East Aurora's service wait might be ending

Why it matters: After years of homebuilding outpacing services, metro Denver's eastern flank is showing signs of momentum.

That follows years of complaints from residents in neighborhoods like Harmony and Aurora Highlands.

• Residents I've talked to say they drive nearly 10 miles for a gallon of milk.
• Perhaps most glaringly, elements of community — like coffee shops, restaurants, rec centers and libraries — are what's missing.

What they're saying: "[O]ur ward has been forgotten a little bit, other than for home development," Councilmember Amy Wiles, who represents much of east Aurora, tells me.

The big picture: This is a service desert — an area without easy access to essential public or commercial resources.

• But unlike most service or food deserts, east Aurora doesn't lack income or growth.

In fact, Aurora Highlands could eventually add roughly 12,500 homes and 50,000 residents.

Wiles says she's spoken informally to Lowe's, El Pollo Loco, Crunch Fitness and others about setting up shop in the area.

• "I ... keep talking to retailers, saying this is why you should get in now."

Yes, but: They tell her they'll come once there are enough customers.

💭 My thought bubble: Poor infrastructure also makes recruitment hard. Drive east of E-470, and it's clusters of homes linked with choked roads.

• Gun Club Road is the clearest example.

Residents say services that do arrive often aren't what they need.

Driving the news: Aurora City Council last week denied a conditional-use permit for a convenience-store proposal near East Alameda Avenue and South Powhaton Road.

What's next: "Land prep" at the King Soopers site could begin this summer, Wiles says — an important benchmark for the area's transformation.

• And Aurora voters will decide in November whether to fund Gun Club Road work, a rec center and a library branch.