A variety of development opportunities exist on the Greeley-Weld County Airport.  A number of sites are still available in the terminal area for commercial, corporate, or private hangar development.  Additionally, the airport is presently working to open an additional 40 acres of land for aeronautical development on the airport's east side, adjacent to Weld County Road 47. 

For information on the availability of sites, or to request an Airport Development Information Packet,  please contact airport administration at (970) 336-3000.

Ground Lease Agreement

The Greeley-Weld County Airport has adopted a standard form of lease agreement.  This "boiler plate" lease is used in most leasing situations, and generally does not require any negotiations.  A copy of the standard lease agreement is available for download.

Download standard form of Ground Lease Agreement (.pdf file)

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ's)

To learn more about the lease and development process, please review the following frequently asked questions.

• Who do I contact about building anew hangar or building, or if I want to buy a hangar that is for sale?
   
• What are the rental rates and other fees for space at the airport?
   
• Who reviews and issues a Building Permit?
   
• What are some of the major provisions I should expect to see in my lease?
   
• What about access to utilities?
   
• Are there any Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) requirements?
   
• Are there any annual taxes?

Other questions should be directed to the Airport Manager, at (970) 336-3000.

Who do I contact about building a new hangar or building, or if I want to buy a hangar that is for sale?

If you are interested in leasing land and building a hangar on the Greeley-Weld County Airport, you should first contact the Airport Manager.  The Airport Manager will meet with you to discuss your desire to construct improvements on the airport, identify what land areas are available for your development, and go over the entire land lease and construction process. 

If you intend to purchase an existing hangar or building already at the airport, both you and the seller will need to contact the Airport Manager as well.  In most cases, the airport retains a first right of refusal to purchase any hangar or building before it is sold.  If the airport waives its first right to make the purchase, the existing lease may need to be assigned to the new owner, or terminated so that the new owner can enter into a new lease for the airport property with the Airport Authority.

In either case, you should be prepared to discuss the purpose of the hangar, and what activities you intend on conducting in the facility, and on the airport.

What are the rental and other fees for space on the airport?

The Greeley-Weld County Airport Authority has an established schedule of Rates and Charges which are equally applied to all tenants on the airport.  The beginning rental rate for undeveloped (raw) land is .28 per square foot annually.  This amount is subject to an annual adjustment which is based upon the changes in the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for the Denver/Boulder/Greeley area as published by the U.S. Department of Labor and Statistics, for the prior twelve month period.  Generally, rental rates are adjusted annually on January 1st.

If your development on the airport will be for a commercial (for profit) purpose, you will also be required to acquire a Business License from the Airport Authority for the right to conduct commercial activities on the airport property.  Annual fees for a Business License range from $220.00 to $600.00 per activity.  This fee is multiplied for each major commercial activity a company offers, not to exceed a maximum of $600.00 however for multiple activities.

Additionally, whether your business sells fuel to the general public, or simply stores and pumps it for use in your own aircraft, the airport collects a fuel flowage fee of .06 per gallon.  This fee is based on that fuel delivered into a fuel farm tank, as opposed to fuel delivered into aircraft.

Other rates and charges apply to other uses and activities on the airport.  For a complete copy of the airports schedule of rates and charges, call Airport Administration at (970) 336-3000.

Who reviews my plans and issues a Building Permit?

The Greeley-Weld County Airport is located in the City of Greeley, Colorado.  The City of Greeley Community Development Department has responsibility for such reviews and building permits. 

Prior to beginning any major design services on your development, the airport will hold a Pre-design meeting.  This meeting will include officials from most of the organizations or entities that will have input into your development, such as the Community Development Department, the Fire Department, and the local utility companies.  The purpose of the meeting is to brief each of the representatives on what the project entails and the type of operations to be conducted.  Each representative will offer their input, and provide details as to what their requirements will be prior to the issuance of a Building Permit.  This allows the architect, engineer or other person responsible for the sites design to include these items in their plans from the start, which greatly enhances the ability to have a successful review once the plans are turned in with a Building Permit Application.

Along with the application for a Building Permit to the City of Greeley, you will be required to submit a completed Airport Development Checklist.  This will be provided to you by the Airport Manager, and must be signed by an authorized airport representative before the City will process your application.  This checklist provides the details the City needs to know of concerning the developments compliance with the requirements of the Airport Authority.  This step also ensures a smoother process once you have reached this stage of the project.  Additionally, one set of plans will need to be submitted at this time to the Union Colony Fire Authority as well, for their independent review.

What are some of the major provisions I should expect to see in my lease?

The Greeley-Weld County Airport has adopted a standard form of Lease Agreement (a boiler plate lease).  Below is a summary of some of the more significant provisions which are of most importance to be aware of:

1. For construction which involves a total investment by the developer of at least $75,000.00, the standard lease term is 40 years with no options to extend. 
2. For investments of less than $75,000.00, the standard lease term is 25 years, with three options to renew for five years each.  For each renewal option period, the option lies with the airport, and not the tenant, and is based solely on a determination by the airport that the improvements continue to have a useful life.
3. Upon expiration of the lease term, the tenant's ability to obtain a new lease on the site is dependent largely upon the condition of the improvements.  The lease agreement outlines the terms under which the conditions of the improvements will make them eligible for a new lease.  If a new lease is not granted, the improvements must be removed from the airport and the site restored to its original condition.
4. The rental rate to be paid to the airport is subject to an annual adjustment, based upon any changes in the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for the Denver/Boulder/Greeley area, as identified by the U.S. Bureau of Labor and Statistics. 

What about access to utilities?

All major utilities are available on the Greeley-Weld County Airport.  Water and sewer utilities vary on different areas of the facility however.  The airport is in a multi-year phased expansion of the City water and sewer system.  Many developable sites are accessible to the system already installed, while others are still served by the North Weld Water system.  All areas of the airport have easy access to natural gas, telephone, and electric.  Representatives of each of these utilities will generally be present during a pre-design meeting to discuss location and utility access issues.

For connections to the City water and sewer system, tap and raw water fees are applicable, and payable directly to the City.

Are there any Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) requirements?

Most issues relevant to FAA requirements will be handled by the airport during the pre-design and plans review stage.  The FAA however will need to conduct an Aeronautical Study on all new development on the airport.  Generally, the airport will submit the appropriate paperwork to the FAA on behalf of the tenant.  The tenant however will be responsible for providing the necessary information needed by the airport to complete the paperwork.

A 60 day allowance should be expected for the conduct of an aeronautical study by the FAA.  Construction should not begin prior to the receipt of such approval.  It is typical to submit for this study early on during the planning stage, so as not to allow this part of the process to hold up construction.

Are there any annual taxes?

Presently, all privately owned hangars and buildings are subject to personal property tax by Weld County and/or the City of Greeley as appropriate.  Additionally, Possessory Interest taxes are now due on all land and buildings leased from the Airport Authority which are being used for commercial, or "for profit" purposes. 

For an explanation of the Possessory Interest tax issue, call the Airport Manager at (970) 336-3000 during normal business hours.