Suzy Ageton George Karakehian KC Becker Tim ... - City of Boulder

OTHER IMPACTS:
• Fiscal: The total project cost is anticipated to be paid with $270,000 fromCDOT
grant funds and the remainder through the Airport Fund.
Fiscal impact of eminent domain: The potential cost of eminent domain may
include additional attorneys’ fees and expert witness fees for filing the action, and
a valuation hearing, if necessary. It is too early to determine the precise fiscal
impact of a potential eminent domain action. If the acquisition can be obtained
without eminent domain, the City Attorney’s Office will process the matter inhouse,
requiring only consultation with a condemnation attorney. If eminent
domain is required for this property, the City Attorney’s Office will retain outside
counsel with expertise in condemnation.
• Staff time: The staff time needed to complete this project is included within the
existing work plan if the RTTF property interest can be acquired by negotiation. If
eminent domain is required, staff time will be minimal as outside counsel will be
retained.
PUBLIC FEEDBACK:
The city has received letters from neighbors in Rustic Knolls with multiple concerns
about the use of the RTTF, including that it is being used to move planes from the airport
for the owner’s commercial benefit, and that the use is not being limited to one airplane
owned by the property owner as required by the terms of the RTTF. Neighbors are also
concerned for their properties because of a waterway being filled in to level the ground
for the traversing of the airplanes from the airport to the property. The owner of the
glider operations has noticed damage to an airport gate, likely caused by transportation of
snow mobiles to the parcel, which is in violation of the terms of the RTTF.
BACKGROUND:
City Issues with RTTF: The city staff has had concerns about the location of the RTTF
for several years. The RTTF is on the north side of the runways, on the opposite side of
the airport from the existing taxiway and businesses. Use of the RTTF presents an unsafe
situation for the land owner and other aircraft utilizing the airport, as there is not a
taxiway from the RTTF to the existing airport travel patterns. Airplanes traversing the
airport outside of the taxiways creates a dangerous condition for planes using the
runways and can damage the lights and other safety equipment used to make use of the
runways comply with FAA requirements. The FAA stated that a new taxiway would
need to be built to meet FAA safety requirements in order for the RTTF to be used to
access the airport. The cost of such a taxiway is estimated at a minimum of one million
dollars. A major reason for the expense is the topography at either end of the runways,
which does not allow the clearance required. Accessing the existing taxiway around the
east end of the runway would require purchasing city open space land and property from
a ditch company, as well as moving enough dirt to fill in a 60-foot drop in topography.
See Attachment B showing the runway clearance zones in yellow. Attachment C is an
aerial of the airport area showing the RTTF property in orange. Both attachments are
oriented the same, with north on the left side.
Agenda Item 3N Page 3