A resolution opponents described as supporting the oil and natural gas industry above others was defeated by Aurora City Council at their Sept. 26 meeting.

Councilman Brad Pierce had asked that a resolution supporting the location of any lawful and legitimate industry within the city be considered, but his plan ran into opposition from two council citizen advisory committees and Aurora residents. Council defeated the resolution by an 8-2 vote, after earlier denying a motion to table the resolution indefinitely.

A similar resolution was adopted by the Jefferson County Commissioners on April 21, 2015.

Pierce’s resolution was reviewed by the city’s business advisory board on Sept. 19 and the oil and gas advisory committee on Sept. 21.

In a letter to Mayor Steve Hogan and city council, Business Advisory Board chairwoman Sally Vander Veer wrote that board members “struggled to understand the purpose of the resolution” and by a 9-0 vote, “the board considers the resolution frivolous and unnecessary and recommends that it not be adopted.”

Planning Supervisor and Local Governmental Designee Stephen Rodriguez noted in a memo to city council that the oil and gas advisory committee voted 4-3 with one abstention to oppose the resolution.

Nicole Johnston, a citizen representative on the oil and gas committee, told city council the resolution was “frivolous and unnecessary.”

“It’s also redundant, since it’s already the expectation the city supports lawful and legitimate businesses,” she said. “It’s presented as a pro-business resolution, but the language specifically references support for the oil and gas industry.”

Johnston cited wording in the resolution that said the city supported “dedicated development and production of Colorado’s energy resources.”

Included in the resolution’s wording was a section that said Aurora would seek to preserve the environment and protect the safety and prosperity of its citizens, while also “opposing any permanent ban of any particular lawful industry,” a nod at recent citizen-led efforts to restrict oil and natural gas development in Colorado.

“And the fact that the council sought input from the oil and gas advisory committee shows it is specific to that industry,” Johnston added. “Does the Aurora City Council intend to provide specific resolutions in support of marijuana, banking, the aerospace industries?”

Aurora resident Pat Dunn called the resolution “arbitrary, capricious and discriminatory” against other Aurora businesses and those that might want to locate in the city.

Other comments in opposition were that the resolution portrays the city of Aurora as “pandering to the wealthiest and most influential industry in Colorado,” and that its passage could lead some to question if the city also supports some unlawful industries by singling out lawful industries.

Before council’s vote to defeat the resolution, Councilwoman Françoise Bergan said she considered herself to be very pro-business, “And I welcome responsible oil and gas development, but this is unnecessary and serves no good purpose.”

Councilwoman Renie Peterson said she wondered why Pierce “ever came up with this idea, because we’re all for business and this is unnecessary.”

Mayor Pro Tem Sally Mounier seemed to direct a comment toward Pierce.

“I stood for you before, and now I ask that you stand for my citizens who will be the ones being affected,” Mounier said. “I sincerely think the idea Brad has is wrong.”

Pierce called his resolution “very straight forward, a very simple statement that we recognize and want all businesses in Aurora. That’s my main motivation to bring this forward, nothing more and nothing less.”