Currently, there are two ballot measure proposals before Boulder voters: One to close the airport and the other to develop 50% affordable housing on the land. Now, because of these measures, the City of Boulder is suing the FAA about the future possibility of closing the airport.
Here is why this is bad for Boulder
Uncertain, risky, and expensive: Closing the airport puts the city at great financial risk of owning and developing the land and a possible long and protracted fight with the FAA. We are already spending money today!
There are many unknown costs associated with closure: The proponents have yet to present any financial plan or analysis of how it would all work. There is no analysis or consideration of costs to provide water, septic, roads, transportation, environmental remediation, lease buyouts, legal costs, and other significant expenses.
Critical for Public Safety, Wildfire and Flood response: The Boulder Airport is the command center for the Boulder Office of Disaster Management. Med Evac helicopters use the Boulder Airport. And during the 2013 flood, the Boulder Airport was the location of the largest humanitarian airlift in U.S. history, after Hurricane Katrina. It’s good to know that we have the capacity nearby to respond quickly when emergencies arise here.
Loss of Protected Airspace over Boulder: Ironically, an airport closure would have the opposite effect of increasing the flight traffic in the skies over Boulder. Currently, FAA rules prohibit commercial flights and planes from other airports from flying too low over the city, to protect take-offs and landings at the Boulder Airport. If the Boulder Airport is closed, pilots from other airports will be able fly low over Boulder in ways that we don’t have now. We can’t simply get rid of airplanes flying overhead.
This is the most expensive property to develop in Boulder and there are better areas to develop: Why not use the Area III Planning Reserve now? It’s free. Even if the city can get the Airport released from the FAA, the soonest would be 20 years to begin development. A lot can happen.
Picking an unnecessary and costly fight with the FAA: The proponents of the ballot measures have given us a very aggressive and potentially expensive lawsuit in federal court. This wouldn’t be happening without these ballot measures.
Just like Muni: The city spent $30 million trying to acquire the electric system and got nothing. Instead, the Chamber estimates annual economic costs of $97.8 million to our economy to decommission the airport.
Founded in 1928, Boulder has benefited from this local aviation facility for nearly 100 years. We need to preserve this important asset and its role in the future of the aviation revolution.
Let’s Save the Boulder Airport.
What do Boulderites say?
"The airport helps keep our community safe by enabling wildfire and flood protection operations. It also adds to the unique feel of our community. My family and I have lived immediately east of the airport for 13 years and love to watch planes flying overhead. It would be a tragedy to lose our community airport."
- Boulder County Resident
5,
"The airport is a vital part of our town and its history. We need that airport more than we 'need' another housing development. The planes towing gliders transect my neighborhood – they are not an issue. I rather enjoy watching the gliders and the hang gliders; they add to the diversity that is Boulder."
- City of Boulder Resident
4,
"I love the Boulder Airport! I live just down the street in the Vista Village Manufactured Housing Community. I enjoy watching the gliders, parachute jumpers, the 1940's ball, BIFF drive-in movies, and public meeting space. It's a gift to our community."
- City of Boulder Resident
3,
"I've lived on the north side of the airport my entire life. They evacuated children and families from Calwood and surrounding areas during the flood and brought them to town by helicopter to the Boulder Airport. The airport is used as a base for firefighting and extinguishing the many wildfires we have had over the past several years. I enjoy walking by the airport on a daily basis, and watching the on-going activities there. I'm opposed to people moving into Boulder and then wanting to change what we have loved about this community for our entire lives."
- Boulder County Resident
2,
"I live on Independence Road. My children have grown up loving swinging on our swings watching the planes take off. What a valuable asset it has held to our community. Shivers went down my spine when Obama landed here for a speaking engagement at CU, and tears were shed watching the rescue planes load up to fight fire. To ignore and discredit its value to our community is a travesty. The airport is a time capsule of history for our city. The thought of tearing down our airport is the most "un-Boulder" thing we could do.... keep Boulder unique, protect its integrity and keep this community resource open!
Signed a Colorado native who has lived across from the airport and LOVED its noise, tinkering pilots and the value it has brought to my life for the last 15 years."
- City of Boulder Resident