Regional Affairs

Council shows Jekyll, Hyde sides to Centennial

The city of Centennial and Arapahoe County just completed a collaborative joint planning area and airport influence area to protect Colorado's Centennial Airport from encroachment and incompatible land use. But now, the city council is seriously considering the Tanterra development proposal, which would put 1,615 residential units within the airport's restricted development area — that the city just created. Approving the development would undermine the city's recent efforts to protect the nation's second busiest general aviation airport from encroachment. "It simply does not make sense to us, from a public policy standpoint, why the city would consider throwing all of this away," wrote AOPA Vice President of Airports Bill Dunn to Centennial Mayor Randy Pye and the city council. Dunn explained to the officials that the development would reduce safety for pilots and residents on the ground and create even more noise complaints.

February 23, 2007