Granite County limits Riddick Field beacon to daytime use, allows emergency night activations

Granite County commissioners voted Jan. 9 to designate Riddick Field in Phillipsburg as a daytime-use airport, allowing the recently installed LED beacon to be activated only for emergency night landings.

"I make a motion for Riddick Field to be daytime use only unless there is an emergency where a plane needs to land at night," an unnamed commissioner said when moving the final measure; the motion was seconded and the chair announced, "Motion carried and passed."

The vote followed hours of public comment and technical testimony. Eric Anderson, an airport advisory board member and pilot, described how modern LED beacons operate and noted the potential for light spill: "Typically, it beacons on from dusk to daily. It's on all night long." Anderson and other pilots recommended mitigation such as directional baffles and matte finishes to reduce stray light.

Brad Shuster, manager for the Pilots Association Northwest Mountain Region, urged the county to weigh safety and funding implications. He warned of financial impacts related to airport funding and maintenance and said restricting beacon operation is uncommon at public-use airports. "That's a significant impact to you in the audience as taxpayers there in the county," Shuster said, urging the commission to consider long-term costs.

Commissioners and residents debated how to define and authorize an "emergency" that would permit nighttime beacon activation. Several commenters suggested that the commission chair, the sheriff or volunteer ambulance/fire leadership be authorized to request activation; county staff and emergency-services members said the sheriff's office and dispatch are already notified in pilot-declared emergencies. A county representative referenced airport-manager Donovan Jones's estimate that there are "probably 2 or 3 nighttime flights a year," a figure cited in the meeting as part of the rationale for daytime-only status.

Technical detail factored into discussion: runway lights at the field can be pilot-activated (referred to in the meeting as PCL/VTL systems), while the new beacon does not currently operate on that pilot-control circuit. Speakers suggested short-term workarounds—such as sheriff or town activation for true emergencies—and said the commission would consult the airport board on implementation.

Supporters of daytime-only operation said the LED beacon's brightness has disturbed nearby residents and that daytime status would address community concerns while preserving the airport for day operations. Opponents, including regional pilots, said limiting beacon use could create safety and funding issues and urged the county to pursue mitigation measures rather than a restriction.

The commission's action leaves the airport able to host night landings in urgent circumstances when local emergency authorities activate the beacon; the body directed staff to coordinate with the airport board and emergency services to define procedures and technical measures.

The meeting adjourned after the vote.