Commissioners approve title for one airport ballot question, vote on special meeting for another

The Pitkin County Board of Commissioners approved the title for one airport ballot question but voted on a special meeting for next week for its own question.

Citizens Against Bigger Planes’ ballot question, which has an approved ballot title and is on its way to the November ballot, seeks to amend the Home Rule Charter to restrict county officials’ decision-making power regarding the expansion or relocation of any runway at the Aspen/Pitkin County Airport beyond the dimensions and locations that existed on Jan. 1 without voter approval in their ballot question. It also clearly defines “runway.”

Pitkin County Board of Commissioners’ ballot question, which is scheduled for a special meeting next Tuesday, seeks to amend Article II of the county’s governing document, the Home Rule Charter, to reaffirm Pitkin County’s power to approve and carry out the layout plan for the Aspen-Pitkin County Airport.

Prior to the vote for a special meeting, Commissioner Kelly McNicholas Kury moved for an executive session to discuss the language on their ballot measure further. After the executive session, the commissioners came back with edited language. 

The language of the ballot measure was edited so much that Ry Neiley, interim Pitkin County attorney, said it required a second reading, so that the public could review it and make public comment.

The second meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, Sept. 3, just a few days before the Sept. 6 deadline.

In other news

On Tuesday, the Aspen Chamber Resort Association (ACRA) Board of Directors heard briefings from key stakeholders regarding the two airport ballot questions, including Aspen Fly Right’s Amory Lovins and the Community Coalition for a 21st Century Airport’s former elected officials Ann Mullins and George Newman.

“Today’s board meeting provided an essential platform to hear insights shared by Aspen Fly Right and the Community Coalition for a 21st Century Airport and was invaluable in helping to understand the various perspectives presented,” said ACRA Board Chair Cristal Logan in a news release from ACRA.

Aspen Fly Right maintained that given the popularity of Aspen’s airport among private and commercial flights, there is enough funding for Aspen to engage an operator to keep the funds within the community and to seek further compromise with the FAA. Lovins also presented various technologies in electronic avionics that he said will mitigate the need for runway expansion in the future, the news release states.

The Community Coalition for a 21st Century Airport presented an overview of a 16-month community input process, resulting in the common ground recommendations that were approved by the Board of County Commissioners in 2020. The goals of the common ground recommendations were wrapped into an amended airport layout plan submitted to the FAA this spring and included improving safety, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, managing growth, and reducing noise at the airport. Former elected officials Mullins and Newman emphasized the importance of modernizing the airfield terminal and transit options, as well as highlighted a critical timeline to apply for FAA grant opportunities to fund the majority of the improvements before they expire in 2026, the news release states.

Regan Mertz can be reached at 970-429-9153 or rmertz@aspentimes.com.