SUPERIOR, Colo. — A years-long battle between neighbors and the Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport could be headed to the Colorado Supreme Court.
RMMA is about six miles away from the Superior Town Hall, where Denver7 met with Mayor Mark Lacis on Tuesday.
"This community and the airport have peacefully coexisted for decades. It was only really the exponential growth in flight school traffic out of the airport over the past five, six years that has led our residents to say, 'You've got to do something about this,' said Lacis.
Meanwhile, Denver7 has continued hearing from residents and neighbors in Boulder County about their experiences over the years.
Local
Superior residents urge legal action against Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport
Eventually, Superior and Boulder County joined forces to file a lawsuit against the airport and its owner, Jefferson County. A judge recently ruled on concerns about leaded fuel and airport noise.
The issue regarding leaded fuel was remanded to a district court for further proceedings. However, the determination regarding the noise issue was not what town leaders had hoped for.
"The court of appeals concluded that airport owners like Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport have the power to address noise issues at their airport, but that courts themselves don't have the power to order the airport to exercise that authority," said Lacis.
The town and Boulder County have 42 days from the date of the ruling to petition the state supreme court for review. Ultimately, if the municipalities decide to do so, it will be up to the supreme court whether the case is heard.
In the meantime, the town council is expected to discuss options for moving forward sometime in mid-April.
"I fully support moving forward with an appeal to the Colorado Supreme Court, because, frankly, I think the court of appeals got it wrong," said Lacis. "Courts for hundreds of years have had power to order injunctions to address nuisances."
RMMA told Denver7 they cannot comment on pending litigation, but sent us the following statement:
"Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport (RMMA) is aware of the Colorado Court of Appeals decision. Because this matter involves ongoing litigation, RMMA cannot comment on the specifics of the case.
RMMA remains focused on initiatives that support safe operations and continued community compatibility, including implementation of the airport’s Voluntary Noise Abatement Program (VNAP), the ongoing transition to unleaded aviation fuel, and the FAA-guided Part 150 Noise Compatibility Study, which includes opportunities for public participation.
RMMA will continue working with stakeholders and regulatory partners as these efforts move forward."
RMMA's next public town hall will be on Wednesday, April 22, from 4:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. at the RMMA Terminal. In addition, the public date for their land-use and noise study is tentatively set for May 20 at a location yet to be determined.
Lacis said that, regardless of what the court decides, he'd like to see better support from the federal government and Jefferson County for these communities' concerns.
"You can't pollute a river, have it flow downstream, and then wipe your hands clean and say 'It's not my problem anymore,' when you're negatively impacting the people downstream," said Lacis.
Denver7 reached out to US Senators Michael Bennet and John Hickenlooper for a comment, but has yet to hear back.
A spokesperson for Jefferson County told Denver7 the county does not comment on pending litigation.
