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Pitkin County voters resoundingly supported the county in its decision-making authority over the Aspen-Pitkin County Airport, beating back a citizen-initiated ballot question that would have required subsequent votes on anything involving the relocation or expansion of the runway.
According to incomplete and unofficial ballot counts as of 9 p.m. with 5,482 ballots counted, ballot question 1C garnered 3,468 votes in favor, or 66.9%, and 1,718 votes against, or 33.1%. Question 200 had only 2,029 votes in favor, or 39.2%, and 3,154 against, or 60.9%.
The Pitkin County Clerk and Recorder’s Office estimated around 9 p.m. Tuesday that around 5,000 to 6,000 ballots were left to count.
Question 1C was put on the ballot by the Pitkin Board of County Commissioners. It asked voters to “reaffirm” the board’s authority to implement a runway layout plan at the airport, plus other goals on climate and growth management. The issue committee A Whole Lot of People for a Better Airport campaigned in support of 1C.
“I think the outcome reflects the community’s feeling that today’s airport really doesn’t serve us well,” said former Aspen mayor John Bennett in a press release from A Whole Lot of People for a Better Airport. “There’s more work ahead, but this election was a milestone in achieving our vision of a modern airport that’s better aligned with our community values and priorities … a quieter airport with lower greenhouse gas emissions and a comfortable, green terminal we can all be proud of.”
Ballot question 200 was a citizen-initiated measure supported by the issue committee Our Airport Our Vote. It asked voters to divest the Pitkin BOCC of its authority to expand or relocate the airport runway without subsequent voter approval.
Torre, who has represented Our Airport Our Vote in the past but said Tuesday night he did not speak on behalf of the issue committee. Still, he said he is waiting on the outstanding votes.
“I think they should keep working for what the community really wants,” Torre said of the county.
Another OAOV representative did not respond to a phone request for comment by press time.
The two ballot measures trace back to community debate over the county’s plan to increase the runway/taxiway centerline separation to 400 from 320 feet.
The Federal Aviation Administration granted a modification of standard — or bending of federal regulations — to allow the narrower separation at the Aspen airport. It limited the wingspan limit to 95 feet instead of the usual 118 feet allowed for airports of Aspen’s classification — Airport Design Group III.
The FAA has sought to eliminate that modification for years, citing standardization and safety goals. It has been included in two recent Airport Layout Plans, facility design documents
Some community members say the wider wingspan aircraft that would be newly welcome at the airport would be majorly detrimental to the community, bringing in “noisier and dirtier” aircraft.
The critique prompted a campaign for the county and airport to fund its own renovations and projects — specifically with revenue from the Fixed-Base Operator, which services private aircraft — as federal funding would require widening the runway.
The “amended” ALP is on the agenda for the board’s Wednesday meeting. The document, which includes the widening of the runway from 100 to 150 feet and a runway shift 80 feet to the west, was first approved by the county in May then approved by the FAA in late October. Wednesday’s reading was written into the resolution approving the layout plan by the board back in May.
County Manager Jon Peacock said the county would likely pull the discussion from the agenda if question 200 prevails, as it puts the county in an ambiguous position with the FAA and with the electorate.