Grand County approves $666,902.53 for Moab Regional Airport taxiway extension

The Grand County Commission voted to provide $666,902.53 from the county capital improvement budget to build a taxi lane at Canyonlands Airport that is not eligible for Federal Aviation Administration Airport Improvement Program (AIP) funding. The motion was made by Commissioner Martinez and seconded by Commissioner McCurdy and passed with one vote against and one abstention. Steve Gleason, the airport director, introduced the proposal and said the county could save roughly $388,000 by building the section now while piggybacking on an FAA-funded project. "So what we are asking for here is $666,902.53 to build a taxi lane that is unable to be funded by the FAA," Gleason said during his presentation.

The commission’s action authorizes use of county capital improvement funds as a short-term loan to the airport, with a proposed one-time linear-foot impact fee on new hangar leases to repay that loan. Gleason described a repayment approach used in Provo — a one-time fee assessed per linear foot of taxiway used by a hangar, which he estimated at about $221.40 per linear foot in his example — and recommended a 10-year repayment window. Commissioners asked for a drafted lease amendment before funding is disbursed. Gleason said the repayment language would be added to hangar leases and collected up front before lease execution.

Commissioners pressed staff on the packet materials and fiscal impact details. Several commissioners, including Commissioner McCandless and Commissioner Trish (first name used in the meeting), said the agenda packet did not include the fiscal analysis and redline materials needed for timely public review. Commissioner McCandless asked that the airport staff and county administration provide a clear fiscal-impact write-up and a draft repayment amendment for the record; Gleason said he would draft a lease amendment and have it reviewed by counsel.

Supporters said the extension is intended to enable hangar construction and increase fuel sales and airport revenue. Gleason and Judd Hill, the airport engineer from Lochner, said demand is already present: three prospective hangar builders were reported as waiting for pavement. Opponents and some commissioners objected to proceeding without the fiscal impact included in the agenda packet; a motion to postpone was discussed and rejected. The motion to approve the funding ultimately passed by a recorded vote of 4 yes, 1 no, 1 abstain and 1 absent.

The county directed staff to produce the draft lease language that would implement the one-time linear-foot fee and to include CPI adjustments in any long-term repayment term. Commissioners also discussed potential additional revenue measures for the airport (passenger facility charges and lease CPI adjustments) as part of a longer-term plan to move the airport toward self-sufficiency.

The commission’s funding authorization is for construction of the non-AIP-eligible portion of the taxiway now so the county can capitalize on lower mobilization and unit costs while the FAA-funded U-shaped taxiway project is being constructed.

The commission will receive the drafted repayment language and fiscal documentation from staff before any funds are transferred.