The first meeting of an airport noise working group will occur Jan. 11 to discuss the concerns of communities in the northwest metro area.

The Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport Community Noise Roundtable is the result of an agreement between the counties of Jefferson, Boulder and Broomfield, along with the municipalities of Arvada, Louisville, Westminster and Superior. The group will take public comment quarterly, and will determine the first opportunity for input at the 9 a.m. meeting next month.

Rocky Mountain Metropolitan is the fourth-busiest airport in the state, and the majority of noise complaints arises from Louisville and Superior. In 2019, the airport experienced a takeoff or landing approximately once every three minutes. Still, that amounted to 50,000 fewer takeoffs and landings than the peak of operations in 1977. 

Jefferson County has operated and owned the regional airport since 1960, located near business parks and residential areas. Last year, the county revised its recommended noise abatement procedures for aircraft operators regarding departures and approaches.

The county indicated that the roundtable is also the Federal Aviation Administration’s “preferred venue for considering changes in airspace procedures and routing so that all surrounding communities must vet any changes in airport operations and aircraft routing.”