July-August 2008
(Publication date: August 9, 2008)
(Publication date: August 9, 2008)
Revitalization of East Central Avenue has moved slowly for three months. A series of public meetings on the Sector Development Plan will be held in August. The initial plan boundaries are Virginia Street on the west, Copper Avenue to I-40 on the north, the City limit on the east, and Kirtland AFB on the south as shown below in yellow; the much smaller Metropolitan Redevelopment Area is a darker shade of gray.
(MAP WAS INCLUDED IN THE EMAIL)
Paula Donahue, the city’s Senior Planner for the Sector Plan, and the contractor Planning Team will conduct a public meeting on August 26 in the evening at the Four Hills Country Club. Several technical team meetings will be held on August 27 to focus on various aspects of the Sector Plan. There will be additional meetings on August 28. More information will be sent by mail notice and e-mail. Paula can be reached at 924-3932 or pdonahue@cabq.gov.
Redevelopment Progress. Independently, a real estate consortium and a local developer have stepped forward to begin the lengthy process of redeveloping the NE corner of Central and Juan Tabo (the abandoned Furr’s grocery store and shopping center). This was a market-driven decision that has been slowed by the slump in the real estate market and the increased costs of construction materials.
Great Streets. The Planning Department had proposed a complex and comprehensive Rank 2 (policy level) facility plan for landscaping, limiting parking, building walkable sidewalks, and adding other features to provide a “sense of place” along two dozen street segments. In May, public testimony and messages opposing the need for an overarching policy/plan convinced the Environmental Planning Commission to defer hearing the proposal until August. Today, the Staff Planner sent the first page of the August 14 Staff Report recommending a 60-day delay. There are many unanswered questions concerning costs; water use; maintenance; locations; and competing priorities in a time of tight budgets. Perhaps the 113 pages of standards and guidelines that provide design templates and aesthetic suggestions might more properly be considered during preparation or review of Sector Plans, Overlay Zones, or separate legislation rather than being incorporated into a citywide facility plan.
Form Based Code. The revised 63-page (previously 151 pages) proposed Code amendment was introduced at a special hearing of the Environmental Planning Commission. Public testimony suggested that (a) there was no need for additional Zones, (b) that the building and development designs could be applied for and approved under the existing Code, (c) that the intended “optional” nature of the proposed Code could become mandatory in the future, and (d) that applications for site development/subdivision plans should be evaluated on a case-by-case basis. There were other technical and implementation issues, and the proposal will be heard in a series of EPC meetings beginning August 14. The EPC members are keenly aware of the potential implications of this complex legislation; they want sufficient time to study the proposal in depth. Several people who follow such things suspect that many controversial issues will remain unresolved at the August 14 hearing.
July’s Coalition Meeting was held on July 22, with Sheriff Darren White, Albuquerque Police Department Deputy Chief Mike Callaway, District Attorney Kari Brandenburg, Judge Pat Murdock, and Judge Victor Valdez summarizing each organization’s roles in responding to calls for service and arresting, investigating, prosecuting, trying, and sentencing criminals. Approximately forty people attended, asking good questions and receiving useful answers. It’s clear that responsible people and organizations involved in the criminal justice system are working hard to streamline procedures, to interact cooperatively, and to do their utmost to deal with crime in Albuquerque and Bernalillo County. There are some inefficiencies in the system, stacks of cases to be dealt with, too many suspects in jail awaiting hearings, inadequate laws and ordinances, and shortfalls in funding and staffing. Most panelists agreed that adding APD officers and BCSO deputies would be their highest priority—both to deter and to respond to reports of crime. There were suggestions that coalitions and neighborhoods cooperatively work with public safety offices to consider appropriate actions to improve the system.
Next Coalition meeting will tentatively be held at 6:30 pm on October 23, at the Manzano Mesa Multigenerational Center.
Roger Mickelson 323-9273 fhvhaRoger@aol.com
