Balloons running out of space to land, councilor says
Posted at: 10/01/2012 10:01 PM
| Updated at: 10/01/2012 10:12 PM
By: Adam Camp, KOB Eyewitness News 4
Balloons need more room to land, and one Albuquerque city councilor wants to help them with a new amendment so that balloons can land in yards and businesses, so long as owners permit it.
Currently, balloons can only take off and land at the Balloon Fiesta Park and the Double Eagle Airport.
Councilor Michael Cook was behind the bill introduced on Monday night’s council meeting. The bill will now go before the Environmental Planning Commission. The commission will then decide on zoning issues for homes and businesses that allow balloonists to land on their properties.
Councilor Cook's policy analyst, Tony Duran, said there needs to be a change for the improvements of future balloon fiestas.
"We can ensure that with the diminishing amounts of land that we have, that pilots can take off and land in various opportunities throughout the area," he said.
Some pilots of balloons are already worried about coming to the fiesta because of not having enough space for landing, Duran said. The more space that is available, the more balloons will come.
The commission will bring their findings to the city council in November. The public will be allowed to comment on the topic as well.
The bill could be passed in time for the 2013 Balloon Fiesta.
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