It was just two years ago that Adams County wanted to dismantle the original deal for Denver International Airport, demanding Denver return land it had annexed for the airport in what appeared to be an intractable dispute over how airport land could be developed.
Denver wanted to use the property to create an airport city. Adams County officials maintained that would violate a 1988 agreement that set the rules for Denver’s use of the land.
Adams County was right.
Thankfully, the war of words died down, replaced by negotiations and a resolution .
The solution was what it always should have been: Denver should be allowed to develop on its property as long as revenue is shared.
The proposed deal, which must be approved by Adams County and Denver voters in November, would modify the 1988 agreement.
Denver would pay $10 million to Adams County and its communities to create a 1,500-acre pilot program that would allow for commercial development barred under the 1988 agreement.
Denver will split tax proceeds in half with Adams County, which will dole out the money to Aurora, Commerce City, Thornton, Brighton and Federal Heights.
DIA would get to keep all of the income from land leases.
This is a good resolution reached after 2½ years of back and forth that summoned old animosities between Adams County and Denver. The whole ordeal likely could have been avoided had Denver not clumsily barged into the idea of an airport city without first recognizing the authority of the 1988 pact.
That agreement, after all, was to make sure Adams County wasn’t put at an economic disadvantage by Denver’s future use of the airport.
Denver Mayor Michael Hancock acknowledged he learned a lesson in the process. And it is refreshing to hear leaders in both Adams County and Denver talk about collaboration instead of ruination.
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