Expansion plans for Vance Brand Airport are in a holding pattern as city officials rebound from the death of airport manager David Slayter and figure out how the facility fits into Longmont’s transportation system.
Slater, who died Sept. 3, was helping piece together a preliminary vision of the airport’s future, said City Council member Tim Waters. “David’s passing had a huge impact on that effort and the city is probably going to be shelving that work for the time being.”
Waters has said Vance Brand is underutilized but because of its location in the busy northern Front Range could be an important commuter hub. Proper planning is needed to ensure any further growth at Vance Brand won’t boost noise levels for residents living near the airport, Waters said.
“The question is: How do you maximize the potential without exacerbating the noise problems for neighbors on the west side of Longmont?” Waters said.
“As of now, I don’t think there is a consensus of what the airport could be,” Waters added.
As for next year, there are no expansion plans on the table at Vance Brand. The airport’s 2022 proposed budget of $637,085 will help fund one new operations and maintenance technician and a vehicle for the new position, according to a report presented to the city council last week.
There will be minor maintenance work done in 2022 and crews will completely remake the entire runway with FAA required markings to improve safety and visibility, the report states.
City Manager Harold Dominguez told the council that the city hopes to increase “efficiencies on the operations side” at the airport. He also said the city is searching for a new airport director. “We want to get someone to focus on the redevelopment opportunities at the airport,” Dominguez said.
“What we put in the budget is based on what we are today,” he said. “A lot of what we are doing is base level foundation for the infrastructure.”
The airport’s budget plan for 2023 does include a new taxilane on the south side of the airport to facilitate expansion and development.
Slayter, 51, was manager at Vance Brand since December 2017, according to a statement from the city of Longmont.
Airport management is currently being handled as a “team approach” headed by Dominguez, said Sandi Seader, Longmont’s assistant city manager.
