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Area Plan Recommendations
AREA PLAN RECOMMENDATIONS SUMMARY
RESIDENTIAL
COMMERCIAL
WATER/DRAINAGE
PUBLIC SERVICES AND FACILITIES
TRANSPORTATION
OPEN SPACE(S)/BLM
OnePlacitas Area Plan Recommendations Summary
Commercial:
- Limited to the three existing commercially zoned areas of Historic Village,Homestead Shopping Center, and La Puerta Realty – plus, allow moderate and appropriate commercial development along the I-25 frontage road
- Above I-25 frontage properties maximum structure footprint shall be 8000 square feet and 25 feet maximum height to natural grade; and, at I-25 frontage properties, maximum height shall be allowed to increase to 35 feet. I-25 frontage properties are those within 1/10 mile of the frontage road.
- Architectural styles and signage appropriate to preserving residential character and scale including exterior materials and color, and as viewed from each side of the structure including the rear.
- Restrictions to preserve night sky.
- Require appropriate setbacks and buffers to adjoining residential areas.
- Home based businesses allowed as per residential recommendations.
Residential:
- Preserve rural density by restricting subdivision to 1) levels sustainable by ground water, 2) disallowing subdivision below four acres without agreement of all abutting neighbors, and those who have a close view of the subdivision, and, 3) terrain management requirements.
- Protect character and rural feel of Placitas by requiring 1) architectural controls appropriate to certain areas, 2) limit “buildable areas” to those that preserve vistas and landscapes, 3) require water course setbacks and rainwater capture to lessen erosion and preserve aquifers, and, 4) night sky preservation requirements, public access to Community Value Lands, preservation of Wild Life Corridors, and preservation of all unique community valued environmental features.
- Manage enforcement through 1) creation of an Placitas Architectural Review Committee to work jointly with the Planning and Zoning Commission, 2) enhancing subdivision and building permit submittal requirements to clearly define existing conditions and intended roadways and “buildable areas” congruent with the intent of zoning overlays, and, 3) continued monitoring of mined water and refinement of density restrictions appropriate to sustainability.
Transportation:
- The goal of a transportation plan in Placitas to maintain the rural character of NM 165.
- The Placitas Area Plan should remain in the rural transportation plan.
- Interchange 242 capacity, including frontage road access, must be planned, funded, and construction completed prior to any additional commercial or residential development along frontage roads and NM 165.
- A Northeast loop road is strongly opposed by the community.
- Requirement that for any road extension to provide access to additional or new subdivisions, the entire road from the main transportation route be brought up to current county subdivision road standards.
- Provision for multi-modal and inter-modal transfers to existing bicycle/railroad planned facilities.
- Signals on NM 165 to be considered only based upon applicable warrants.
- Roads and road repairs should be permitted and inspected for acceptable quality and storm water management.
Water/Drainage/Wastewater:
- Proof of adequate water/drainage/wastewater planning should be part of the approval process for zoning, subdivision, building permitting and roads.
- Strict enforcement of the New Mexico Environment Department regulations for septic systems.
- Sandoval County should continue regular monitoring/reporting of levels and consumptive use of wells in Placitas. Sandoval County should regularly monitor Placitas area springs, seeps and streams for impacts due to ground water pumping and climatic influences.
- Data on wells, springs, seeps and streams should be interpreted as to short and long term sustainability of water resources in Placitas, and this analysis should inform planning and development policy, with public reports made available on a biannual basis.
- Support a government agency, such as the Coronado Water and Soil District, for Storm Water Management and Drainage Control, requiring their approval and inspection of development applications and building permits with services paid for by the applicant.
Open Space/BLM:
- Protect the natural beauty and enjoyment of all Open Spaces of the Area and public access to those Open Spaces including lands under BLM control and their allowed use.
- Offer incentives for creation of Open Space and ensure public access.
- Ensure protection of all historic wildlife corridors including the nationally recognized North American Wildlife Corridor through Open Spaces and including BLM lands.
- Ensure that Open Space considerations for BLM lands are included in the Area Plan.
- Assure fulfillment of the Placitas Open Space Master Plan (2002).
- SandovalCounty should develop and contingency plan to purchase the Placitas Open Space for countyOpen Space if Albuquerque should ever choose to opt out of their current ownership-management.
Public Services and Facilities:
- Develop enhanced bike and pedestrian paths.
- Develop access to Community Value Lands and Recreational Open Spaces.
- Develop community recreational services plan based upon current community input that is consistent with the rural character of Placitas.
- Develop and support community use spaces such as the Placitas Community Center and the Placitas Community Library and encourage multi-use and sustainability.
- Establish that medium and large subdivisions provide hydrants, water storage & sprinkler systems.
- Establish Fire Station at Diamond Tail and a Fire Station near I-25
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Placitas Area Plan: Residential
Background Material for Discussion
The Issues:
Should zoning create minimum standards for “community benefit” be developed and enforced? Should the rural sparsely populated nature of Placitas be protected as essential to the character and appeal of the Placitas Area? Should the specific and harmonized architectural styles that predominate many neighborhoods be preserved for sustained identity and property worth of those neighborhoods? Should zoning preserve vistas and landscapes? Should population density be limited to ground water availability? Should zoning require building and landscape measures to preserve ground water? Should aggressive surface water management be required due to the Placitas Areas loose soils, sparse vegetation, and flooding? Should zoning overlay maps contain unique requirements to unique areas of the Placitas Area?
Existing Conditions:
- Current RRA zoning allows one residential unit for each ¾ acre. However, average density of greater than two acres (gross) per residential unit due to abundantly available land and terrain limitations related to development costs.
- Many neighborhoods are subdivisions with covenants and are density protected. Some neighborhoods, such as Placitas West, which preceded divisions with covenants, tried to limit density by imposing restrictions on, e.g., access to water co-ops , but such restrictions have lost effectiveness in protecting density. These neighborhoods are slowly changing by summary platting that the majority of existing residents didn’t anticipate or desire.
- Architectural styles are generally pueblo or territorial with 17’ height limitation, earth tone, and often regulated by covenant within 3-5 miles East of I-25. Architectural styles in other neighborhoods vary from uniformity to randomness.
- Homes are typically between 2,000 and 4,000 square feet and are less than 30 years old.
- Proportional to terrain, ridge top homes are more dominant in some developments than others, but are almost universally viewed as spoiling the vistas.
- Storm water management varies. It does exist and is marginally maintained in certain covenanted subdivisions, but is generally nonexistent in most of the Placitas Area.
- Set backs from arroyos and watercourses are not defined and property losses occur.
- Night or dark skies in the Placitas Area are highly valued and protected in many neighborhoods of the area by covenant.
- Off street parking is required in many developments in the Placitas Area.
- There is only one high density or multifamily development in the Placitas Area—a set of just eight townhouses at Placitas Trails — and it is has been community viable due to architectural style and landscape buffer to the less-dense adjoining properties.
Implications:
- Housing density must be limited to preserve the feel and value of the Placitas Area.
- As property values increase, cost of development as a percentage of property value decreases resulting in increasing pressure to maximize densities. Past economic factors and constraints imposed by terrain have resulted in low-density development in much of Placitas, but density must be regulated in the future or that attribute of the area will be lost.
- Housing density must be tied to sustainable water availability.
- Housing designs and landscape must preserve available ground water.
- Architectural styles must be managed to protect the characters of neighborhoods or areas.
- Energy and water conservation systems must be encouraged, but be harmonized by design with architectural styles.
- Terrain management must become a part of development in the Placitas area to preserve landscapes and vistas, as well as to manage storm water and liquid waste.
- Night skies must be protected by lighting restrictions to preserve current conditions highly valued by Placitas Area residents.
Specific Development Options:
Prepared by:
MID-REGION COUNCIL OF GOVERNMENTS OF NEW MEXICO
809 COPPER AVE. NW, ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO, 87102
HOME OCCUPATION: An occupation conducted in a dwelling unit provided that:
1) No person other than members of the family residing on the premises shall be engaged in such occupation.
2) The use of the swelling unit for the home occupation shall be clearly incidental and subordinate to its use for residential purposes by its occupants, and not more than 25 percent of the floor area of the dwelling unit shall be used in the conduct of the home occupation, nor more than 600 square feet of an accessory building.
3) There shall be no visible evidence of the conduct of such home occupation other than one sign, not exceeding five square feet in area and non-illuminated.
4) There shall be no sales in connection with such home occupation that would disrupt the residential nature of the district.
5) No traffic shall be generated by such home occupation in greater volumes than would normally be expected in a residential neighborhood, and any need for parking generated by the conduct of such home occupation shall be met off the street and other than in a required front yard.
6) No equipment or process shall be used in such home occupation which creates noise, vibration, glare, fumes, odors, or electrical interference detectable to normal senses off the lot if the occupation is conducted in a single-family dwelling, or outside the dwelling unit if conducted in a multiple-family dwelling. In the case of electrical interference, no equipment or process shall be used which creates visual or audible interference in radio or television receivers off the premises, or causes fluctuation in line voltage off the premises.
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OnePlacitas Area Plan Recommendations
Commercial
Summary
Among the questions about commercial development to be addressed in the Placitas Area Plan are how much, if any, further commercial development should take place in Placitas; whether any more land should be zoned for commercial use; where any future development should be located, and what forms such development should take. The purpose of this paper is to help Sandoval County planners arrive at answers that will best advance the interests and enhance the quality of life of Placitas residents.
Existing Conditions
Placitas is a residential community with little retail and other commercial activity within its borders. That activity is clustered in three places: the Homestead Shopping Center, the La Puerta Real Estate office, and in and around the historic Village Center. Unused commercial land is available at all three locations. In the aggregate, the amount of unused commercial acreage is greater than the acreage occupied by operating businesses.
There has been no growth in commercial activity in Placitas in recent years; if anything, there has been a decline. No businesspersons have sought to buy or lease the available unused commercial land. There has been hardly any business investment, except in residential real estate.
The retail and commercial sectors of nearby Bernalillo and northern Rio Rancho dwarf anything in Placitas. They have been growing rapidly, and will continue to grow in the future. Retail activity throughout the Albuquerque metropolitan area also has grown and become more diversified.
A proposal is now pending to open for commercial development a large tract in the center of Placitas known as the Cashwell property. Other suggested locales for development include the historic Village center and certain Land Grant parcels. On the borders of Placitas, there are proposals for a shopping/office complex below the Piedra Lisa dam and developments on two large properties along the I-25 frontage road.
Implications: Economic Viability and the Need for CommercialLand
The review of existing conditions brings out these points concerning the economic viability of further business activity in Placitas: (1) Placitas has an excess supply of land available for commercial use—enough to more than double the acreage on which businesses operate and to multiply several-fold the retail/commercial square footage. (2) There is no evidence of any unmet demand for business premises in Placitas. (3) The lack of business investment in Placitas indicates that businesspersons do not see the area as a place to earn a good return on their capital. (4) The competitive position of both existing Placitas businesses and hypothetical new ones has deteriorated sharply because of rapid nearby commercial development and can be expected to deteriorate further in the future.
Based on these findings, the Area Plan should state that there is no economic rationale for opening any area of Placitas for commercial development outside the areas where commercial activity already exists. Consequently, no development proposal that would have that effect should be approved. Likewise, the Plan should recommend that no additional Placitas land be zoned for commercial use, with the possible exception, noted below, of certain land in the historic Village center.
Specific Development Recommendations
The following remarks concerning specific commercial development options reflect the foregoing findings about economic viability, assessments of the potential consequences of particular developments, and the expressed views of Placitas residents:
Further development at Homestead and La Puerta. The issue concerning these established commercial areas is not whether further development should be allowed but rather what conditions regarding type, size, and style of development should be imposed—in the event that business investors/operators come forth. The Area Plan should recommend procedures, conditions, and criteria for case-by-case review of proposed new commercial structures in these areas.
The proposed Cashwell development. The commercial portion of this proposed multi-use development would accommodate more commercial activity than now exists in all of Placitas combined. Doubts about economic viability, unresolved questions about water availability and quality; and the likely damage to the character of the community all indicate that the Area Plan should recommend rejection of any commercial development at that location. Further, the Plan should establish the principle, applicable to future proposals for either commercial or residential development, that no such proposal or rezoning application should be approved until after concerns about water supply have been satisfactorily resolved.
The shopping center at the Piedra Lisa dam. Although the Bernalillo town council recently declined to approve annexation and retail/office development of this site, a new proposal could be submitted in the future. In this case, economic viability is not the leading issue; rather the main concerns are exacerbation of already serious traffic problems, flood hazard, and lack of architectural controls. The Area Plan should recommend that development of the site be approved only after reconstruction of the I-25/NM 165 interchange has commenced, the flood control issue has been resolved, and strong architectural standards have been imposed.
Development in the historic Village center. The County's long-range planner has proposed a zoning overlay district that would allow new commercial development in the Village center along NM 165. Although the economic outlook for such development is uncertain and various problems could arise, the proposed development strategy merits endorsement in the Plan, provided that Village residents agree. The Plan should also outline procedures for case-by-case review of development proposals submitted under the new zoning rules.
Commercial development on Land Grant parcels. The Las Huertas Land Grant has independent planning and zoning authority with respect to parcels of land along NM 165, for which commercial development might be considered. The Plan should recommend that the County work cooperatively with the Land Grant to identify optimal forms of development and to promote communication about development issues between the Land Grant and other Placitas residents.
The Sole Toscano and Petroglyph Trails Developments. Too little is now known about what these developments along the I-25 frontage road would entail to identify specific concerns, and uncertainty remains as to whether both properties or only the former will be annexed by Bernalillo. Even so, the Plan should recommend that the County do what it can to prevent adverse effects on neighboring Placitas residential subdivisions of commercial development at these sites.
Architectural Recommendations
Architectural styles and signage for commercial properties shall be directed towards preserving the residential character and scale of Placitas. This includes restrictions on exterior materials and color. Also, the appearance of commercial buildings should be consistent as viewed from all sides, including the rear.
In all areas except the I-25 frontage road properties, the maximum structure footprint shall be 8000 square feet, and 25 feet maximum height to natural grade. For I-25 frontage properties, maximum height should be allowed to increase to 35 feet, and these properties should be limited to 1/10 mile from the frontage road.
There must be appropriate setbacks and buffers to adjoining residential areas.
There must be restrictions on lighting to preserve the night sky.
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OnePlacitas Area Plan Recommendations
Water/Drainage/Wastewater
- Sandoval County should continue the regular monitoring/reporting of levels and consumptive use of wells in Placitas. There should also be regular monitoring of Placitas area springs, seeps and streams for impacts due to ground water pumping and climatic influences.
- OnePlacitas suggests that there be a continuation of the water study and policies as initiated by Intera. The data on well levels and use, seeps and streams should be interpreted as to short and long term sustainability of water resources in Placitas, and this analysis should inform planning and development policy.
- Proof of adequate water/drainage/wastewater management should be part of the approval process for zoning, subdivision, building permits and roads.
- There should be a governmental agency for Storm water Management and Drainage control, such as the Coronado Water and Soil Conservation District, requiring approval and inspect of development applications and building permits, with services paid for by the applicant.
- We support strict enforcement of the New Mexico Environment Department regulations for septic systems.
- We support having the master plan acreage requirement be reduced from the present 100 acres, so that undeveloped properties of 50 acres or possibly less be required to be master plan developed. Water planning for these developments should be required to provide impact studies on neighboring water systems.
- We recommend that water/ drainage/ wastewater planning be part of the approval process for zoning and subdivision.
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Public Services & Facilities
Fire & Rescue Services
Within the next five years, the Placitas Fire Brigade goals include:
- Establish Fire Station at Diamond Tail
- Establish Fire Station near I-25
- Provide additional parking for Station 41 ( by Ranchos de Placitas)
- Continue utilizing State Fire Funds to fund the Placitas Volunteer Fire Brigade ( and seek donations from local citizens)
- Establish that medium and large subdivisions to provide hydrants, water storage & sprinkler systems
Placitas Community Library
- Seek consistent funding sources & support for the Placitas Community Library
Community Service Goals
- Seek community transit, potentially from the Rail Runner to the Village with stops along Rt. 165
- Develop enhanced bike and pedestrian paths
- Develop and implement community recreation services- tennis courts, swimming pool, theater, basketball court, fitness center
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OnePlacitas Area Plan Recommendations
Transportation
TRANSPORTATION POSITION PAPER
INTRODUCTION
The area being considered for the Placitas Area plan is served by one primary road, NM 165. The area also encompasses the east frontage road system along I-25, primarily to the north and exit 242 on I-25. All of the other roads within the study area are secondary arterials which serve as entrances to various subdivisions. Transportation is primarily via automobile. Limited bus service is available to students attending middle and high school in Bernalillo and primary school in Placitas.
Traffic is made up of numerous elements ranging from passenger vehicles to heavy trucks (i.e. delivery trucks and semis). The traffic along NM 165 is primarily passenger vehicles with some delivery trucks servicing business in the Village of Placitas and the Homestead Shopping Plaza. The percentage of trucks to the overall traffic is very low, most likely less than 5%. Along the I-25 east frontage road to the north of NM 165 the situation is quite different. Due to the presence of the La Farge and Waycor gravel pits and the heavy equipment lease/rental business on this road the percentage of tucks is much higher, probably in the area of 10-20%. In the AM Peak period (from approximately 7-9 a.m.) this percentage is most likely in the 40-50% range. This means that as far as transportation and safety are concerned we are looking at two exceedingly different conditions which require assessment.
Traffic data for this report was obtained from the Mid-Region Council of Government (MRCOG). Traffic data studied for this report includes 2000-2007 Traffic Flows and LongRange forecast for 2015 and 2030. Placitas is considered part of MRCOG Rural Transportation Planning, whereas the Town of Bernalillo and the City of Rio Rancho are considered part of MRCOG Metropolitan Transportation Planning.
EXISTING CONDITIONS
NM 165 is a two lane paved road which runs from I-25 to approximately 7 miles east of I-25 where it becomes a two lane dirt road which terminates at NM 14 on the east side of Sandia Peak. The paved portion of the road consists of two nominal 12’ driving lanes with variable width shoulders. At locations where secondary arterials servicing various subdivisions and commercial/retail plazas at the Homestead Village and in the Village of Placitas there are left and right turn lanes and deceleration/acceleration lanes as necessary. The road is in relatively good condition.
The frontage road to the north of NM 165 along I-25 serves several purposes. One purpose is to access the commercial businesses which are on the southern end of the frontage road close to NM 165. These businesses consist of a heavy equipment lease/rental, a mechanics shop, a granite shop, and a ceramic tile shop. Another purpose is to provide access for the La Farge and Waycor gravel pits which are located further to the north. Because of the gravel pit business, as well as the heavy equipment lease/rental business this road sees a very high percentage of truck traffic primarily on weekdays, although the gravel pits are also open on Saturdays. Another purpose of the frontage road is to provide primary access to the Anasazi/Petroglyph Trails, La Mesa, and Sundance Mesa subdivisions.
Exit 242 serves as the primary entrance to and exit from I-25 for all residents of Placitas. It is also the primary entrance and exit for US 550 which goes through the Town of Bernalillo as well as northern Rio Rancho,. Both the Town of Bernalillo and northern Rio Rancho have undergone tremendous growth throughout the years. Several new subdivisions have been constructed within the past 5 years in the Town of Bernalillo and northern Rio Rancho, as well as the construction of WalMart and Home Depot. The interchange as it exists today is severely overtaxed and it will only get worse in the future. The following table shows the traffic growth, Average Daily Traffic (ADT), at this interchange from 2000 to 2007. The table shows traffic coming into the interchange from NM 165 (Placitas traffic) and US 550 (Town of Bernalillo/northern Rio Rancho traffic). All of the data in the table was obtained from MRCOG.
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YEAR
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NM 165
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US 550
|
|
2000
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6800
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25,800
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2001
|
6800
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26,600
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2002
|
6700
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27,200
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|
2003
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8800
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29,300
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|
2004
|
8800
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30,300
|
|
2005
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8900
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31,600
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|
2006
|
7400
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32,600
|
|
2007
|
7500
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34,000
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As can be seen from the table, it is obvious that the interchange is being sorely overtaxed by the growth occurring in the Town of Bernalillo and northern Rio Rancho, whereas the Placitas traffic has shown much more modest growth. In fact, as can be seen the traffic projections for the years 2006 and 2007 have gone down from the years 2003-2005. This indicates that the level of growth which went into the development of the traffic data was estimated to be much higher than what actual traffic counts have shown. MRCOG would have then refined their traffic model to reflect the lower amount of traffic which is actually being seen. They would revise the growth rate factor on their model based on the type of growth actually being seen.
In a meeting on October 1, 2008 Chris Miller the Assistant Director of Maintenance for Sandoval County provided information concerning the road system maintained by Sandoval County. There are 63 miles of road maintained within Placitas. Some of the roads within subdivisions are maintained proscriptively as they were built before the 1997 ordinance which outlined minimum road standards for Sandoval County maintenance. All subdivisions which were built after 1997 must comply with the ordinance if they are to be turned over to Sandoval County for maintenance. Plans must be submitted to Sandoval County for review and approval. Sandoval County will also inspect the work to make sure it is built in accordance with their standards prior to accepting the road for maintenance. The minimum requirements are as follows:
- 50’ ROW
- 6” base course and paved road.
- Maximum 2% gradient for the first 20’ in order to allow school buses and emergency vehicle access.
- Minimum of 22’ roadway width with bar ditches and/or culverts.
FUTURE CONDITIONS
Looking at the future traffic growth for the interchange area yields interesting results. From the MRCOG for the years 2015 and 2030 the ADT’s for the approaches to the interchange are as follows:
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YEAR
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NM 165
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US 550
|
|
2015
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11,264
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32,862
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2030
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15,671
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37,297
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The data appears to be inconsistent in that the traffic coming from US 550 is actually shown as lower than the 2007 numbers shown above, although the 2030 numbers show a significant increase. MRCOG data may be assuming that the Northwest Loop Road and/or Paseo del Volcan has been constructed by 2015 which would lower the amount of traffic coming into the interchange and then a growth factor was applied to generate the 2030 numbers.
The data concerning the amount of traffic coming from NM 165 is even more puzzling. It reflects a huge amount of growth, 3,764 vehicles, from 2007 to 2015 and then another significant jump of 4,407 vehicles, from 2015 and 2030. MRCOG must be basing their results on significant development within the Placitas area within the next 20+ years.
In the meeting of October 1, 2008, Ms. Debra Bauman of the NMDOT made a presentation concerning transportation related improvements in the Placitas area. Ms. Bauman related the following:
- There are no plans for improvements along NM 165. There may be some driveway and signage issues that need to be addressed. Ms. Bauman indicated she would ask the District 3 Traffic Engineer to evaluate the speed limits along NM 165.
- The I-25 widening project from Tramway to Interchange 242 is on hold. Funding for that project will be available in 2009 - $3.1 million and 2010 - $8.1 million.
- There is a project for improvements between Interchange 240 and Interchange 242. Funding for that project will be available in 2012 - $5.5 million.
- There is separate Federal Funding for the replacement of Interchange 242. There will be $16.6 million available in 2010 and $8.3 million available in 2011. NMDOT is issuing a Request for Proposals from engineering consultants either late October 2008 or early November 2008. This project will have a Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) which will include Sandoval County and most likely the Town of Bernalillo and the City of Rio Rancho. There will also be a Community Advisory Committee (CAC). Ms. Bauman indicated that bicycle facility connection will be included as part of the design.
- Ms. Bauman indicated that there were no plans for a North Loop road from I-25 to NM 14. She indicated that this project is not in the State Transportation Improvement Program (STIP). The STIP is updated periodically, but Ms. Bauman said that there is no funding shown for a North Loop road. She did indicate this didn’t preclude Sandoval County from funding this endeavor themselves, although this is highly unlikely considering the possible price tag.
In regard to local roads Mr. Chris Miller indicated at the meeting of October 1, 2008 that all new roads which are maintained by the County must be built in accordance with the County’s standards as noted above. In regard to any existing roads that might be extended he indicated that the existing road would have to be brought up to standard if it was not built to the current standards. They are looking at the possibility of taking some historical situations, such as Camino de Las Huertas, and bringing the portions of it they could up to standards.
In terms of multi-modal transportation, Mr. Moises Gonzalez, the Sandoval County Planner, indicated that he was in support of the bicycle access which will be looked at as part of the Interchange 242 project. He also indicated that he has been advocating a stop for Placitas (possibly at the Homestead Shopping Center) for the Sandoval County EZ Ride. This would allow people to possibly take the Rail Runner.
COMMUNITY CONCERNS
In regard to Interchange 242 the Placitas area concern is that we make sure we get recognized as an entity somehow so that we can become part of the TAC, not just the CAC. With the Town of Bernalillo and the City of Rio Rancho being part of the TAC the Interchange design will highly favor them versus Placitas. Our only advocate would be Sandoval County and they also have the interest of the Town of Bernalillo and the City of Rio Rancho to keep in mind. As noted above Placitas has an extremely high percentage of truck traffic and our needs for the Interchange design to facilitate the movement of trucks through the Interchange is of great importance. If the MRCOG numbers for the years 2015 and 2030 are correct Placitas will be generating a great deal more traffic moving through the Interchange. Placitas needs to be represented in this process.
The MRCOG numbers indicating significant growth are of grave concern to the Placitas community. These numbers indicate, most likely, significant commercial and residential growth. Some of these areas of possible growth are already in the planning stages. We know that the Town of Bernalillo has already annexed a parcel of land north of Petroglyph/Anasazi Trails subdivision and south of La Farge on the frontage road. The engineer for the developer, Mr. Ron Bohannon, is proposing to put high density town homes in this location. The concept would depend on the ability of the Town of Bernalillo to provide water and sewer services for such an endeavor. This development would impact the frontage road significantly which as noted above already has a high percentage of truck traffic. Prior to allowing access to this development or any other significant commercial or residential development on the frontage road, NMDOT needs to make the Traffic Impact Studies available to the community for review. An analysis of accidents should also be performed and made available to the community for review.
Local road standards are of concern to Placitas residents. Prior to any existing road being extended it must be brought into line with the County standards as per Mr. Chris Miller
MEETING CONSENSUS TOPICS
Several community meetings have been conducted by Mr. Orin Safier and Ms. Wendy Aman who initiated and spearheaded the One Placitas effort. The meeting of August 17, 2008 was specifically held to address a variety of key elements of the Placitas Area Plan which community members are especially concerned with. One of these key elements is transportation. The meeting was conducted by splitting people into smaller groups to discuss each of the issues. Each group then went in front of the total assembled audience with their recommendations for how to address each key element. The meeting showed that the community had several areas of consensus concerning transportation. The areas of consensus are as follows:
- The idea of a “Loop Road” is totally unacceptable to all segments of the community. This was a consistent theme with all of the groups.
- It was generally agreed that the issue of Interchange 242 capacity needed to be addressed prior to allowing more commercial growth.
- It was generally agreed that minimum standards for roadways needed to be implemented.
- It was generally agreed that no more traffic signals should be allowed on NM 165.
- It was generally agreed that looking into the possibility of shuttle service to and from the Rail Runner might be something that should be explored.
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Placitas Area Plan:
Open Space(s)BLM (Community Value Lands)
Background Material for Discussion
The Issues:
The Placitas Plan Area Plan includes the Albuquerque Open Space, but does not include the 6000 acres of BLM land that surrounds Placitas. This limits the Placitas Area Plan in regards of conserving and protecting a large area that will significantly impact Placitas’ future.
Like incorporated municipalities and villages, Placitas too needs to be able to influence the planning, zoning, and usages of the land surrounding it. Placitas residents want to preserve the BLM lands and Open Spaces in Placitas. They deem these lands as Public Open Space, and termed as “Community Value Lands”. The home values of all Placitans reflect the proximity and availability of Public Open Space.
The Placitas BLM and Open Spaces are valued not only for recreation opportunities, viewsheds, cultural artifacts, and diversity of plant life and dessert scapes, but for the major North American wildlife corridor, connecting migratory pathways from Canada to Mexico, that passes directly through the Placitas, Albuquerque Open Space and a portion of the 6000 BLM acres.
Existing Conditions:
- Open Space in Placitas is comprised of 6,000 acres of Bureau of Land Management administered land and 540 acres of Albuquerque Open Space. The BLM land, not included in the area plan, makes up one percent of the total Rio Puerco District. The entire Rio Puerco BLM district is currently undergoing a 4 year Resource Management Plan that will govern how the land is used for the next 20 plus years.
- Open Spaces in Placitas have national significance. They lie in the path of the Continental Mega Linkages called the Spine of the Continent that has been developed over the past 20 plus years to link areas of wildlife migration together
- National parks and private lands along the entire stretch of the Rockies are linked from Alaska to Mexico. The only major break in that spine is here at the Sandia Mountains.
- The Las Huertas Creek Watershed in Unit 5 and in Albuquerque Open Space is a natural system for wildlife migration connecting the Sandias to the Jemez Mountains. The NM Wilderness Alliance declares it an important link to the wildlife habitat preservation work being done in the Ortiz Mountains and Glorieta Mesa and Galesito Basin.
- Placitas Open Space is home to a surprising variety of migrating wildlife and birds including bobcat, great horned owls, mountain lions, deer, fox, and wild horses as declared and protected by New Mexico State law. The local Placitas Wildlife Corridors organization is tracking migration paths with statewide and national conservation groups to document the key role it plays in keeping the surrounding mountain wildlife genetically viable.
- There are no parks in the entirety of Sandoval County except for the Soccer Complex.
- Albuquerque Open Space was acquired with the commitment to complete the Placitas Open Space Master Plan.
- An east-west county road from the I25 frontage road to northeast Placitas or to State Route 14 has been re-proposed for Unit 5, Albuquerque Open Space, and Placitas. Such a road, without a considerable cost of planning and building wildlife passages as prescribed by the Safe Passages, will bisect and therefore destroy the wildlife corridor, and impose harm to property values.
- Currently Unit 5 has active gravel mining, 100 acre, 5 story deep closed dirt filled gravel mine, miles of rock conveying equipment, a rock crushing operation, miles of LP, compressed gas, and carbon dioxide pipelines, and a 20 acre electric substation.
- Unit 5, Albuquerque Open Space and Placitas is crisscrossed with pipelines. Additional road, commercial or residential development could be dangerous to residents and the region because Placitas is protected by a volunteer fire department. Disused, deteriorating pipelines have not been removed. Types and amounts of residual material in those disused pipelines have not been adequately disclosed to residents.
- Requests have been filed with the BLM to mine the entire north side of the Las Huertas Creek Watershed. The New Mexico Environment Department Air Quality Bureau in 2003 Concluded and recommended:
- Permits for sand and gravel mines that propose locating in areas unsuited for mining be denied. Gravel and other forms of extraction should be prevented in all areas near Native American “sacred sites,” residential neighborhoods, historic rural communities, or in areas where the resulting “scar” will ruin a scenic viewshed.
- Mines should not be solely responsible for their own air quality testing, but should be subject to oversight by independent authorities. Dust from the local mines blows over the residential areas of Placitas. Crystalline silica found in gravel and sand gets suspended in the air when mined and can become embedded in the lungs.
Open Spaces includes sacred sites, surrounds Placitas residential neighborhoods and a historic rural community village.
- Mining in Unit 5 uses scarce Placitas ground water. Mines are required to wash some materials on site and control dust, using millions of gallons of groundwater to perform these tasks. While dust control is necessary, the use of scarce potable water for dust suppression must be weighed against the increasing demands of domestic water use. The actual amount of water used by such mines is unknown because it’s unmetered.
- Dramatic population increases in Placitas, the Albuquerque, Santa Fe, and East Mountain community have resulted in more demand for public recreation. Because Placitas Open Spaces are close to urban areas, surrounded by residential areas it is currently an urban oasis for recreation preserved in its natural state. It provides a scarce recreation resource and buffer from commercial and residential development.
- Several hundred Placitas homes abut the open spaces in Placitas and more than half of the 2,300 homes in Placitas have a viewshed of the BLM lands. Open Spaces are of scenic value to residents; the views were reflected in the prices paid for Placitas homes.
- Currently only the 500 acres of Albuquerque Open Space behind La Mesa and parts of Ranchos de Placitas is restricted to quiet recreation. ATV traffic and motorized recreation can be legally practiced there including areas immediately behind Placitas homes.
Implications:
- Open Spaces are “Community Valued Lands” that are important to the quality of life and property values of Placitans, Sandoval County, and New Mexico residents.
- The Placitas Open Space Master Plan, 2002, needs to be implemented.
- Open spaces need to be preserved while they are still available and viable as wildlife refuges and migratory corridors for future generations.
- Non-urban recreation needs to be “planned for” while Open Spaces still exist and treated as the value they represent to surrounding communities and populations.
- Open spaces can be developed as heritage tourism, recreation, and viewsheds that bring taxes and money into the community, Sandoval County, and the State of New Mexico.
- Development of any kind needs to be tied to sustainable water availability.
- Should the City of Albuquerque opt out of the Open Space ownership, Sandoval County should purchase and create it as a county Open Space.
- Placitas residents should have some protection from noise and erosion caused by ATV recreation.
Recommendation and Actions Needed to Protect Placitas Open Spaces.
- Assure fulfillment of the Placitas Open Space Master Plan (2002).
- Work with the New Mexico Wilderness Society who is urging the BLM to designate the 6000 surrounding BLM acres (including the 200 isolated acres in Overlook) to be designated as an Area of Critical Environmental Concern (ACEC) for wildlife habitat and quiet recreation.
- Work with the BLM, State and county officials to insist that the New Mexico Environment Department Air Quality 2003 Guidelines be followed. Gravel and/or other forms of extraction (oil, gas, uranium) should not be allowed to operate near Native American “sacred sites,” residential neighborhoods, historic rural communities, or in areas where the resulting “scar” will ruin a scenic viewshed.
- Use State and Federal EPA rules to block expanding gravel mining operations that would considerably worsen the already serious respiratory health issue caused by airborne contaminants emanating from the existing facilities (silicates – known carcinogens).
- Monitor BLM permitting processes to not allow Oil, Gas, and Uranium drilling/mining companies to develop their claims on the 6,000 acres of BLM land near and beneath Placitas.
- Prevent slant drilling/mining that could potentially occur beneath residential homes and threaten damage and or contamination to the aquifers essential to the water supply.
- Insist that the New Mexico State Engineer’s Office takes action to regulate all groundwater development in all proposed mining operations, residential and commercial development. Placitas water sources cannot sustain mega developments.
- Prevent developers' requests to permit residential, commercial and school construction on Unit 5 6,000 acres.
- Work with all appropriate entities, including the Turquoises Trail Scenic Highway and Federal Government to find viable alternatives to an East to West Loop Road through the Placitas Open Space and BLM lands.
- Work with the State Parks department and The Wild Horse Observers Association (WHOA) to establish a State Park and Wild Life Preserve on a portion of the 6,000 acres.
- Support the Land Grant’s efforts to have 500 acres of the northern BLM lands returned.
- Demand that the BLM turn the newly acquired Crest of Montezuma over to the Forest Service for management and preservation of low impact recreation.
- Urge a mixed use arrangement with the BLM that includes providing residents with alternative energy sources while preserving the wilderness corridors that would generate some BLM lease revenue that could have portions set aside for future purchase and preservation.
- Support Placitas residents in the pursuit of purchase of all or portions of the Unit 5 BLM lands by a conservation trust.
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