July 25, 2024

With Airport Neighborhood Campaign initiatives to be decided by voters in November, we are grateful that at their Special Meeting on July 25, Boulder City Council deferred the decision on whether the Boulder airport should stay open indefinitely or be decommissioned.

At the meeting the results of the airport financial analysis were discussed.   A consuming issue was years of deferred maintenance at the airport and how to address them.   These exist in spite of airport supporters' assertion that the airport is self-funding.    The tradeoffs and possibilities around increased development, user fees and other revenue strategies were raised.

Why this matters

The airport suffers from years of deferred maintenance.  Under questioning, The Transportation and Mobility Director, Natalie Stiffler, said this is because of limited revenue in the airport fund and airport revenue has not kept pace with the airport's needs.   She called this a "financial strategy" for the city - for decades the solution has been to do "the bare minimum."  

The financial analysis recommended growth and development of the airport in order to generate revenue. 

Regarding revenue generation, Airport Manager John Kinney cited inherent constraints at the airport that create funding challenges.   He said the airport is primarily recreational and the runway is too short for jets or bigger aircraft.   Also, fuel sales are low compared to other nearby airports.

Kinney cited pavement needs that have become "burdensome" because of the deferred maintenance.  “Unfortunately, you’re changing the oil on this car for the first time at 80,000 miles,” he said.

The city has spent more that $400,000 on airport consulting in advance of developing the next airport Master Plan.   The last Master Plan was developed in 2007.  

Daily Camera, Boulder City Council delays decision on municipal airport

Boulder Reporting Lab, Boulder considers expanding its airport ahead of potential closure