County approves feasibility amendment to study potential airport-area industrial park

The Lake County Board of County Commissioners voted Aug. 11, 2025, to amend a professional services agreement with Mead & Hunt to add a feasibility study for a proposed industrial park adjacent to the Leadville airport.

Tourism and economic development director Adam Ducharme told the board staff and consultants would “engage with Johnson Economics to be able to really understand, where the market is,” and described the work as a first-phase feasibility or “prelude” before a master development plan. Ducharme said the county intends to confirm market demand and the costs of bringing sewer, water and three‑phase power to the site before committing to full master planning.

The nut graf: The feasibility study will help the county decide whether to move forward with master planning and infrastructure work on the roughly 100‑acre triangular site south of the archery range and adjacent to the airport; staff described it as a needed step because prior analyses focused on different parcels and because construction and utility costs have changed since the last comprehensive study.

Ducharme said the study will consider “through‑the‑fence” development issues — whether certain parcels inside the FAA boundary could be designated for off‑airport development — and cited the city of Hayden as a local comparable. Candice (Community Planning and Development staff) told the board the project’s changed study area alters utility and sewer cost assumptions and that updated information is required because the last study was dated.

Commissioners asked questions about recreation uses and land entitlements near the study area; Ducharme and staff said they had discussed the site with local recreation groups and Leadville Sanitation District and that parcel entitlements and older rezoning requests in the area will be evaluated as part of the work. The feasibility scope was presented as budgeted at $41,000 and within the economic development budget; the board approved the amendment, with an affirmative tally of three ayes.

Staff said the feasibility study will report back to the board with recommendations that could lead to incorporation of the site into long‑range economic development planning or a decision to stop pursuing the site if the market or costs do not support it.