Boulder Municipal Airport

to obligate the city to operate the airport in perpetuity, which would be a covenant of the grant

Consideration of a motion to approve an application to Federal Aviation Administration

to initiate a thoughtful analysis of potential safety issues with operations of the glider runway and potential solutions

I'm going to be making a motion that we recommend that city council ask staff to seriously study the safety issues with the glider runway

Policy 79, municipal airport in the very first line talks about maintaining the the airport as a safe environment for aviation.

Policy 79, the municipal airport. We supported the original planning board amendment to the draft language

So, the next condition relates to policy 79 municipal airport, which council needs to reconsider.

Tonight's presentation was crafted to convince you that you must take FAA grants, but that's just not true.

The airport occupies 175 acres of scarce land in a city desperate for protected open space

we are obliged to continue to use the airport until 2040

Consideration of a motion to approve the continued operation of the airport in accordance with Boulder Revised Code 1981 sections 11-4

Operationally, if we are able to um legally have activities at the airport, then we would move in that direction and do so

there's some like some discussion around what are the uses happening at the airport

The second conditional amendment concerns the municipal airport, which is policy 79

Consideration of a motion to accept the April 23 Study Session Summary regarding the Airport Discussion.

Otherwise, my concern is we're having a conversation around a single use for that airport

that's very complicated in a FAA um airport situation

there is a set of work plan items and improvements on the airport that we would like to budget in

Discussion of Council Action Desired for Continued Use of Airport Land

your recent study session about the airport was riddled with incomplete and erroneous information.

I hope you will see to it that true owners of the airport are the ones responsible for its operations.

If the sovereign entity that owns the airport is subject to grant assurances and does try to implement controls

could and should this polling process include consideration of of airport

the airport has not been considered usually in that domain

Current airport users have said they don't want growth at the airport, but under FAA rule, limiting any aspect of airport operations is disallowed

decided in a barely announced closed study session to move forward with dedicating 175 acres of city property to the FAA and the aviation industry forever

do not take FAA grants that would commit the city to maintaining the airport forever

It fights back with Sundance, and Area 3, and the airport, and CU South.

along with CU South, Area 3, the airport, things like this

we do have obligations um certainly for safety, but they go well beyond safety to uh maintenance and operation.

the FAA has made clear what their position is, which is that airports, all airports including our airport have to continue to operate

In 2023, as mentioned earlier, the city launched the airport community conversation to understand community aspirations

Airport Discussion Staff Time: 20 Min Council Time: 70 Min Total Time: 90 Min

Boulder Airport has overwhelming support from the community.

Boulder Airport is an economic engine that by C DOT's estimate provides upwards of 78 million in revenue

I know the Boulder Municipal Airport as a vital asset to our community and to the aviation industry.

that would be the airport coming conversation and area three

it is so great to have somebody that understands a community airport like that

aircraft at the airport can use unleaded fuel with the with the appropriate approvals

I presented to this city a template and a road map to bring unleaded fuel to the airport

for an unleaded aviation fuel subsidy at the Boulder Municipal Airport

policy 76 describes some really specific current uses of the municipal airport

including through the airport community conversation, the signature drive to put a measure on the ballot

And then the last thing I'm going to talk about is the airport policy.

It sounds pretty pro-airport to me. The city's talking about, building relationships, or the city is forward-looking as aircraft electrification becomes reality.

airport neighborhood campaign, which, frequently quoted there was a section in the transportation

This also reminds me of the airport when a report was generated and it didn't include

Area 3, city-owned land, the airport, like, it comes up a lot, right?

if anyone is going to the airport, we really like that there is now sort of a full regional connection

the Airport Boulder AB bus has an AB2 route

Speaking on behalf of the airport neighborhood campaign, we would like to thank city leadership for deciding not to pursue FAA grant funding

it is unusual for a city the size of border to consider eliminating airport entirely

removing an airport is extremely expensive. Demolishing runways, reworking utilities

while I won't comment on the airport litigation per se, I will say that we have previously said

refuse any further extension of funding obligations until it is crystal clear what the city's obligations are after the year 2040

Let's talk about the city's lawsuit and the question of whether to take FAA funds again.

I move that for all CIP items associated with BDU that can be delayed without compromising airport safety

This has long been known as a non-conforming runway

currently, the Boulder Airport only offers leaded aviation fuel

At this point in time, the general fund is not uh contributing uh to support uh airport operations.

We successfully advocated for RTG to return Routes such as the Flatiron Flyer, additional airport service

airport safety and operations and asset management asset management a big focus.

really looking at the safety and maintenance of our airport, doing some key actions there

So we have a municipal airport. We're in the process of hiring a new airport manager.

gonna get solved if and when we redevelop that airport, or if and when we redevelop area 3 or

And the challenge kind of like, when had somebody come in and talk about airport stuff

Which is why I love the airport ideas because it gives you a chance to like instead of evolving something

Uh it is um a topic that we have been thinking about with relation to the airport.

there has been a persistent problem um with residences near airports uh in terms of uh lead pollution

So, we've had some complaints about noise around the airport.

We know we need to address the lead emissions uh from the airport. It's a serious air quality issue.

I'm extremely concerned about the lead that's being sprayed over.

This entire area is impacted in a uniquely toxic way by that airport.

I do think that the noise and pollution generated by the airport are unique.

So as you get closer to the airport, there tends to be less residential allowed, for example

the airport there was no decision being made so that's why that was at a more collaborative level

one of the more robust engagements we've done recently which is around the B Municipal Airport Community conversation

we're spending a pile of cash on on a an FAA lawsuit about what the word perpetuity means

we need to we own the airport but how do we own the airport

obligated to use the airport in perpetuity for that purpose

it is not about closure or not closure of the airport it is about a very narrow

I did have a question around the airport and I noticed that there was a

utilizing the infrastructured advantages that we have in the airport is one example

Or the lawsuit against the Boulder airport. The city seems to waste a lot of money on these.

the Faa gave us the right to use it as an airport if we accepted the funds to have it as an airport.

the airport neighborhood campaign looks to continue our work with Council staff and the broader public on these issues

that the city's lawsuit against the FAA will affirm the city's title to our airport land

the ANC has officially withdrawn our two airport related ballot measures we confident

based on the fact that we are involved in litigation with the Faa

that's the Boulder municipal airport that can be delayed without compromising airport safety

So the motion that we passed last year said that the Planning Board recommends that staff delay implementation

The airport petition was Oh. Yeah. And and we're not taking the Grant money.

If it ever does this housing, we do not need more housing at the airport.

You want to know about housing in Boulder. Let me tell you about it. It's a saturated market. This airport deal is a complete screwover

I'm not sure that the airport working group was the best example to use

trying to play that role on the airport working group

we'll consider re uh possible alternative uses for the airport so no matter how you feel about the airport

submit an airport plan to the FAA is that something we have to do at a specific time

I support the airport being there and even if the airport isn't there

so I don't support the change at the airport granted my dad worked for the FAA

instructed the city manager to contact the FAA to get information about the faa's position with respect to the city's Grant assurances

to obtain a Judicial determination of the duration of the city's obligation to continue operating the gold municipal airport

to add item 2 C which is consideration of a motion to initiate and pursue litigation against the United States of America the Federal Aviation Administration

the city would not and did not agree to obligate itself to operate the airport in perpetuity

challenging the faa's claim that there that the city does not have the right to close the airport

it's important to note that Boulder airport is unique and the unique qualities of our airport also limit our ability for Revenue generation

some airports do create the character of their Airport by encouraging specific types of users to come into the airport

whether we have any data on how this um kind of new development of hangers and things like that impacts on um traffic and use

the east campus, the airport, and the planning reserve. All should not happen.

like the airport, like the east campus, like the quantum business.

leaves the decision to council for the July 25th meeting about about uh the future of the airport

just the intersection between this and the airport so for example if the airport passes then what are the implications

Oh, I got a little distracted by the last conversation about the Airport neighborhood campaign

which was the airport community conversation. It's not about the petitions.

where the Council is going to talk about the Airport Addition drive airport.

Reed Hillview airport and the Santa clar County Commissioners have really blazed a trail in how to get off of the Leed aviation fuel

the airport hosts Young Eagles every first Saturday of the month the airport hosts Young Eagles rallies

I'd hate to see to lose that in the future the cost involved in decommissioning the airport

the airport's operations contribute substantially to air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions conflicting with our City's climate goals

our webinar is about one particular lead study for Reed Hill viiew airport

four peer-reviewed studies that have explicitly examined proximity to airports and children's blood Le levels

we've also been using a lot with airport, like as things are kind of happening with the airport.

you know, letters to the editor about her position on the airport.

So there's a planning board member who is very, very interested in an outcome with the airport

the airport claps back that the noise abatement is quote voluntary and therefore no crime is committed

many vocal community members on the airport topic have lived cohesively the longest with the airport

I'm asking City leadership to make a decision to keep the airport open

if you look at the first City ballot on decommissioning the airport is it would it be correct

for the first petition to decommission the airport and then 82 uh for repurposing the

the first is titled repurpose our runways it's seeking to amend uh the BRC 11-4

there's more contributions at the airport than you may know I will be sending you an invite

delays in determining the future of the airport in this city we our business desperately need this Purgatory

our small business at the boulder municipal airport and its contributions to the city for over 30 years

If we want to continue to explore airport closure, and part of that information would also include some additional options

Then we would look to essentially long term leases, and that's something we'll be talking about in July with you.

we are not going to pursue. Close the airport, and we are gonna work on sustaining and and and building that infrastructure.

how do we operate the airport with local dollars without fa dollars for the next 20 years

So for airport item, and the project work that we've been working on since we went.

my ask with respect to the airport, is not the comfortable decision to close it or repurpose

I know the airport subject was controversial. But the way it's worded in here.

that's gonna add a huge amount of congestion to boulder along with

So one of the things that I've just been thinking about is the airport situation. And I really think Tab should weigh in on this

because the city accepted Grant funds for land acquisition the FAA has already advised the city in this regard

discussion of closing the airport will bring formidable opposition from the Federal Aviation Administration

I think you should make the land available to all of Boulder and those in the county that take the brunt of their noise and Lead pollution

If decommissioning is not viable, and we're going to keep the airport.

So this, again is about further study of airport scenarios 3 and 4 airport scenario, 3 being an airport retention and growth scenario

Community feedback indicates the community community desires to keep the airport and improve conditions in the near term

Resume conversion of the airport which is known as Edu and airport jargon into a mixed income neighborhood

Scenario 3 is airport growth and addition of uses within the context of an airport and the other one is the decommission scenario

this item is meant to build upon that conclusion from the airport community conversation

I'm surprised that the city attorney's office has allowed a current member of the planning board to lead a petition to close the municipal airport.

if we want to understand what could be built at the airport

The airport is more about what is possible on that particular site

while I totally appreciate your interest in the in the airport

it's the the legal strategy we're working on. Faa's kind of just the dynamic with faa and the financial analysis

We submitted this information to the Faa and posed a few questions to them

And then our next information item, is the airport community conversion status until it sounded like you had something in mind on this one.

this is an information item and update on the Boulder airport community conversation.

And then they're also looking into the FAA response that, you know, they're engaging with the FAA and getting responses from them.

But simultaneously they're also producing research on. Feasibility, shutting down the airport

the header on the addition is Let's turn the bolder airport site into one of the best places to live, work and play

Yes, aviation question is that about Boulder airport specifically, or is this like travel

Airport safety is obviously one that we talk more about recently just given the conversations in the community around the airport

should we build a Broadband Network should we keep our airport

The one that I'm working on most closely is lead reduction. Leaded fuel is still used at the airport.

airports, also a big center for emergency response. So we all remember what happened in the floods

Most people think about the airport as a center for recreation for recreational pilots.

we keep hearing well the FAA requires X Y and Z on the airport

grants so that local airports could pay for the infrastructure necessary to have a dedicated unleaded fuel tank

focusing on minimizing the impact of local airport overflight noise and pollution on neighborhood communities

they're planning to do an airport master plan update in 2025

Repurposing the airport or at least they are open to that.

we would defer accepting the grants until after the community had decided whether we are moving forward with the airport

item number seven and again related to the FAA related project spending at the airport

looking at deferring uh spending on FAA related projects at the airport uh we believe

wait until there's a little bit more certainty about what's going to happen with that airport site

until the city makes its decision about what it's going to do with the airport

that if the airport closed, what would be our financial obligation

Scenario 3 did have some provisions for some amount of housing, but it was kind of of a housing above hangers

There this will be an airport in perpetuity and there's no there's no wiggle room on this

not wanting to hamper the operations and save maintenance of the airport.

There was a recommendation to try to delay accepting faa funding where possible

this airport serves as a Gateway for dreams to take flight providing countless individuals with opportunity

closing kbu would not only deprive current and new pilots of important place to learn and train

I implore you to reconsider the per proposal to close Boulder airport

airport closure John I have that handy if you want me to kind of read it but if you have it memorized you probably do and you can speak to that

according to them while Grant assurances are in effect FAA must approve a request to use airport property for other than airport purposes

neighborhood that may include housing activity centers employment hubs and green space a portion of land would be set aside for helicopter emergency services

If we stop taking faa money, then the city would have to fund it from our funds, which we can't do.

the faa basically would like the airport to remain in airport indefinitely, and the city tries to change that

This airport represents a huge opportunity for building a lot of missing middle.

we absolutely must get rid of the FAA involvement so that a small group of people cannot operate without regard

the FAA does not enforce any rules or recommendations regarding flight patterns that affect people and homes on

the airplane noise has exponentially increased over the last six years

Do you feel sufficiently informed about what's going on with the airport process

before they make that eventual decision about what is the future of the airport

So the airport, as you know. I'm I'm your liaison for the airport community conversation

So there are at least 3 examples of airports that have managed to negotiate with the Faa to completely decommission.

I think that there's a question mark around whether the Faa will allow it.

East Hampton Airport closed in May of 2,022

in 2018 the estimated value of the 180 Acres at Boulder airport was 358 million that value is likely quite a bit more now

leadership and staff for initiating the community working group with respect to the future of Boulder airport

I hope you'll consider the justice and the revenue that you could get by repurposing the airport

Then the next stage is they will be developing, trying to develop one preferred scenario to discuss with city council

the airport stakeholder community, the pilot community, the tenants of the airport, are pretty organized

and I don't know if folks have questions about the airport and what's been happening, but I will just briefly say

Just a real quick announcement again about the Airport Open House

for that first bullet point about estimating costs, resources, and level of effort to negotiate with the Faa

this idea of decommissioning the airport and having housing

we do view this consideration of the future of the airport to be a land use, change issue

and then the fourth one was talking about decommissioning the airport and creating a new neighborhood

one is doing the minimum amount of maintenance on the airport

And then on the recently appointed ones, we've got the airport community working group

draft scenarios, and we'll get to comment on them at that stage. And then after that there will be, I believe, another round

quick update on the airport as your liaison. We do have Our third airport community working group meeting will happen tomorrow

You have a legal contract with us that that's more or less a thesis

the idea of of an alternative to the airport rather than just, an you know, an abstraction

On the airport. Just a couple of things. The airport working group.

the planning board opted to weigh in on the airport community collaboration group working group

We sent a letter to Council on April fifth about the Airport community conversation for which I am the Planning Board liaison.

It is a small airport. It is only private planes. There's no commercial uses

they started sort of trying to created some scaffolding for how to create scenarios for what to do about the airport.

It'll come from other airports and use our airport as place to practice for their students.

is to go ahead and write a communication from me as the airport liaison

We approved a letter from planning board to City Council about the Airport community conversation

Because I do have the airport working group, which is pretty active.

the airport liaison role you're playing is very important, and it's a very big Development Land Use Development Project.

as the airport liaison that I think Staff heard our feedback and have incorporated it to a large extent

Ryan. You want him to discuss the airport. Great? Okay, thanks. I have 2 things airports, one of them.

The city's negotiating position with the Faa if we have a shiny brand New airport rather than an old rundown airport

We would not go and accept Federal funds to do an Fa Airport master plan

But right now, given that our airport is in a state of disrepair.

decommissioning an airport is quite difficult. and the Faa does not like to let communities do that.

Staff is envisioning this as more of looking at the airport as an airport facility.

but just whether the airport would be decommissioned. So if you ask people

There's their neighbors who don't like the the noise of the airport.

and you know that they they still use lighted fuel at the airport

support a process that only looks at up to decommissioning and not what comes after

as I understand it, the way the conversation is currently designed that conversation will not happen unless the community says decommissioned the airport

Do you want an airport or not, and to decommission an airport is actually quite difficult

we're working on the airport Community conversation and to hear from the community

there's a community working group forming around the airport Boulder airport. It's not specifically tasked with a housing outcome in any way.

Staff will give you an overview of what you expect on the advisory group for the airport.

We were going to talk about the the community working group with the airport

I did get confirmation from Staff that this community conversation is intended to to begin the response to Bvcp t0 6, point 2 3

I can update the Board about with regard to the airport community conversation. so that if folks are interested that process is moving forward.

I didn't know too much about municipal airports, and I've learned a lot

I will confess that I was part of the interview panel for the current director of the airport.

So hopefully. Somebody on the on the board has a wider expertise on airports, and would put themselves forward.

provides the only opportunity for us to create a significant number of middle income housing units

the city will work with the community to reassess the potential for developing a portion of the airport for housing and neighbor neighborhoods serving uses

is owned and operated by the city of boulder in partnership with the Faa

there's certainly been discussion about the airport recently

So before they spend a bunch of more money on airport master plan and encumber the property even more

I move that we have a listening session sometime this year on the airport

it sounds like there may be some support for decommissioning the airport eventually, and creating a housing site.

community about the desired future of the airport the ask for this came out

the city owns the airport in partnership with the FAA

the community conversation as a preamble to the airport master plan which we've accelerated from 2025 up to 2023

the airport members have just off the top of your head questions about a to use it's it's been kind of a moving target for a while

I would love to see explicit consideration being given to the futures of both of those areas. And and you've already mentioned what's happening at the airport

The second was With respect to both the airport

should a portion of the airport be changed to residential and neighborhood serving uses

That was a regard to the municipal Airport master Plan, and a process regarding the master plan.

positively contribute in responsible community-minded and environmentally conscious ways of growth at the airport

the current conditions of Interest or intensity from the council or Community about our airport while we are grateful

we are a highly risk adverse business that is operated there for over 30 years in compliance with all city regulations

so much could be done with the land that currently houses the pollution engine of the airport

furthermore boulder is currently selling and profiting from the like sales of leaded fuel while unleaded alternatives exist

we are in a public health crisis over 70 percent of lead pollution in colorado comes from aviation

like the regulatory approach to the airport influence zones once you get away from the runway area and the takeoff and landing zones

as uh was just discussed the master plan apartment 50 study actually would be going simultaneous uh the uh with the same consultant

this is a map of the current airport influence zone which is referenced in the code and zone one applies to the runway

future steps for doing a part 150 study which helps us understand any noise impacts

takes into consideration the concerns of the folks who use the airport and presently have their you know glider towing operation

one board member was interested in trying to make some strategic analysis of the airport

we don't have the um expertise in house either in um the Coo's office or at the airport

they have voted to decommission their airport i'd like to know how they did it

the process and the mechanisms for decommissioning or municipal airport it's 179 acres

to make the airport and more like Community facing asset

thank you for your time and the opportunity to speak on behalf of the boulder airport and the airport community

since the last master plan in 2007 virtually nothing in the master plan has been accomplished at the airport

several expenditures for deferred maintenance and infrastructure improvements that the airport

the airport has requested an eight hundred thousand dollar appropriation from fund balance

to accept financial assistance for the boulder airport through the federal airport coronavirus response grant program

the late edition of the airport fund request for eight hundred thousand dollars uh to to replace the fuel farm at the airport

the airport would become even more exclusive than it might be already

i'm wondering um if the city could sustain the airport without the grants of the faa

in the next slide that um over here is that we have started allowing the ultralight vehicle to use the aircraft use at the airport

so the airport is uh is an Enterprise so those we do not include

there was an explosive growth in tax revenues from $60,000 to 1.5 million uh relating to the airport

making the airport more of an amenity to people who aren't pilots in boulder

the airport has sort of kind of you know kind of risen as a a great community place

the boulder municipal airport as a temporary aerial firefighting base for helicopters

boulder municipal airport cares grant um to be accepted accepting this grant

approve by resolution the boulder municipal airport federal cares act grant

I'D LIKE TO TALK ABOUT THE AIRPORT BUDGET AS WELL

IN PARTICULAR WORKING WITH ROCKY MOUNTAIN AIRPORT BECAUSE THAT'S THE AIRPORT THAT HAS THE MOST

OUR OBLIGATION WITH THE FAA IS TO HAVE A RUNWAY THAT MEETS THEIR SAFETY STANDARDS

ARE REAL AIRPORTS AND NOT REDUCE REAL AIRPORT

WE MADE ASSURANCES TO THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT THAT WE'RE GOING TO RUN AN AIRPORT ACCORDING TO FAA STANDARDS

IMPROVING THE RUNWAY AREN'T THAT FRIENDLY HAS A LIFESPAN OF TWENTY YEARS

we do look at is the airport for future affordable housing and a center a neighborhood center obviously we want to keep some of that for emergency

the city is the majority landowner in East Boulder a lot of that is Valmont city park land along the Boulder Creek path the airport I think those are the biggies

this Airport it is out of the floodplain it's a beautiful site

we have this Airport that is utilized by maybe 200 people not all

utilization of that piece of property is something other than an airport so right now we are just collecting information

the airport also serves some important functions for rescues and wildfire management

the deadline for current comments is June 6th and we are working with

there was a public meeting a series of public meetings by the FAA at the end of April and early May

by 2017 everybody was noted noticing major noise problems in South Boulder it's like having a jet freeway overhead

putting a mobile home park eventually on our Municipal Airport that serves less than 200 people

the municipal airport might need a sub-community plan at some point in the future

so for instance on the project that's listed in the CIP which is overlay of the runway facility

and then the runway facilities are primarily funded through the FAA so if you divide it

this is with respect to the the rehab runway and Eastern taxiway at the airport

bould has a significant interest in uh the Vitality of general aviation and that includes um Aviation educational institutions organizations Community airports

our first item is a declaration regarding general aviation appreciation month that will be presented

adding item 1A declaration for general aviation appreciation month so do have a motion second