[Music] I call this meeting to order. This is the land use planning and zoning committee of the city council. All councils are present this evening with counselors Grout and Rogers joining via Zoom. We're going to start with the Lups land acknowledgement. The city of Albuquerque was established on the unseated traditional homelands of the Tiva PBLO people and the PBLO of Sandia and Isleta. As caretakers of the middle Rio Grande Valley, the Tiva PBLO people nurtured and cared for its human and non-human in inhabitants as well as the desert, mountain, and water ecosystem since time in memorial. Historically, the PBLO peoples have contributed to and guided the development of Albuquerque and New Mexico, and they continue to cultivate the spiritual, cultural, and socioeconomic life of Albuquerque and our land of enchantment. We also recognize that Albuquerque has long been a gathering place of diverse indigenous peoples, tribal nations, and pbllo of New Mexico, and indigenous nations from around the world, and that this sacred place continues to be their traditional homelands. All right, tonight is going to be a hybrid meeting where all participants will be in person or on video uh or audio conference. Members of the public have the opportunity to address the committee if they have signed up for public comment for the rules published on the agenda and on our website Friday. We'll call for the speakers when we get to the individual agenda item you signed up for. The comment rules are that you get to um have two minutes to present. Your comments are to be addressed to the committee members only and any disruptive conduct will be result in removal from the meeting. We are going to move to item A. Uh Councelor Rogers. Thank you, Madam Chair. Uh EC479 is the mayor's appointment of Jesse, Mrs. Jesse Hunt to the Environmental Planning Commission. I move for a deferral to the October 15, 2025 LUPS meeting. >> I will second that. And so this will be we're going to do a vote to make sure it's deferred. Um so let's go. We have people on the line, so we'll have to do a roll call vote. >> Councelor Bassan. Yes. >> Councelor Champine. >> Yes. Councelor Grub. >> Yes. >> Councelor Rogers. >> Yes. >> Councelor Feeborn. >> Yes. >> It's unanimous. >> Thank you. So, the matter on EC479 is deferred until October 15th. Uh we will move on to um item B. Uh Rogers. >> Thank you, Madam Chair. Item B is R25-182 approving the adoption of the downtown metropolitan redevelopment area plan downtown 2050 and the repealing of the downtown 2025 metropolitan redevelopment area plan for the downtown metropolitan redevelopment area. And I move a due path for councelor Baka >> and seconded by councelor Bassan. Um we have a presentation from um Jennifer Jackson from she's the MRA deputy director and so we will go to the presentation before we move to public comment. >> Thank you for being here Miss Jackson. >> Okay great. >> Okay. >> Good evening madame chair councilors. Thank you for this opportunity to present on MRA's downtown 2050 plan. Um, before I dive into the plan, purpose and goals, I just wanted to spend a minute talking about the background on this. Um, with R25-123 that the council has already passed, the downtown boundaries have expanded to include the previous downtown boundary as well as railroad and mlullen park MR areas. So, there's a larger um approved boundary now. And the currently adopted plan is 21 years old. Um so it no longer reflects the current boundaries um nor the conditions of downtown. Um hence the the reason for for this new plan. Um additionally 024-68 also passed by this council um requires that um MR areas have plans 10 years or less in age prior to enacting a tiff in that district. And so this um plan given its age um needs an update before we can move forward with TIFF which was approved by this council. Um a couple of other things um just to lay the groundwork. MRA plans cannot change zoning. Um MRA does not have eminent domain power. Um our plans cannot force redevelopment of parcels and do not offer specific development plans for any properties. Um and MRA are tier three MRA plans are tier three plans which are subsidiary to many other types of plans in the city. Um so this particular plan's purpose and goals um the plan outline strategies for land use, transportation and public investment in downtown. Um similar to the IDEO and the comp plan, it takes a centers and corridors approach um and a place-based approach. Um, it aims to encourage development in established activity centers to improve mobility and increase residential density while taking advantage of existing infrastructure for future growth. Um, so some commenters that are coming up later tonight may note that this plan lacks um information on homeless services and planning, crime um and other data that are present in other um outside of in other plans that are outside the scope of an MRA plan. really is focused on economic development. Um there are other plans such as the central CPA plan that lays the baseline conditions for the area and outlines the larger needs for the area. So this is really meant to complement those other plans. Um this is supposed to be a highle framework plan that indicates to developers goals for the area and helps the city plan things like our public um infrastructure improvements for the next 20 years. Um this process has been ongoing for about two years now. Um we've had a lot of public engagement. Um we had an advisory committee with um 17 members. They met three times over the course of 2024 um in person and many times via email and um in informal meetings during the time that the plan was written. Um, we've also sent out um a survey, five legal notices, five rounds of mailers between May 24 and September 25, 2025. Um, seven email blasts. We had two open houses um with over 150 people in attendance between the two. Um we've had two public meetings, one um that the a Albuquerque Development Commission in May of this year and another public hearing just two weeks ago, September 10th. Um and during the public comment period when this plan was in its draft form, we received 28 emails with a lot of public comments um from community members. Um part of why this plan has taken so long to get to the form that um that we're presenting to you now um is that the initial draft um we received a lot of comments and so we went back to the drawing board and um MRA staff significantly reworked portions of the plan to try to work in um a lot of the comments that we received from the public. So, our the vision for this plan is that deeply rooted and richly diverse, downtown Albuquerque is the cultural and commercial heart of the city, inviting all visitors, employees, and residents to connect through creative discovery with elevated authenticity. There were three central themes that emerged from the plan. Um, diversity, safety, and placemaking. Um, and these buckets are very large. When we're talking about diversity, we're talking about diversity of businesses, diversity of experiences, diversity of residents and visitors. Um, safety. Um, again, this isn't really a crime and safety plan. Um, but it does touch on things like lighting, activating spaces, um, the things that we can in the more economic development sphere do to encourage a more safe feeling when people are downtown. Um, and placemaking involves public infrastructure, events, things like lighting, signage, better wayfinding, things like that. So, the um the plan itself is um organized around three central goals. Reinforce the authentic local, creative, and diverse culture of the core, create comfortable and dynamic public spaces, and encourage strategic integrated economic growth. Um once approved and we move to the implementation stage, um we will continue to continue the work laid out in this plan which also includes a follow- on TIFF action plan which the council has mandated as part of the TIF implementation process. Um so that additional plan um is to start and that will outline um what we anticipate we'll be able to do with the estimated TIFF revenue. So that will get more into what kinds of programs could we stand up knowing that we have a revenue source which isn't typical for MAS. Um we'll move towards solidifying partnerships um and hope to work with council on um any policy initiatives that will be needed to help you move forward um the goals in this plan. Um in the plan um we have this is a snippet from a matrix um an implementation action matrix um that's included in the plan that lays out sort of short mid and long-term goals um the alignment to the three goals in the plan uh for the activities and then um the partners and funding sources that we've identified for each of the items. So, we're hoping recognize that this is not um really rooted in specific metrics um because there is no funding tied to the MRA plan. There will be for the TIFF action plan. Um so, this is higher level. Um these are the things that we're hoping that we can use as kind of a checklist or work plan over the next couple of decades um as we as we move through um achieving the goals in the plan. Um so, what's next? Um, if approved, we'll continue to work with partners to implement the priorities in the action matrix. Um, work with city council to develop programs and determine budgets. Um, and continue to move forward to enact TIFF downtown, which includes the TIFF action plan. Um, and working to get county and state support for the MRA downtown um, TIFF. Um, if not approved, the 2003 plan, which does not align with the updated and approved boundaries or the current economic conditions or needs downtown, will remain the approved plan. So, any developers that come to us um requesting incentives will um refer back to that plan when talking about how their project aligns with downtown MRA goals. Um and Emory would not be able to move forward with um tiff downtown without a man a plan that meets the state statutory requirements and the city's ordinance requirements. So that would be paused until we could um get a plan passed. Um and that's what I have. >> Thank you so much. Please stick around. There might be some questions for you, but we're going to go first to public comment. Mr. Cornelius. >> Thank you, Madam Chair. Our first speaker is Carlos Michelin. followed by Loretta Nuranho Lopez. All right. Good evening, chair and counselors. Uh my name is uh Carlos Michelin and I'm here to voice my strong support for passing the downtown 2050 plan. Um as I was just presented, um this plan is uh a vision document. Um and that's it. It's a vision document. And it's not meant to be a detailed action plan. Uh the next step will include that action plan. Um it has a clear purpose to guide the work the MRA uh does which is about infrastructure and redevelopment investments. The MRA is not safety department. Those needs need to be addressed. Um but not in this plan. Um I also think the plan is purposely vague in some areas because it needs to be flexible. It's supposed to guide investments for the next 20 years. Um what it does do is lay out a clear vision and direction. Point out that downtown is the economic engine of Albuquerque. Um it subsidizes the rest of the city. We've done the math. Um but it faces some serious challenges. Um but I am excited about two powerful tools are finally within reach. the proposed tiff and bid and having this plan adopted is a prerequisite performing the tiff um as required by this council and the state law. Um if this plan doesn't pass, we risk derailing the whole process and losing one of the most effective funding mechanisms um that we've ever had for downtown revitalization. And that's why I'm here today, not because I care too much about a visioning plan to give up my evening, but because I want to see the tiff happen. I live downtown and I want to have this redevelopment tool and I am looking forward to all the real concrete investments it's going to be able to fund. And I'm also especially excited to see the inclusion of the vacant lots on Broadway and LMAS on the plan boundaries. I live just a few blocks away from there and right now it's just um gas stations, drive-thrus and empty lots that do nothing for the city in right in the center of our city. Yeah, I hope you pass it today. Thank you. >> Loretta Nurano Lopez, followed by Jordan McConnell. >> Good evening, chair and committee members. The Santa Barbara Martineztown Neighborhood Association requests the city council LUPS recommend an amendment to remove 101 Lis Boulevard and 229 Broadway Northeast and to deny this unreasonable request and put an end to the destruction of Martineztown Santa Barbara neighborhood. If the LUPS committee does not amend the plan, then the SBTNA requests that the committee and the HNA because I'm representing the historic neighborhood alliance as as well as the president of the Santa Barbara Martineztown neighborhood association that they deny the adoption of 2050 downtown metropolitan redevelopment area plan. Resolution 25182 request if allowed will set precedents to destroy a significant and one of the oldest historic neighborhoods in the city of Albuquerque. SBMT was told that Martineztown Santa Barbara MRA was not approved during the approval of the integrated development ordinance. However, the attached documents that we provided to you uh states differently. the record is clear that we do have it and we are not wanting to change our boundaries and there needs to be an amendment to that 490 uh 8 to uh before any of this happens. Um SBMT also wants to know why the city of Albuquerque continues to perpetuate racial inequities against Martineztown Santa Barbara neighborhood. the city of Albuquerque. Uh the proposal to conclude downtown the Martineztown neighborhood is to support gentrification and the eradic eratification of the neighborhood by imposing the downtown boundaries neighborhood. We're we're running studies. We'd like to know the economic impact that you've imposed on us and we want to pay back the money that you've taken away with this MRA. And then we'd also like to know if the if we still need the ponding area because of global warming that hasn't been cleared and we'd like a a professional study done on it. And I would just refer you to September 21st letter. It's in detail and I thank you for this opportunity to speak. >> Jordan McConnell followed by Jake Ralphs. >> Good evening Chair Feebleorn and members of the board. My name is Jordan McConnell. I'm a resident of the historic downtown CPS and I'm speaking here only for myself. I'm speaking in support of the downtown 2050 redevelopment plan. Some critics say this plan just doesn't go far enough on issues like safety or homelessness. But the truth is there's no solution to those challenges without more eyes on our streets. That means more residents, more homes, and more activities. This plan recognizes that and lays out how to make it happen. more neighbors, a pro homes framework, and activated streets that encourage us all to linger, enjoy local businesses, and socialize together. It will enable us to move on to the next segment of our efforts, the bid and tiff, which will make it easier to address these important concerns while also promoting a pro homes pro business framework. As a downtown resident, I also want to emphasize the process. The public input sessions I intended were not only among the best attended I've seen, they were the most interactive. They brought in people who usually don't show up to these kinds of meetings. Some may say they weren't heard, but I can tell you they were heard. And as a resident of the historic core, me and my neighbors were heard, too. Some may be upset that just how many of us participated because they can't dominate this conversation. But I think this plan is stronger because of how many of us were able to take part in it. Downtown's only a tiny share of our city's land, but it's t it's the tax engine of the city. If we want funding for pools in Domingo Baka, trail improvements in our foothills, safe playgrounds, amenities, public restrooms in every district, we also need a strong and thriving downtown to make that happen. This plan helps get us there by encouraging housing, filling in vacancies, and making our streets safer, building on our unique culture and history, and helping bring in vacant lots such as those at Broadway and Lis into the fold. I urge your approval on this plan so we can help build a downtown that works for all of us Benos. Thank you. Jake Ralphs followed by Eleanor Walther on Zoom. Good evening, counselors. Thank you for this opportunity to speak to you. I am uh here to encourage you to reconsider the 2050 plan. In my mind, the 2050 plan is wholly illegitimate. um it did not engage stakeholders in a meaningful way. If you don't believe me, try to try to ask your significant ex others for input with just stickers and uh no actual dialogue. Um in comments today, the MRA seems to have moved the goalposts yet again. The purpose of this high-level plan is to guide us over the next 25 years. It is not adequate. If it were adequate, they wouldn't have taken six months to address 28 emails of which none of the points from the Albuquerque Core Neighborhood Association were addressed or acknowledged. We need to go back to the people and have a legitimate discussion with legitimate input and put together a real plan that Albuquerque deserves, not this inadequate plan. Thank you for your time. Eleanor Walther Chair Fable Corn and committee meetings on April 7, 2025. Council approved adopting the MRA plan downtown 2050. On April 21st, they approved the amendment that added two parcels north of Lis that carved out a corner of the Santa Barbara Marinus Town Neighborhood Association. Uh when asked about expanding MR boundaries without a study, Mr. Bruner replied, "As long as it's not significant change to the boundaries, if it's just a few parcels." What is a significant change? Who decides? Who benefits from including these two parcels? Um, I urge opposition to R25182 out of principle. If a study is required to expand the boundaries of the MA, that rule should be applied uniformly. Boundaries should not be expanded to capture a particular site. Thank you, >> Madam Chair. I did not find Ian Cobburn in Zoom. So that concludes comment. Thank you. >> Thank you, Mr. Cornelius. Any questions from counselors? >> Councelor Bassan. >> Madame Chair, it was uh commented earlier that there might have been some I'm going to use the term illegal activity with some of the boundaries. Uh it seems from one of the commenters and that it wasn't actually something that we legally did by making sure to change the boundaries within this MRA. And I'd like to know from the attorneys if that is true or not. >> I'll go to um Miss Kuladon. >> Madam Chair, councelor Bassan. Uh the the procedure was followed according to the code. Um the boundary expansion uh was uh pursuant to provision in the law that says that non-substantial modifications can be made and those have been uh historically uh captured under boundary expansions. >> Thank you. Miss Keef, did you have anything to add? >> Um Madam Chair, no I I agree with that. I think we had addressed this at the time um and agreed that the change was not substantial enough to warrant a new study. Thank you, Madam Chair. >> Thank you. Any other questions? Anybody online? Okay. I just had a quick one. I think maybe Miss Jackson can go over this. Um, we just heard a lot about public notification. I know you went through this in your presentation, but can you once again go over the timeline for public notification and also outline some of the changes that were made based on the feedback that you received in those public meetings? Certainly, Madame Chair, counselors. Um, so the public engagement, uh, first of all, we convened an advisory committee. They met three times on January 9, 2024, February 20, 27, 2024, May 1st, 2024. Um, we submitted a survey uh to our downtown list serve, which includes, I think, almost a thousand emails, um, in March 2024. and we received over 130 responses. Um legal notices, we published five between March 2024 and September 8, 2025 um for our various meetings. Uh during the same time frame, we submitted five rounds of mailers um between May 2024 and September 2025. Um, we submitted seven email blasts to our downtown list serve which includes neighborhood association contacts. Um, between March 6, 2024 and September 5th, 2025, we held two open houses uh, one on March 20, 2024 and one on May 21, 2024. Um, and then we had two public meetings, the Albuquerque Development Commission meeting on May 15, 2025 and the public another public hearing on September 10, 2025. Um, and then we also received 28 emails. Um, I just wanted to note it wasn't 28 comments, it was 28 emails, some of which had dozens and dozens of comments in them during the public comment period. Um, so we had contracted with Arcadus, a consulting firm. Um, this process actually predates my term at the city. So, my predecessor started this. Um, so they were already on contract when I started. Um, and they drafted, they submitted a draft um, in late 2024, I want to say early 2025. Um, we had a public comment period. It was online for a month. Um, that's when we received these 28 emails. Um, and then at that point, um, we determined that, um, Arcadus are an out of town consultant. Um, they weren't quite hitting the mark. Um, I don't think they were quite, we had worked with them a lot, but, um, they weren't quite like getting it to where we wanted to go. So, we actually restructured the entire document. Um, came up with the goals. My staff came up with the goals internally, restructured um, the whole report, added the matrix at the end. Um, we hired SB Freriedman to do additional um, TIFF analysis. So, the analysis is in there that's in there um, we added on our own because what Arcadus had provided we didn't think was sufficient um, to get us to where we needed to go and to be in line with the statute. Um, and then we also engaged uh, tool design around um, some uh, the transit um, parking and placemaking issues downtown. Thank you. Any other questions? All right. Uh, Councelor Rogers, would you like to close? >> Thank you, Madam Chair. Um, nope. I think the presentation covered it for the close. I urge your support. >> Thank you. We'll go to a roll call vote. >> Councelor Bassant, >> yes. >> Councelor Champine, >> yes. Councelor Grout, >> yes. Councelor Rogers. >> Yes. >> Councelor Feibblecore. >> Yes. >> Unanimous. >> Thank you. All right. Um and now we're going to move on to agenda item C. Uh and this is M5, expressing the support of the city of the Albuquerque City Council for the continued federal stewardship of public lands in Albuquerque and Bernalo County. And move a due pass. >> Second. >> And it's seconded by councelor Bassan. Um, I will start by just saying, you know, I think we've heard a lot over the last year or so, um, around the possible loss of some of our public lands. It is one of the things that I think everyone on council has kind of agreed to, um, over the last couple of years is that open spaces and public lands are really, really important to this community. And so, this is just showing that support and asking our federal delegation to do all they can to protect those lands for us. And so, um, I will take any questions. Seeing none, um, I will close by saying I urge support. Let's go to a roll call vote. >> Councelor Basan, >> yes. >> Councelor Shine, >> yes. >> Councelor Grup, >> yes. >> Councelor Rogers, >> yes. >> Councelor Feeborn, >> yes. >> Passes unanimous. >> Thank you. And I'd like to move for immediate action on this bill. >> Second. >> And seconded by Councelor Bassan. And we will move to a roll call vote. >> Councelor Bassan, >> yes. >> Councelor Champine, >> yes. >> Councelor Grout, >> yes. >> Councelor Rogers, >> yes. >> Councelor Feeorn, >> yes. >> That passes unanimous. >> Wonderful. Perfectly timed for um the 27th, which is uh public lands day. So, congratulations everyone. I um seeing no further business, we are going to adjourn this meeting. Thank you. [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music]