Neighbors press county to delay approval of hangar expansion at Ranger Ranchettes airstrip

Montrose County planning staff presented a special-use permit on April 16 that would allow four new hangars on four vacant parcels at the private Ranger Ranchettes airstrip. Planner Talmadge Richmond said the strip is a legal nonconforming (grandfathered) use and that any expansion of hangars requires a permit; the planning commission recommended approval subject to conditions on lighting, hangar size (no more than 5,000 sq ft), fuel storage limits and on-site emergency water.

Multiple nearby residents testified in opposition, citing repeated low-altitude overflights, noise and what they described as ineffective homeowners association enforcement. One resident said a Harwood-area doctor filed a sheriff's complaint after aircraft repeatedly flew at very low altitudes above houses. Applicant Dan Panassa described current activity as limited—mostly weekend use—and said he anticipates only a small number of flights per hangar weekly at full build-out. The applicant disputed claims of recent runway expansion and said the runway length has been consistent for decades.

After public comment the board voted to continue the hearing to May 14 to allow staff to obtain FAA guidance, review the video submitted to the sheriff, and give commissioners an opportunity for on-site visits. Commissioners asked staff to provide information on trigger points for reclassifying the airstrip, the enforcement path for FAA rules, and to distribute the video and any incident reports to the board ahead of the continued hearing.