution, most states have given their cities and counties the power to guide and regulate land use and real estate development. City and counties execute these powers through land-use general plans and zoning ordinances.

To obtain permission to develop or re-develop land, a developer must comply with the land-use plans and zoning ordinances. If development plans do not comply with existing ordinances, the developer must persuade city or county officials either to grant a zoning variance or to re-zone the development site.

Throughout the writing of land-use plans and zoning ordinances and the approval process for development applications, citizens and community groups have many opportunities to influence how land is used and how development projects are designed.

You can vote for city and county officials whose vision for land-use and development you agree with. You can participate in community groups. You can contact state, county and city officials about planning issues that concern you. At meetings with developers you can express your views about proposed project designs.

As part of the approval process for complex development projects, city and county officials advertise and hold public hearings. Public hearings are open to everyone. You can ask the city or county agency to notify you personally about hearings on projects and issues in which you are interested. At public hearings, you can express to officials your views about development issues and project designs.

Responsible developers embrace the right of communities and citizens to guide land use and shape real estate developments. They know that a truly successful real estate development not only creates enjoyable spaces in which people can live or work; it also improves the quality of life in the community at large.

At the Aurora Companies, we think of real estate development as a grand collaboration. We do our best to create spaces in which people will enjoy living, working, shopping and playing. We do our best to design developments in ways that conform with community wishes, give residents greater pride in their communities and add to the economic well being of communities.

If we are designing a development for your community, we invite you to share your ideas and concerns with us. Send us an email and ask to be put on our emailing list for notices of community meetings. Come to the meetings. Let us show you our design proposals. Hear the thoughts and concerns of others in your community. Share your thoughts and ideas with all of us.

In the design phase of a project, if your design ideas and suggestions benefit everyone whom the project touches, comply with city or county zoning ordinances and are economically feasible— we will do our best to incorporate them into the design of the project.