Updates on Planning and Zoning Related Legislation

General Legislation

R-16-50, 9/7 Full Council | If adopted, R-16-50 would amend FS/R-88-404, which established policy stating that traffic signals shall be installed between major intersections on Coal St. and Lead St. from Oak St. to Washington St. The amendment would add the segment of Broadway Blvd to Locust St. to the boundary area. The resolution would also direct the City to install a traffic signal at the intersection of Coal Ave. and Walter St and Lead Ave and Walter St. This was heard at the June 15th LUPZ meeting, and the committee voted that the matter be sent to Council with no recommendation. At the August 1^st full Council meeting, the bill was postponed to the September 7^th full Council meeting.

O-16-11, 9/14 LUPZ|If adopted, O-16-11 would adopt a new article in the zoning code to be known as the “Vacant Commercial Building Ordinance.” The intent of this ordinance is to better track vacant commercial buildings for a variety of reasons. First, the ordinance would outline minimum aesthetic requirements for vacant commercial buildings that don’t exist in the code today. Second, it would create a registry that every vacant commercial building would need to sign up for with basic information such as a local contact in case of an emergency. There would be financial penalties for vacant commercial buildings on the registry who aren’t meeting the minimum aesthetic standards outlined in the bill. The bill will also give the City more options to deal with deteriorating or blighted buildings via condemnation. Overall, the sponsors of the bill hope this will deter buildings from deteriorating and becoming blighted, thus negatively affecting surrounding properties and property values. This was heard at the June 15^th LUPZ hearing, and was deferred to the August 10^th LUPZ hearing, and again deferred to the September 14^th LUPZ hearing at which point a committee substitute of the bill will be presented.

O-16-22, 9/14 LUPZ |If adopted, this ordinance would repeal F/S O-05-98, the current ordinance regulating development on the 47-acre Albuquerque Indian School site at 12^th Street and Menaul, and replace it with updated exhibits establishing land uses and development regulations.

Other Council-related Projects

ABC-Z Project (Comprehensive Plan update and Integrated Development Ordinance

Albuquerque/Bernalillo County Comprehensive Plan

A revised draft of the Comprehensive Plan has been published on the project website. The Comp Plan has begun the adoption process and had its first hearing by the EPC on August 4^th. The second hearing will be on August 25^th in the basement hearing room of Plaza del Sol. At this point, comments on the comp plan update will be forwarded to the City Council for their consideration during their hearing process later this fall.

Albuquerque’s Integrated Development Ordinance (IDO)

The IDO will replace the City’s zoning code, subdivision ordinance, and other land use regulations, and is being drafted in three modules.  After incorporating comments collected after each module, a full draft with revisions will be released for review and discussion in Fall 2016. Module 3, which outlines review and approval processes, will be released in August, after which public meetings will be held to discuss and review it. The meeting schedule can be found below.

• Module 1:  Zones and uses – See draft on abc-zone.com for review and comment. 
• Module 2:  Dimensional standards (building heights, setbacks, landscaping, parking requirements, etc.) – See draft on abc-zone.com for review and comment. 
• Module 3:  Required review and approval processes for development – expected Summer 2016. Public meetings for Module 3 will be held in August:
• August 29^th, 6:00 – 7:30 | Patrick J. Baca Library
• August 30^th, 1:00 – 2:30 | Plaza del Sol Basement Hearing Room
• August 30^th, 6:00 – 7:30 | Hiland Theater  

The project team has released an interactive Zoning Conversion Map. This map allows the user to look, parcel by parcel, at the existing and proposed zoning of a particular lot. The public can comment on a particular parcel to let the team know if the proposed zoning is appropriate or not. The map can be found here: http://abc-zone.com/ido-zoning-conversion-map

Relevant Meeting Dates, Times, and Locations:  

City Council Meeting | September 7^th, 2016 | 5:00pm | Vincent E. Griego Council Chambers | Albuquerque/Bernalillo County Government Center

Land Use, Planning, and Zoning Committee (LUPZ) | September 14^th, 2016| 5:00pm | Council Committee Room - 9^th Floor, Suite 9081

ABC-Z Public Meetings | Please see above