Board updates airport minimum standards, rescinds older design guidelines

Pitkin County commissioners on March 25 approved a comprehensive repeal and reenactment of Title 10 of the county code, updating the airport's minimum standards to reflect the Federal Aviation Administration's expectations, a new Airport Layout Plan, leases and the Common Ground recommendations.

Dan Bartholomew, who led the revision effort with county attorneys and staff, said the previously adopted standards dated from 2005 and had not kept pace with FAA policy, new leases or recent airport projects. "We pretty much scraped through the entire Title 10 and updated it to reflect changes that have occurred since 2005," he said.

The board also rescinded Resolution 041-2014, which adopted earlier airport design guidelines the county said no longer fit the updated airport advisory-board approval process and the current planning framework.

Why it matters: The package harmonizes county code language with required FAA minimum standards and creates an enforceable local code pathway for managing aeronautical uses, leases and standards as airport projects proceed.

Action: The board approved the Title 10 repeal/reenactment and rescission of the 2014 airport design guidelines on second reading.