Throughout 2019 and early 2020, Pitkin County led a comprehensive community engagement process to help establish a vision for the future of Pitkin County-Aspen Airport . The purpose of the ASE Vision process was to advise the BOCC on how the Pitkin County-Aspen Airport should be modernized to accommodate the community’s air service needs and reflect changes in the air service industry, while also remaining true to the character and values of the community. As part of the process, five Airport Advisory Groups were established:

The four Working Groups concluded their work and presented their findings to the Vision Committee in December 2019. The Vision Committee reviewed closely the recommendations of the Working Groups and then conducted considerable additional work of its own to research, digest, thoroughly vet, and formulate its final recommendations. After holding weekly three-hour meetings throughout the beginning of the year, on March 10, 2020, the Vision Committee voted 20-1 to approve the Recommendations to Achieve our Community Goals that form the heart of the Final Report.  The Recommendations were presented to Pitkin County Board of Commissioners on April 16, 2020 (click to view video).

The Final Report of the Airport Vision Committee

Resolution No. 105-2020

The role of the AVC was to serve as the overarching project advisory committee focused on holistic project development. Recommendations from the AVC, along with input from the topic-focused Work Groups and overarching community, will inform the County’s decision-making process.

The AVC was convened at key project milestones to:

• Establish guiding principles for the airport vision process and facilitate a two-way community-focused dialogue
• Provide input on preliminary project concepts and refine information for community-wide outreach
• Provide a forum for consolidating, integrating, and reporting out the vision and recommendations developed by the working and focus groups
• Identify priority issues and consider input from the project’s topic-specific Work Groups
• Activate and deploy the project’s Focus Group
• Serve as project partners to share information and help identify community priorities

Meeting #1

Monday, August 26, 2019
4-6 PM at Pitkin County Offices (530 E. Main Street), Board of County Commissioners Meeting Room

• Reference Documents:
  • PowerPoint Presentation (PDF)

Meeting #2

Monday, October 14, 2019
4-6 PM at Pitkin County Offices (530 E. Main Street), Board of County Commissioners Meeting Room
Conference Line: (646) 491-9844

• Reference Documents:
  • Agenda (PDF)
  • Community Character Working Group Recommendations and Success Factors (PDF)

Meeting #3

Work Session of the Airport Vision Committee

Monday, November 18, 2019
4-6 PM at Pitkin County Offices (530 E. Main Street), Board of County Commissioners Meeting Room
Conference Line: (646) 491-9844

• Reference Documents:
  • Agenda (PDF)

Meeting #4

All Groups Report Out Meeting

Thursday, December 5, 2019
4-6PM at Aspen Meadows, Doerr-Hosier Conference Center

• Reference Documents:
  • Compiled AAG Reports (PDF)
  • Video of Meeting (YouTube)

Work Session #1

Airport Vision Committee Recommendations Development

Thursday, January 9, 2020
4-6 PM at Pitkin County Offices (530 E. Main Street), Board of County Commissioners Meeting Room

• Reference Documents:
  • Agenda (PDF)
  • Presentation (PDF)

Work Session #2

Airport Vision Committee Recommendations Development

Thursday, January 16, 2020
4-6 PM at Pitkin County Offices (530 E. Main Street), Board of County Commissioners Meeting Room
Conference Line: (646) 491-9844

• Reference Documents:
  • Agenda (PDF)
  • Presentation (PDF)

Work Session #3

Airport Vision Committee Recommendations Development

Thursday, January 23, 2020
4-6 PM at Pitkin County Offices (530 E. Main Street), Board of County Commissioners Meeting Room

• Reference Documents:
  • Agenda (PDF)
  • Appendix F from the City of Aspen 2017 Greenhouse Gas Inventory (PDF)
  • Mary Vilgilante Slides from Technical Working Group (PDF)
  • Pitkin County Climate Action Plan – Airport Only (PDF)
  • Airspace & Flight Procedure Safety Review (PDF)
  • Air Quality and Noise (PDF)

Work Session #4

Airport Vision Committee Recommendations Development

Thursday, January 30, 2020
4-6 PM at Pitkin County Offices (530 E. Main Street), Board of County Commissioners Meeting Room

• Reference Documents:
  • Agenda (PDF)
  • Presentation (PDF)
  • Meeting Materials (PDF)
  • Relatively Easy Recommendations (Draft) (Word | PDF)
  • Meeting Audio (mp3)

AVC Executive Session Pursuant to CRS 24-6-402(4)b

Thursday, February 6, 2020

• Reference Documents:
  • Agenda (PDF)

Work Session #5

Airport Vision Committee Recommendations Development

Thursday, February 13, 2020
3-6 PM at Pitkin County Offices (530 E. Main Street), Board of County Commissioners Meeting Room

• Reference Documents:
  • Agenda (PDF)

Work Session #6

Airport Vision Committee Recommendations Development

Thursday, February 20, 2020
3-6 PM at Pitkin County Offices (530 E. Main Street), Board of County Commissioners Meeting Room

• Reference Documents:
  • Agenda (PDF)

Work Session #7

Airport Vision Committee Recommendations Development

Thursday, February 27, 2020
3-6 PM at Pitkin County Offices (530 E. Main Street), Board of County Commissioners Meeting Room

• Reference Documents:
  • Agenda (PDF)
  • DRAFT Recommendations Table
  • Common Ground Memo
  • Core Community Goals 2-24-20
  • ASE Community Values 2-27-20

Work Session #8

Airport Vision Committee Work Session

Thursday, March 5, 2020
3-6 PM at Pitkin County Offices (530 E. Main Street), Board of County Commissioners Meeting Room

• Reference Documents:
  • Agenda (PDF)
  • Common Ground Recommendations Map (PDF)

Work Session #9

Aspen Vision Committee, Special Meeting

Tuesday, March 10^th
3-6 PM  at Aspen Police Department, Conference Room

• Reference Documents:
  • Agenda (PDF)
  • Common Ground Rationale
  • CGR Table Redlined
  • 7 Gate Plane Possibilities (PDF)
  • 8 Gate Plane Possibilities (PDF)
  • Airport Recommendations March 10, 2020 Presentation (PDF)

Work Session #10

Board of County Commissioners Work Session with the Airport Vision Committee

Thursday, April 16^th, 2020
4 PM at Pitkin County Offices (530 E. Main Street), Board of County Commissioners Meeting Room
Digital Meeting: https://pitkincounty.com/374/County-Webcasts

• Reference Documents:
  • Agenda and Board Packet

The TWG will define the desired functionality and physical facility requirements that will optimize the airport’s ability to meet the community’s future air service needs within the limited space available. The group will provide recommendations on the types and physical requirements for airport facilities needed meet the community’s air service needs and provide the flexibly needed to adapt to ongoing changes in the aviation industry.

The TWG will be convened at key project milestones throughout the visioning process to:

• Understand all the different physical, operational, and regulatory constraints that impact use of the airport site
• What is the desired allocation of space between the different airfield uses?
• Understand the limitations on the County’s ability to finance existing airport operations and new capital projects.
• Consider and provide input on technically-oriented areas identified by the AVC and the community as a whole
• Present findings and make recommendations to the AVC
• Facilitate a two-way community dialogue by serving as project partners to share information and identify community priorities

TWG Meetings

Technical Working Group Meeting #1

Wednesday, September 11, 2019
4-7 PM at the Airport Operations Center (AOC)

• Reference Documents:
  • Airport Performance Metrics Technical Memo (PDF)
  • Airport Master Plan (PDF)
  • Airport Layout Plan (PDF)
  • Airport Property Parcel Map (Handout) 
  • EA  Part 1 (PDF)
  • EA Part 2 (PDF)
  • Airspace Impact and Aircraft Feasibility Assessment Update (August 25, 2018)  (PDF)
  • Available Aircraft (PDF)
  • Key FAA Letters and Emails (Handout)
  • Technical Working Group Presentation – September 11^th  (PDF)

Technical Working Group Meeting #2

Wednesday, September 18, 2019
4-7 PM at the Airport Operations Center (AOC)

• Reference Documents:
  • Technical Working Group Meeting 2 Agenda (PDF)
  • Aviation Activity Forecasts Draft Technical Memorandum (PDF)
  • Rolls Royce ElectRRification Presentation – Richard Goodhead (PDF)
  • Aircraft Scorecard (PDF)
  • Technical Working Group Presentation – September 18^th  (PDF)

Technical Working Group Meeting #3

Wednesday, October 2, 2019
4-7 PM at Aspen Meadows, Doerr-Hosier

• Reference Documents:
  • Technical Working Group 3 Agenda (PDF)
  • Initial Draft Aircraft Scorecard Results – Combined Ranking [Draft, Initial Polling] (PDF)
  • City of Aspen’s Community-Wide Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory Report (PDF)
  • Technical Working Group Presentation – October 2^nd (PDF)
  • Aircraft Pics and Data (PDF)

Technical Working Group Meeting #4

Wednesday, October 16, 2019
4-7 PM at the Airport Operations Center (AOC)

• Reference Documents:
  • Meeting Agenda (PDF)
  • FAA Advisory Circular Airport Design (PDF)
  • Airport Layout Plan Existing and Future Conditions (PDF)
  • FAA Technical Guidance for Evaluating Selected Solar Technologies on Airport (PDF)
  • Graveyard of Commercial Airliners of ASE (PDF)
  • FAA Next Gen (PDF)
  • FAA Modifications to Agency Airport Design Group (PDF)
• Meeting Presentation and Materials:
  • Meeting Presentation (PDF)
  • Airfield Presentation (PDF)
  • Aircraft Data and Characteristics (PDF)

Technical Working Group Meeting #5

Wednesday, October 23, 2019
4-7 PM at the Aspen Police Department Building Meeting Room

• Reference Documents:
  • October 23^rd Meeting Agenda (PDF)
  • ASE Wingspan Restriction Briefing Paper March 2014 (PDF)
  • Non-Standard Conditions, Runway 80′ West – Comprehensive with Tables (PDF)
  • Options for Aligning ADG III Airfield with Community Values (PDF)
  • Technical Working Group Presentation – October 23 (PDF)

Technical Working Group Meeting #6

Wednesday, November 20, 2019
4-7 PM at the Airport Operations Center

• Reference Documents:
  • Meeting Agenda, Nov. 20^th (PDF)
  • Draft Report and Recommendations (PDF)
  • Technical Working Group Presentation – November 20 (PDF)

Technical Working Group Meeting #7

Tuesday, December 3, 2019
4-7 PM at the Airport Operations Center

• Reference Documents:
  • Meeting Agenda, Dec. 3rd   (PDF)
  • Draft Report, Distributed on December 3^rd (PDF)
  • Draft Report, December 5^th [Draft with minor edits to be made]  (PDF)
  • Final Technical Working Group Report and Recommendations (PDF)

The AEWG will define the desired customer experience provided by the airport from the standpoint of the airport users (resident, business, and leisure travelers). The group will provide recommendations on how the community’s identity, values, and sustainability goals should be communicated to airport users through the facilities provided at the airport.

The AEWG will be convened at key project milestones throughout the visioning process to:

• Define the quality of the space and facilities level of service from the standpoint of all user groups.
• What is the desired take away for all users arriving and departing the airport (first and last impression)?
• How should the community’s identity, values, and sustainability goals be reflected in the customer experience?
• Define key terminal and landside features, amenities, and concessions.
• Define ground transportation connectivity, access, and parking goals.
• Understand the limitations on the County’s ability to finance existing airport operations and new capital projects.
• Present findings and make recommendations to the AVC
• Facilitate a two-way community dialogue by serving as project partners to share information and identify community priorities

AEWG Meetings

Airport Experience Working Group Meeting #1

Tuesday, September 24, 2019
4-7 PM at Pitkin County Library Dunaway Room (120 N. Mill Street)

• Meeting Materials:
  • Airport Experience Working Group Meeting Agenda (PDF)
  • Airport Experience Working Group Presentation (PDF)

• Reference Documents:
  • Values Summary (PDF)
  • EA (PDF)
  • FAA Design Guidelines for Airport Terminal Planning

Airport Experience Working Group Meeting #2

Wednesday, October 2, 2019
4-7 PM at Aspen Meadows, Doerr-Hosier

• Meeting Materials:
  • Airport Experience Working Group Meeting 2 Agenda (PDF)
  • Airport Experience Working Group Presentation #2 (PDF)

Airport Experience Working Group Meeting #3

Monday, October 21, 2019
4-7 PM, Pitkin County Offices, Board of County Commissioners Meeting Room (530 E. Main Street)

• Meeting Materials:
  • Agenda (PDF)
  • Airport Experience Working Group Presentation #3 (PDF)

Airport Experience Working Group Meeting #4

Wednesday, October 30, 2019
4-7 PM, Wednesday, October 30, 2019, Board of County Commissioners Meeting Room

• Meeting Materials:
  • Agenda (PDF)
  • Passenger Terminal Layout Plan (JPG)
  • AEWG Community Report – DRAFT (PDF)

Airport Experience Working Group Meeting #5

Wednesday, November 6, 2019
4-7 PM, Wednesday, November 6, 2019, Aspen Police Department Community Room

• Meeting Materials:
  • Agenda (PDF)
  • Initial Summary Document for Group Review (PDF)

Airport Experience Working Group Meeting #6

Wednesday, December 4, 2019
4-7 PM, Wednesday, December 4, 2019, Aspen Police Department Community Room

• Meeting Materials:
  • Agenda (PDF)
  • Audio File (mp3)
  • Final Report (PDF)

The CCWG will define the desired role and context of the airport within the community. The group will provide recommendations on how the airport role and context could be fulfilled in a way that meets the community’s air service needs and reflects the community’s identity, values, and sustainability goals.

The CCWG will be convened at key project milestones throughout the visioning process to determine:

• What is the overall role of the airport within the community?
• What types and levels of air service will the community need in the future?
• How should the history of Aspen be used to guide its future?
• Understand the limitations on the County’s ability to finance existing airport operations and new capital projects.
• What level of financial risk or independence is desired for future operations and capital improvements at the airport?
• What is the airport’s role in addressing the focus areas established in the Pitkin County Strategic Plan: Livable and Supportive Community, Flourishing Natural and Built Environment, Prosperous Economy?​
• Present findings and make recommendations to the AVC
• Facilitate a two-way community dialogue by serving as project partners to share information and identify community priorities

CCWG Meetings

Meeting #1

Thursday, August 29, 2019
4-6 PM at Pitkin County Offices (530 E. Main Street), Board of County Commissioners Meeting Room

• Reference Documents:
  • CCWG Brainstorm Notes (PDF)
  • Community Character Meeting #1 Presentation (PDF)
  • 2003 Master Plan (PDF)
  • 2012 Aspen Area Community Plan (PDF)
  • 2013 Adopting the West of Maroon Creek Master Plan (PDF)
  • 2018 Town of Snowmass Village Comprehensive Plan (PDF)
  • Commercial Operations Continuum (PDF)
  • Commercial and General Aviation Operations Continuum (PDF)
  • Local Air Pollution/Exhaust: Commercial (PDF)
  • Local Air Pollution/Exhaust: General Aviation (PDF)
  • Local Air Pollution/Exhaust: Total (PDF)

Meeting #2

Thursday, September 12, 2019
4-6 PM at Pitkin County Offices (530 E. Main Street), Board of County Commissioners Meeting Room

• Reference Documents:
  • Community Character Agenda (PDF)

Meeting #3

Tuesday, September 17, 2019
11 AM -1 PM at Pitkin County Offices (530 E. Main Street), Board of County Commissioners Meeting Room

• Reference Documents:
  • Community Character Working Group Narrative and Success Factors (Working Document)

Meeting #4

Tuesday, September 24, 2019
4-7 PM at Pitkin County Offices (530 E. Main Street), Board of County Commissioners Meeting Room
Call-in Line: (646) 491-9844

• Reference Documents:
  • Community Character Agenda (PDF)

Meeting #5

Wednesday, October 2, 2019
4-7 PM at Aspen Meadows, Doerr-Hosier

• Reference Documents:
  • Community Character Working Group Memo (PDF)

Meeting #6

Friday, November 22, 2019
4-6 PM at Pitkin County Offices (530 E. Main Street), Board of County Commissioners Meeting Room

• Reference Documents:
  • Meeting Agenda (PDF)

Meeting #7

Friday, December 27, 2019
4-6 PM at Pitkin County Offices (530 E. Main Street), Maroon Creek Room (3rd Floor of Pitkin County Offices)

• Reference Documents:
  • Meeting Agenda (PDF)
  • Additional Document from the CCWG reviewing the TWG report through the lens of the CCWG report (PDF)

The Focus Group will play an important role in refining concepts and helping to share information throughout the visioning process. The charter of the focus group is designed to be agile and more adaptable than the advisory groups.

By serving as a think tank for the advisory groups it is anticipated this group will be deployed at key milestones and as needed to play a critical role in:

• Providing input on key issues that cut across all four advisory groups​
• Translating and refining complex concepts specific to individual advisory groups​
• Educating and engaging the broader community​
• Facilitate a two-way community dialogue by serving as project partners to share information and identify community priorities

Focus Group Meetings

Focus Group Meeting #1

Wednesday, August 28, 2019, 4pm – 7pm Aspen Police Department Community Room (540 E. Main Street)

• Meeting Materials / Reference Documents:
  • Upper Valley Mobility Study (PDF)
  • Community Forum Task Force Upper Valley Mobility Report (PDF)
  • Entrance to Aspen History Video – How Did We Get Here? (Video)
  • Airport Surface Transportation Best Practices (PDF)
  • West of Maroon Creek Master Plan (PDF)
  • Aspen Area Community Plan (PDF)

Focus Group Meeting #2

Thursday, September 19, 2019, 4pm – 7pm, Pitkin County Offices (530 E. Main Street)

• Meeting Materials:
  • Focus Group Agenda (PDF)
  • Focus Group Presentation (Meeting #2)
  • Focus Group Audio Recording (Meeting #2)
  • Results of Ground Transportation Prioritization Exercises (Meeting #2)

• Reference Documents:
  • ASE Community Values

Focus Group Meeting #3

Wednesday, October 2, 2019, 4pm – 7pm, Aspen Meadows Doerr-Hosier Center

• Meeting Materials:
  • Focus Group Agenda (PDF)
  • Voting Process Guidelines
  • WORKING DRAFT: Ground Transportation Consensus Document

• Reference Documents:
  • Summary of Prior Transportation Work

Focus Group Meeting #4

Monday, October 21, 2019, 4pm – 7pm, Airport Operations Center (AOC), 1001 Owl Creek Rd. Aspen, CO, 81611

• Meeting Materials:
  • Focus Group Agenda
  • WORKING DRAFT: Ground Transportation Consensus Document (Updated: October 15, 2019)

• Reference Documents:
  • State Highway 82 Access Control Study: Traffic Conditions
  • FINAL DRAFT: Ground Transportation Working Document (Updated: October 21, 2019)

Focus Group Meeting #5

Monday, November 4, 2019, 4pm – 7pm, Airport Operations Center (AOC), 1001 Owl Creek Rd. Aspen, CO, 81611

• Meeting Materials:
  • Focus Group Meeting #5 Agenda
  • Final Report on Airport Connectivity and Mobility with Minority Report (as voted on Nov. 4 / updated Nov. 6)

• April 16, 2020: Final ASE Vision Report to BOCC
  • Airport Vision Committee Presentation
  • Presentation (Video)

• December 5, 2019: Working Group Report Out
  • Joint Meeting – All Airport Advisory Groups
  • Meeting Video (YouTube)
  • Meeting PowerPoint Presentation (PDF)
  • Compiled AAG Reports (PDF)

• November 13, 2019: Symposium – Future of Aircraft in a Carbon Constrained World
  • At this symposium an educational set of panel discussions focused on the future of sustainable aircraft manufacturing, modernization of the aviation industry, and how these new technologies will affect policy decisions in the next 20-30 years. Featured experts: Paul Eremenko, former CTO, Airbus and United Technologies Corporation, Amory Lovins, Chief Scientist,  Rocky Mountain Institute & Kevin Welsh, Executive Director, Office of Environment and Energy, Federal Aviation Administration
  • Meeting Video (YouTube)

• OCTOBER 2, 2019: Community Character Report
  • Joint Meeting – All Airport Advisory Groups
  • Meeting Video (YouTube)
  • Meeting Summary

• AUGUST 12, 2019: Airline Panel
  • Joint Meeting – All Airport Advisory Groups
  • Meeting Agenda
  • Meeting Video
  • PowerPoint Presentation
  • BOCC Recommendations PowerPoint
  • Meeting Summary

• JULY 11, 2019: Brainstorming a Vision
  • Joint Meeting – All Airport Advisory Groups
  • Homework (PDF)
  • Airport Vision Committee Discussion Audio Recording
  • Community Character Working Group Discussion Audio Recording
  • Airport Experience Working Group Discussion Audio Recording
  • Technical Working Group Discussion Audio Recording
  • Focus Group Discussion Audio Recording
  • Reporting Out Group Discussion Audio Recording
  • Meeting Summary (PDF)

• JUNE 6, 2019: Safety Panel Discussion and Shaping our Shared Values into a Vision
  • Joint Meeting – All Airport Advisory Groups
  • Meeting Minutes
  • Safety Meeting Questions
  • Meeting Video Recording
  • Airport Vision Committee Discussion Audio Recording
  • Community Character Working Group Discussion Audio Recording
  • Airport Experience Working Group Discussion Audio Recording
  • Technical Working Group Discussion Audio Recording
  • Focus Group Discussion Audio Recording

• MAY 7, 2019: Trends in Airspace & the Air Service Industry
  • Joint Meeting – All Airport Advisory Groups
  • Meeting Minutes
  • PowerPoint Presentation (Parts 1 and 2)
  • Video of the presentation and Q&A
  • ASE Vision Midpoint Evaluation Survey Results

• APRIL 29, 2019: Values & Vision
  • Joint Meeting – All Airport Advisory Groups
  • PowerPoint Presentation
  • Airport Vision Committee Discussion Audio Recording
  • Community Character Working Group Discussion Audio Recording
  • Airport Experience Working Group Discussion Audio Recording
  • Technical Working Group Discussion Audio Recording
  • Focus Group Discussion Audio Recording
  • Meeting Summary
  • Values Summary

• MARCH 20, 2019: Federal Preemption & FAA Requirements
  • Joint Meeting – All Airport Advisory Groups
  • PowerPoint Presentation
  • Meeting Minutes
  • Video of the presentation and Q&A
  • Current Activity Data at ASE and Peer Airports

• FEBRUARY 21, 2019: ASE Vision Kick-Off
  • Joint Meeting – All Airport Advisory Groups
  • PowerPoint Presentation
  • Meeting Minutes
  • ASE Vision Roadmap (Dates to Remember)
  • Bylaws of the Airport Advisory Groups
  • Survey Question Results
  • Video of the introductory presentation and Q&A