Revitalization of East Central Avenue. The City’s consultant contractor has been hard at work to revise and expand the contents of the draft East Gateway Sector Development Plan. The Sector Plan boundaries are Virginia Street on the west, Copper Avenue to I-40 on the north, the City limit on the east, and KAFB on the south as shown below; the smaller Metropolitan Redevelopment Area is a darker shade.
(JPG posted in outgoing email).
Draft reports can be reviewed at http://www.cabq.gov/planning/long-range/eastgatewaysdp.html. Paula Donahue, the city’s Senior Planner for the Sector Plan, can be reached at 924-3932 or pdonahue@cabq.gov. The contractors and planning staff should have a more polished draft available for public review by the end of May 2009.
Tijeras Arroyo.
1. There is a proposal initiated by the Trust for Public Lands to purchase approximately 60 acres of undeveloped property just east of the City-County boundary south of NM 333 (old US 66), including a portion of the arroyo, and further south, connecting to the Manzano Open Space. Councilor Don Harris sponsored legislation to earmark $400,000 toward this purchase. This could provide an important link between open space north of I-40 and potential open space in the Tijeras Canyon for a wildlife corridor. Issues include overall costs within fiscally-constrained budgets, policing of the arroyo (a favorite “camping” area for homeless people), and maintenance of the extended open space.
2. Public dumping and intrusive activities further west in the arroyo continue to be an irritant to residents. The developer of Juan Tabo Hills has been asked to install locked gates to limit access to trash dumpers, and both the City and County have been asked to participate in a cleanup operation to remove accumulated trash from the area north of Juan Tabo Hills.
3. Non-native trees and other growth continue to proliferate in the arroyo. There is a Council bill pending to remove these unwanted plants to preserve native vegetation.
Form Based Zones. The Environmental Planning Commission dedicated hundreds of hours to revise a comprehensive proposed addition to the Zoning Code establishing five (seven if you count the sub-categories) new Zones, outlining procedures to request Zone changes, and templates for each new zone. The Council approved the proposal. Note that developers must request changes to existing Zone designations and that those applications are subject to established Planning procedures, including public review and comment. Note that developers had the flexibility within the established Zoning Code to apply for any of the template designs under an SU-1 Zone.
Great Streets. This proposed Rank 2 Facility Plan would provide for enhancing street segments to provide a “sense of place” through widening of sidewalks, emplacing shade trees and other plants, and similar measures to attract walkers. Similar to the Form Based Zone procedures, developers, community groups, business owners, and others would apply for a Great Streets designation for a specified street segment. It is expected that the Council will approve the Great Streets Facility Plan, which could override sector plans, subdivision plats, and overlay zones, all of which are Rank 3 plans. Note that Great Streets projects had already been approved under the established Zoning Code.
Coalition meetings.
· The Annual meeting was held on January 22, 2009, at the Manzano Mesa Multigenerational Center. Member association representatives elected Roger Mickelson as President and Zach Hahn as Treasurer, each for a two-year term. PRC Chairman Jason Marks reported on regulatory activities. US Postal Inspection Service agent Stephanie Herman provided insightful information about identity theft and postal security matters. Mayor Martin Chàvez spoke about his efforts to secure Federal stimulus funding for City projects.
· The next quarterly meeting is scheduled for 6:30-8:30 pm on April 21, 2009, at the Manzano Mesa Multigenerational Center. NM Senators Sue Wilson-Beffort and Tim Keller and state Representative RJ Berry will report on the 60-day 2009 legislative session. APD Crime Prevention manager Steve Sink will provide information on avoiding crime to attendees.· Please provide recommendations for future meeting themes to Roger Mickelson, 332-9273 or fhvharoger@aol.com.
Tijeras Arroyo.
1. There is a proposal initiated by the Trust for Public Lands to purchase approximately 60 acres of undeveloped property just east of the City-County boundary south of NM 333 (old US 66), including a portion of the arroyo, and further south, connecting to the Manzano Open Space. Councilor Don Harris sponsored legislation to earmark $400,000 toward this purchase. This could provide an important link between open space north of I-40 and potential open space in the Tijeras Canyon for a wildlife corridor. Issues include overall costs within fiscally-constrained budgets, policing of the arroyo (a favorite “camping” area for homeless people), and maintenance of the extended open space.
2. Public dumping and intrusive activities further west in the arroyo continue to be an irritant to residents. The developer of Juan Tabo Hills has been asked to install locked gates to limit access to trash dumpers, and both the City and County have been asked to participate in a cleanup operation to remove accumulated trash from the area north of Juan Tabo Hills.
3. Non-native trees and other growth continue to proliferate in the arroyo. There is a Council bill pending to remove these unwanted plants to preserve native vegetation.
Form Based Zones. The Environmental Planning Commission dedicated hundreds of hours to revise a comprehensive proposed addition to the Zoning Code establishing five (seven if you count the sub-categories) new Zones, outlining procedures to request Zone changes, and templates for each new zone. The Council approved the proposal. Note that developers must request changes to existing Zone designations and that those applications are subject to established Planning procedures, including public review and comment. Note that developers had the flexibility within the established Zoning Code to apply for any of the template designs under an SU-1 Zone.
Great Streets. This proposed Rank 2 Facility Plan would provide for enhancing street segments to provide a “sense of place” through widening of sidewalks, emplacing shade trees and other plants, and similar measures to attract walkers. Similar to the Form Based Zone procedures, developers, community groups, business owners, and others would apply for a Great Streets designation for a specified street segment. It is expected that the Council will approve the Great Streets Facility Plan, which could override sector plans, subdivision plats, and overlay zones, all of which are Rank 3 plans. Note that Great Streets projects had already been approved under the established Zoning Code.
Coalition meetings.
· The Annual meeting was held on January 22, 2009, at the Manzano Mesa Multigenerational Center. Member association representatives elected Roger Mickelson as President and Zach Hahn as Treasurer, each for a two-year term. PRC Chairman Jason Marks reported on regulatory activities. US Postal Inspection Service agent Stephanie Herman provided insightful information about identity theft and postal security matters. Mayor Martin Chàvez spoke about his efforts to secure Federal stimulus funding for City projects.
· The next quarterly meeting is scheduled for 6:30-8:30 pm on April 21, 2009, at the Manzano Mesa Multigenerational Center. NM Senators Sue Wilson-Beffort and Tim Keller and state Representative RJ Berry will report on the 60-day 2009 legislative session. APD Crime Prevention manager Steve Sink will provide information on avoiding crime to attendees.· Please provide recommendations for future meeting themes to Roger Mickelson, 332-9273 or fhvharoger@aol.com.
