Another Great Reason to Visit Colorado -- NOW

To ANN Readers: we've been following the story of the Crested Butte (CO) airport for quite some time, and reporting on it to you. Now, we are printing the airport owner's request for help (below).

This is an important issue, one that fits an all-too-common pattern: a developer wants some airport land, and goes through his friends in the government to appropriate it, ruining a large part of the airport's usefulness (and in this case, making the ski-area strip unsuitable for medevac flights). The developer (who once owned the airport!) wants to let cars cross what is now the runway, so that his high-density home buyers on the other side fo the airport can have more-convenient access. The "compromise" the developer's friends in the County have come up with will effectively ruin the airport: shortened runway; private (not public) access to the airport; just 15 aircraft allowed. Here's (current owner) Carlo Cesa's letter to us:

The Gunnison Planning Commission is meeting again this coming Friday, January 10, starting at 1:30 PM to vote and approve a land-use recommendation to the BOCC (County Commissioners) regarding the Crested Butte Airport.

Public, or Not?

In the last year, the Planning Commission also declined to address important issue of the public use of the airport. They are still rubber-stamping the limitation to only 15 pilots that could be flying in and out of the airport. Electing to ignore that the Crested Butte Airport was built in 1975, approved as a public use airport and designated as a site of (Colorado) State interest (and all the benefits the airport brings to the Crested Butte area).

There is a great probability that the Planning Commission will recommend to shorten the runway and restrict the use of the airport to only 15 local pilots (defined as paying tax in the County).

I know, it has been a long and expensive saga (several years), but if you can, please try to attend the meeting. This should be the last or before last Planning Commission meeting. After, it will go back in front of the Gunnison Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) for yet another –final- decision. The airport will definitely also need your help then.

The runway is 4,485 feet long and paved. The airport elevation is 8,980 feet MSL. The airport was approved and built as a public use facility in 1975 and designated as a site of State (Colorado) interest.

Here's some information you'll want:

GUNNISON COUNTY PLANNING COMMISSION (Colorado), PRELIMINARY AGENDA: JANUARY 10, 2003

1:30 p.m. Dick Landy, developer, and attorney Mike Dawson, work session/possible action, Brush Creek Airport, Settlement Agreement Land Use Change Permit application, south of Crested Butte and Brush Creek Road.
NOTE: Unless otherwise noted, all PLANNING COMMISSION meetings are conducted in the Blackstock Government Center Meeting Room at 221 N. Wisconsin St. in Gunnison, across the street from the Post Office.

County Planning Commission
John Banker, Chairman (Tel. 970-349-1839)
Mrs. Joanne Williams, County Planning Department
Blackstock Building
221 N. Wisconsin St., Suite D
Gunnison, CO 81230
Fax 970-641-8585

Gunnison Board of County Commissioners (BOCC)
Fred Field, Chairman
Jim Starr, County Commissioner
Perry Anderson, County Commissioner
200 E. Virginia Ave.
Gunnison, Colorado 81230
Fax 970-641-3061

Gunnison County Who's Who:

Frank Vader, the Vice-Chairman of the Gunnison County Planning Commission retired, or withdrew, from the Commission on December 31, 2002 after having been elected County Coroner (and starting in his new position in January). Carlo said he was the only Planning Commission member who understood the airport issues, recognized the value of the Crested Butte airport to the community (both economic and in case of medical evacuations), and who was openly against shortening the runway.

That means that only six remaining members will recommend the fate of the Crested Butte airport this coming Friday afternoon, January 10.

• John Banker, Chairman, retired attorney, was opposing the airport and favoring the shortening of the runway, but lately he showed that he might be reconsidering his position. Due in part to the lack of access that such shortening would cause to fixed-wing medevac aircraft. There is hope. (Tel. 970-349-1839).
• Fred Peck, retired Marine, a private pilot and the AOPA ASN volunteer for Gunnison airport (KGUC). Despite the fact that he should be protecting GA airports, Fred Peck always voted against the Crested Butte airport and in favor of shortening the runway. (Cesa adds, "...on an other occasion, when asked on the record if he thought it was wise to recommend the shortening of the runway, taken into account the high elevation of 8,980 ft. MSL, Fred Peck replied (also on the record) that his bosses told him that the settlement agreement between the County and the developer was good, and that he was following ORDERS of his bosses (the County Commissioners).  Fred Peck is also the local party chairman, of the same party of the two County Commissioners mostly opposing the CB airport.) Peck´s telephone number is 970-641-2079.
• Mike Potoker, a former student pilot and owner of the only bus and mini-van shuttle service between Gunnison Airport (KGUC) and Crested Butte. He asks tough questions to the developer, but in the end always voted in his favor. Tel 970-349-6138.
• Thomas Stoeber, an accountant, is in favor of a displaced threshold, and voted to shorten the runway. Tel. 970-641-2984
• Phil Chamberland, also in favor of a displaced threshold, and voted to shorten the runway.  Tel. unlisted.
• Dan Labarr, contractor, seems to have common sense but also voted to recommend shortening the runway.  Tel. unlisted.

Carlo wanted us to remember: "It is important to understand that the County is trying to take cover behind the concept of a displaced threshold, believing that the public will not understand what they are talking about, and that the safety issue will be resolved if the County imposes a displaced threshold.

"The facts are quite different:  Despite talking about the benefits of a displaced threshold, the County and the developer still want to break-down a portion of the existing paved runway and replace it with the proposed road."

Mr Cesa adds, "a displaced threshold is acceptable if the proposed road does not infringe upon the existing runway and its object free area (OFA). But this is not what the County is contemplating."

If you can, please write/fax (again) to Gunnison County and voice your opinion and concerns. Also, tell other pilots and aviation enthusiasts what is happening to this Colorado airport. Do not hesitate to call me for any questions you might have (avionclub@hotmail.com ). Thank you, happy and safe flying. --Carlo Cesa