Boulder Council Signals Support for Keeping Municipal Airport Open

BOULDER, Colo. — The Boulder City Council signaled support this week for keeping Boulder Municipal Airport open indefinitely, a move that could limit the city’s ability to redevelop the 179-acre site in the future.

According to reporting by Boulder Reporting Lab, councilmembers took a 5–4 straw poll during an April 23 study session, directing staff to move forward with plans that would allow the city to seek federal aviation funding.

Accepting funding from the Federal Aviation Administration could bind the city to continued airport operations because federal grants typically require airports to remain open unless the agency approves closure.

Councilmembers supporting the direction included Mayor Aaron Brockett, Mayor Pro Tem Tara Winer, and councilmembers Taishya Adams, Matt Benjamin, and Rob Kaplan.

Opposing the direction were councilmembers Tina Marquis, Ryan Schuchard, Nicole Speer, and Mark Wallach.

Some councilmembers supporting the move expressed concern about the cost of operating the airport without federal assistance. City officials estimated it could cost roughly $600,000 per year for the next 14 years if Boulder declines FAA grants.

Opponents raised concerns about making such a long-term decision through an informal straw poll rather than a public hearing, and about limiting future options for the airport property.

The airport debate has been ongoing for years. In 2024, the city sued the FAA seeking a ruling that would allow Boulder to close the airport once federal grant obligations expire, which the city estimated could occur around 2040. The case was later dismissed on procedural grounds, and the city chose not to appeal.

That same year, residents affiliated with the Airport Neighborhood Campaign gathered more than 3,000 signatures for a ballot measure that would have asked voters whether to close the airport and repurpose the land, often discussed as a potential site for housing. The measure was later withdrawn while the city’s lawsuit was pending.

City officials are expected to bring back a formal resolution reflecting the council’s direction for a vote at a future meeting.

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