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City of Boulder

Your Local Representatives

Boulder County Commissioners 
​   Contact Form
Nuria Rivera-Vandermyde , City Manager
   [email protected]
Aaron Brockett, Mayor
   [email protected]
Nicole Speer, Mayor Pro Tem
   [email protected]
Taishya Adams, Boulder City Council
   [email protected]
Tina Marquis, Boulder City Council
   [email protected]
Mark Wallach, Boulder City Council
   [email protected]
Lauren Folkerts, Boulder City Council
   [email protected]
Tara Winer, Boulder City Council
   [email protected] 
Matt Benjamin, Boulder City Council
   [email protected]
Ryan Schuchard, Boulder City Council
   [email protected]
Boulder DCOG Representatives
    [email protected]
    [email protected]
Dylan Swanson, Boulder Municipal Airport Interim Day-to-Day Management
    [email protected]
Picture
Governor Jared Polis
   [email protected]

Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser
   [email protected]

Joe Neguse, US Congress, 2nd District
   [email protected]
John Hickenlooper, US Senate
   [email protected]
Michael F. Bennet, US Senate
    [email protected]
Senator Stephen Fenberg, District 18
    [email protected]
Representative Junie Joseph, House District 10
     [email protected]

Issue Overview

BDU (Boulder Municipal Airport) has become a growing contributor to noise, lead, and air pollution.  According to AirNav.com, the FAA recorded an average of 155 flights per day in 2017. This has increased  drastically since then with the expansion and growth of RMMA located a few miles to the south, the expansion  of Vance-Brand airport to the north and the expansion and growth of Boulder's own businesses based at BDU. 

"But the airport was here first!"

  • The City of Boulder was incorporated in 1871. It sits at the base of the foothills at 5328’ feet in elevation with a wall of mountains over 8000’ in elevation a few miles to the West.  
  • A mere 3 miles from downtown, BDU was formed in the 1940’s. It was and still is owned by the City of  Boulder. The airport wasn't paved until the 1960's. 
  • Since then, hangars, runways and growth have increased without community input. This means homes have been subject to drastic change with no seat at the table. 

Boulder was here first and the airport was built too close to the  city. With a wall of mountains to the west, growth can only go towards the airport. There is no buffering  land between homes and businesses and the airport property. This was not an issue until recently, when what  appears to be explosive flight school and touring growth based at BDU increasing noise and air pollution to  most of East and Northeast Boulder City and County. 

"Don't move near an airport if you don't want to hear the planes".

  • BDU was constructed 3 miles from downtown with a wall of  mountains on one side. This was not set up for population and airport growth. To live anywhere  in Boulder means  you have about a 40-50% chance of being under/near abundant flight training.  
  • As echoed in other points, many folks moved here long before the unregulated and unfettered growth with no community input. Most community folks will say they have resided in their homes for decades and never had an issue with flight traffic until recent years. What this means is, this is not an "anti-airport" movement but rather a calling out to the airport that has shown no regard to community impact, health and safety. And this certainly refutes the industry blame on the community for having moved where they did. 
  • Boulder county has 5 airports in a 20 mile or less radius. The biggest issues are flight schools and  touring operations, not rescue or emergency or inbound/outbound privates. That means a lot of traffic is touring and training away from the airports over the counties and suburbs and do so typically under  2,000 above ground which is in contrast to private planes headed out of the area. There is no getting  away from the planes anywhere within a 20 mile radius. 

​Recently the City  of Boulder spent millions on updating the train track intersections so the conductors wouldn’t have to blast their  horn. The trains come through maybe 3-5 times a day/night. The horns lasted a  couple of minutes. No  one scolded folks about moving near a​​
 train track. The community simply moved forward with a means  to create a quieter environment. Boulder spent millions on this noise mitigation that was far less of a  burden, pollutant, hazard and risk than what the airport is impressing on the community.  

City council also spent a considerable amount of time and bandwidth ensuring CU Boulder party noise and parking could be best regulated for the folks in the Chautauqua area. At no point did anyone apply the "if you didn't want to hear party noise don't move near a college" dynamic. ​

“Boulder Airport is needed during emergencies” ​

BDU does not contribute to emergency support operations beyond helicopters. Slurry bombers and the like are unable to use BDU because the runway cannot accommodate them. 
The city has multiple response recovery resources and the existence of an airport does not reflect the emergency preparedness of a community. Any flight resiliency is in a heliport and not an airport for City of Boulder. A heliport only needs approx 10 acres and this retention and evaluation for need is in discussion for decommissioning the airport. 

BDU now impacts the area in the following ways: 
  • Decreased home values in both city and county; 
  • Chronic noise from 6AM to 9PM, even indoors with the windows closed, due to the sound frequency of the planes;
  • Increased air pollution;
  • Increased lead pollution;
  • Increased noise pollution (no noise study has been performed);
  • Takes away the quaint and quiet community
  • Decreased safety as the skies are now crowded and congested with low-flying craft (most of which  are 40-50 years old, with pilots learning how to fly at the helm). Most crashes occur on take-off and  landing, with the BDU so close to the center of town, this increases risk even more. 

“But Boulder cares about the environment and climate!"

BDU fundamentally conflicts with Boulders notorious “green” image. As City staff regularly discuss climate  impacts, the hundreds of circling leaded gas GA planes need to enter the conversation.  ​

Boulder Airport's Dangerous Location ​

The above issues are here, and only getting worse as  more people build in the City and County of Boulder. With the airport’s proximity to city center, landing and takeoff patterns are  fundamentally dangerous. At best, if pilots are skilled and thoughtful, planes takeoff or land 300-600 feet above homes and  businesses at times over 50 times a day. 

This image captures one moment in time of a single airplane training “circuits” AKA “touch-and-goes”  over North Boulder. This area is densely and fully populated with apartments, businesses, and trails. For  reference, 28th Street is a major artery to enter and exit Boulder and is better known as highway 36 on  regional maps. This entire area is located at around 5200’ in elevation, with planes flying 300-600 feet  above their rooftops.


Picture

Boulder City and Airport Noise Abatement Procedures are Increasingly Disregarded 

The most prolific growth lands squarely on one BDU business providing touring, renting, and training,  as well as FBO and the sale of leaded gas. There are a few other businesses based out of BDU and the  list can be found in this public link. Touring and training planes out of BDU fly extensively over Boulder city and county as early as 6:30 AM until 9PM, disregarding the airport and city official noise abatement that requests no touch and goes before 8AM and after 5PM. 

​
BDU pilots and visiting pilots violate or regularly barely meet FAA minimum flight elevation laws. Seen closer on another occasion captured from PublicVue website, is an example of touring planes flying under  900’ (under the federal requirement of 1,000’ or more over congested areas) over Boulder hotels, the post  office, Boulder Humane Society, restaurants, trails, homes and more. 
Picture
​More often than not pilots increasingly train or tour over delegated noise sensitive areas. They also do so  below the 7500’ elevation request, and often below the 1000' federal minimum for flights over densely populated areas.
Picture
In this above image example, Boulder tour planes represent most of the purple flight patterns seen in this  heatmap so thick you cannot see area names on the map. These display just one day (June 3rd, 2021) of  Boulder-based planes over Boulder. The light blue lines are flights originating from Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport that use BDU for touch-and-goes and other flight training. The red and green lines represent departures and arrivals at Denver International Airport.​

Further Reading

Hear from an outspoken critic of the Boulder Municipal Airport
Boulder Daily Camera Top 10 stories of 2024 | No. 3: Boulder sues FAA after airport ballot measures make 2024 ballot
Guest opinion: Laura Kaplan: FAA’s motion to dismiss Boulder airport lawsuit moves case forward
Boulder officials advance measures on airport, council pay for November election
Boulder airport ballot measures may see slight tweaks
Boulder city clerk rules pro-airport campaign violated election rules
Boulder City Council delays decision on municipal airport
Aircraft that responded to Boulder’s Dinosaur Fire came from nearby cities
Housing advocates file a second election complaint over Boulder airport
Measure to close Boulder’s airport qualifies for 2024 ballot: The measure could serve as a referendum on the city’s decades-old airport and as a flashpoint in the city’s search for land to build housing to help drive down costs.
Closing the Boulder Municipal Airport: Flight of fancy or city’s best option for housing?
Guest opinion: Lisa Morzel: Boulder airport site is the best place to create housing for ‘missing middle’
Guest opinion: Paul Alter: Let’s base Boulder’s development goals on data, not emotion
Colorado looks to get lead out of aviation fuel as a new study adds to potential health concerns
Letters to the editor: Evaluate the future of the airport
Guest opinion: Mark Wallach: What to do with the Boulder airport?
Fast Facts about the Future of Boulder’s Airport Site
Boulder Daily Camera | Letters to the editor: Aerial disaster response will remain
Boulder housing board considers converting airport into mixed-income neighborhood
Petition aims to build momentum toward decommissioning Boulder airport
Colorado legislators talk priorities for upcoming session at Boulder event
July 23, 2022 | Boulder Airport: Accurate information key to repurposing land
Boulder Daily Camera: Open Forum | Speak up on municipal airport noise over Boulder
Mark Wallach: More pro-development myths: Cities do not magically grow their way toward affordability
Pilot charged with nearly crashing plane into boats, investigators say he left the country
Boulder hears from community members on the future of its airport
‘Once-in-a-forever opportunity’: Boulder residents to weigh in on repurposing airport for housing
City eyes future possibilities for Boulder airport site
Denver Post Editorial: Editorial: Don’t let children near Colorado’s airports suffer the same fate as kids in Flint, Mich. Stop providing leaded gasoline at Colorado’s regional airports
Turbulence From BDU Stretches Beyond City of Boulder
Doctors, nurses ask Jeffco to take action on RMMA's leaded Avgas
Boulder residents again ask FAA to move air traffic further south
Deadly ground | Beech Aircraft toxins poison open space
Boulder Achieves 24% Reduction in Greenhouse Gas Emissions Since 2018, New Inventory Shows
FAA seeks to dismiss City of Boulder’s lawsuit over municipal airport closure
Ballot measure to close Boulder airport withdrawn amid FAA lawsuit, shifting 2024 election landscape
Guest opinion: Josh Joseph: The airport is a subsidized waste of space
Boulder sues FAA over possible airport closure
Boulder airport financial analysis draws criticisms from community
Boulder staffers: City may net hundreds of millions of dollars from closing municipal airport
Why a Boulder group wants to turn the city’s airport into an affordable neighborhood
Colorado Residents Gain Momentum in Addressing Aviation Noise and Pollution
Boulder airport ballot measures likely going to voters this fall
Guest opinion: Mark Wallach: Airport land is ours and we should establish our right to do with it as we will
Boulder housing advocates file election complaint against pro-airport groups
State study shows slightly raised levels of lead in children’s blood near airports
Letters to the editor: Let voters decide on future of airport
Kids living near Colorado airports have slightly elevated levels of lead in their blood, new study finds
Guest opinion: Laura Kaplan: Help put airport’s future on the ballot so we can decide for ourselves
Petitions Seek Affordable and Workforce Housing at the Boulder Airport
Noise complaints, housing crisis spark debate over future of Boulder airport
Commissioners should take on Boulder airport
Boulder legislators discuss plans, bills, goals for new legislative session
Community Editorial Board: Considering JeffCo airport's impacts - Boulder Daily Camera
April 7, 2022 | Noise from above:
Air traffic over Boulder is testing residents, creating tension with airports and pilots—but solutions remain elusive

Boulder City Council considers airport closure for housing — and braces for potential legal battle
Boulder County calls for regulation of leaded aviation gas and its dangerous impact on public health: Local governments support proposed Environmental Protection Agency regulation
Boulder airport’s uncertain future creates turbulence on the ground
Guest opinion: David Ensign: Opportunity exists in examining the future of Boulder’s airport
City of Boulder considers what to do with airport: "Tradeoffs in every one of these scenarios"
Daily Camera: Letters to the editor: Private flights damage our local air quality
Guest opinion: Hep Ingham: The elephant in the room is sitting on the runway
Lead In The Sky: A Hidden Health Crisis | Community Corner
Fed-up man obstructs runway, gets citation
Boulder officials push back on motion to dismiss FAA lawsuit
Opinion: Kimberly Gibbs: Boulder should have control of its airport
Guest opinion: Laura Kaplan: Refuse FAA funding to gain the right to determine the airport’s future
Guest opinion: Mark Wallach: Boulder airport is an asset whose time has passed
City of Boulder sues Federal Airport Administration
City of Boulder sues FAA over airport closure dispute
Boulder considers expanding its airport ahead of potential closure
Boulder City Council to weigh in on long-term plan for closing municipal airport by 2041
As Boulder considers closing its municipal airport to address housing shortage, lead concerns also emerge
‘Over the moon’: Housing advocates celebrate success of Boulder airport ballot measure petitions
Boulder officials counting signatures for ballot measures to close the city airport and build housing
Guest opinion: Mark Wallach: What to do with the Boulder airport?
Letters to the editor: Boulder has a chance to address land misallocation
Colorado governor signs bill targeting airport impacts, but fight against noise and lead continues
New law aims to make local airports quieter and safer for neighbors: Airport critic claims HB24-1235 still does not go far enough to quiet the impacts from local GA airports
Guest opinion: Anne Wilson: What Boulder voters need to know about Boulder airport
Boulder voters could see two airport-related ballot measures this fall
Resident says Boulder Municipal Airport pilots breaking FAA rules with constant flyovers
Boulder’s housing board recommends closing the city’s airport
Coloradans are on edge about airport noise and pollution. Lawmakers want to help
BoCo, briefly: Feb. 1, 2024
City of Boulder postpones decision on the fate of its airport until later this year
Boulder now allows ultralight aircraft at Boulder Municipal Airport
Boulder Daily Camera: Open Forum | Speak up on municipal airport noise over Boulder
April 21, 2022 | Boulder Weekly Letters
Noise from above: Air traffic over Boulder is testing residents, creating tension with airports and pilots—but solutions remain elusive
Boulder City Council agrees to begin community engagement on airport
Boulder pushes for end to leaded plane fuel
Guest opinion: A positive vision for housing at the Boulder airport
Neguse Amendment Will Increase Community Collaboration on Aviation Issues
Denver's top noise contributor is its airports, study finds
In Communities Near Some Colorado Airports, Concerns Persist Over Leaded Aviation Fuel
Concerned over lead found in homes, Superior Trustees point to Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport
Brought to you by concerned citizens from all across the Front Range and beyond.
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  • Background
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    • Lead Exposure
    • Low-Flying Aircraft
    • Noise Pollution
    • PFAS Contamination
    • Plane Crashes
    • Private Aviation
    • Proposed Solutions >
      • HB24-1235
    • Security Issues
    • supersonic flight
  • Press
    • Front Range Media Coverage
    • National Media Coverage
    • Video Library
    • aviation perspectives >
      • 1500 Hour Rule
      • Aviation Safety
      • Federal Oversight
      • Fly Neighborly/Noise
      • NBAA Guidance
      • Pilot Mental Health
      • Pilot Shortage
      • Unleaded Fuels
  • Get In Touch + Get Involved
    • A Starting Guide for General Aviation (GA) Impacted Communities
    • Legal Resources