City Councilor, Brad Winter (District 4) will conduct a Town Hall Meeting on Tuesday, March 6, 2007 to allow citizens to voice their concerns regarding the Safe Traffic Operations Program Ordinance which allows for the use of photo red light cameras and electronic speed detection equipment.

“Since the ordinance went into effect the Council has been bombarded with complaints and concerns from the citizens of Albuquerque,” said Councilor Winter, “I just want to make sure that everyone’s voice is heard regarding this matter.”

An item of great concern is the amount of the fines and the 100% increase to the fines imposed when there is a delay in making payment. Councilor Debbie O’Malley and Councilor Ken Sanchez have introduced legislation to address this issue. The process to appeal violations has also been repeatedly questioned. “We need to assure that all citizens are being granted due process,” said the Councilor, “I’m really concerned about the appeals process.” The City’s hearing officer who hears appeals of violations has resigned his position.

“People have the right to have input on how they want to be policed,” stated Councilor Winter, “I think it’s time we listened to how the public feels about the laws we are imposing on them.”

The Town Hall will be held on Tuesday, March 6, 2007 from 5:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. in the Vincent E. Griego Chambers, City/County Government Center. Parking will be provided in the underground lot in Civic Plaza. For more information call 768-3101.

City Councilors Isaac Benton, Michael Cadigan, and Martin Heinrich announced that they will move forward a legislative initiative to protect the city’s sustainability and establish Albuquerque as a leading city in addressing global warming. The legislation (O-07-73), called the Albuquerque High Performance Buildings Ordinance (PDF), will be introduced at the next City Council meeting on Wednesday, February 21, 2007.

The ordinance sets an example for other cities seeking to concretely contribute to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and does so comprehensively across the City’s building practices.

“We have been working for a number of months to draft legislation that will serve as a national model for addressing the global problem of climate change,” explained Councilor Martin Heinrich. “This ordinance will move Albuquerque into the forefront of green building in the United States and help us get a handle on Albuquerque’s greenhouse gas emissions by mandating higher standards of energy efficiency for all residential and commercial buildings in the city.”

In addition to the Albuquerque High Performance Buildings Ordinance (PDF), this legislation proposes the adoption of the 2006 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC); currently, the State of New Mexico and City of Albuquerque use the 2003 version of the IECC, which has lower, less stringent standards of energy conservation than the latest edition.

According to Councilor Isaac Benton, a green architect with 30 years of professional experience, “The requirements set forth in this ordinance take care of what I would call the ‘low-hanging fruit’ of efficiency standards that any architect and builder can achieve at relatively low cost. Though the changes being proposed are actually quite simple to make, the impact on our environment will be significant.”

In short, the bill does the following:

Part I of the legislation adopts the 2006 International Energy Conservation Code standards. By adopting the 2006 standards, Albuquerque would be surpassing what is required by the State (which still uses the 2003 code) and holding ourselves to a higher standard of energy conservation.

Part II creates the “Albuquerque High Performance Buildings Ordinance,” which applies to all new construction and significant alternations of existing buildings.
Under this section of the ordinance, projects that are LEED certified will receive Priority Plan Check Processing at the City. This will help encourage and expedite the construction of energy-efficient buildings.
Requirements include: higher standard of efficiency for air conditioning and heating systems, building insulation, roof insulation, and hot water heaters; testing for building leakage; Energy Star appliances and low-e windows.

Part III tackles an air-quality issue by amending the Woodburning Ordinance to include five additional materials – garbage, paints, paint solvents, treated wood, and waste petroleum products – that are prohibited from being burned.

Councilor Michael Cadigan outlined the following benefits to having higher energy efficiency standards: saving money through lower energy bills for consumers and businesses and an overall reduction in the demand of energy; economic development via increased demand for energy-saving products and increase consumer spending on other goods and services which strengthen the local economy; and the protection of the public’s health by reducing air pollution.

Contacts: Kara Shair-Rosenfield, Assistant to City Councilor Isaac Benton, District 3, 768-3186
Mimi Aledo, Assistant to City Councilor Michael Cadigan, District 5, 768-3189
Javier Benavidez, Assistant to City Councilor Martin Heinrich, District 6, 768-3152

Since 1996, conservation efforts by Water Utility Authority customers have succeeded in saving some 100 billion gallons of water, according to Authority figures released today. In a Thursday ceremony to commemorate the achievement and thank customers for their efforts, Authority Chair Martin Heinrich said the 100 billion gallons – about three years’ worth of water – is “just the beginning” when it comes to preserving Albuquerque’s aquifer and ensuring a future water supply.

Standing in front of a six-million-gallon reservoir tank, Heinrich said conservation must remain a top priority and promised a renewed commitment to reaching a water usage goal of 150 gallons per person per day in the next seven years. Today’s per-person usage is approximately 165 gallons, compared with 252 gallons in 1994. That reduction has allowed aquifer pumping to decrease from 40 billion gallons annually in 1994 to 31 billion gallons today – in spite of population growth.

Heinrich credited visionary leadership and a responsive citizenry for the conservation program’s success.

“City leaders developed a strategy, and our customers made personal commitments to cut back on their water use,” he said. “They replaced 59,000 high-flow toilets with low-flow fixtures. They converted nearly 5 million square feet of grass to xeriscapes. And they adopted a wide variety of other conservation measures.”

Driving the Authority’s conservation push is an extensive rebate program that has delivered more than $8 million in conservation incentives to Albuquerque residents and businesses. As part of Friday’s ceremony, Heinrich announced an increase in Authority rebates for low-flow toilets to $150, and outlined plans to create an Outdoor Efficiency rebate program to encourage the use of multi-setting sprinkler timers, rain sensors, rainwater harvesting, and high-efficiency sprinkler heads. He urged residents to visit the Authority’s web site at www.abcwua.org/waterconservation for more information on rebate programs, and called on Authority customers to keep conserving.

“We are completing the San Juan-Chama Drinking Water Project, which will provide an additional supply starting next year,” he said. “We are pursuing innovative re-use programs. But water will continue to be a scarce and precious commodity. We must continue to conserve as part of a sustainable solution for Albuquerque’s future.”

The great cell phone debate is over. It is no longer a question of whether you can drive while holding and talking into your cell phone. Now the question on everyone’s mind is when the law will officially take effect.

On Monday, Feb. 5, the City Council passed the bill, F/S O-06-57 (PDF), amending section 8-2-1-24 ROA 1994 sponsored by Councilors Ken Sanchez and Isaac “Ike” Benton, making it illegal to use a hand-held cell phone while driving. The ordinance does not take away the option to use a phone while driving. It only requires drivers to use the safer hands-free method to talk, the Councilors said.

The Mayor signed the bill February 7 and the law will take affect five days after it is published in the Albuquerque Journal—the publication should happen on February 11. However, for the first 60 days after the law takes effect, the mayor has instructed police officers to issue warnings instead of citations.

After the 60 days pass drivers will be issued a ticket for:

• $100 for the first offense
• $200 for subsequent offenses

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:

1. What is a “hands-free” device?

A hands-free device is any sort of earpiece that allows you to talk without physically holding the phone or having the phone near your ear. Examples of hands-free devices are Bluetooth wireless ear pieces, corded ear pieces and speaker phones that are not being held while in use. If you are holding the cell phone while the vehicle is in motion, you can be cited.

2. Does text-messaging count as using the cell phone?

Yes, the law prohibits sending or receiving text messages.

3. Am I allowed to dial my phone while driving?

Not if you need to use your hands to dial the phone. If you can dial using voice commands, then you may place a call. Otherwise, you are only allowed to receive calls or end calls using your hands.

4. Where does this law apply?

The law is applicable everywhere within the city limits. This includes residential streets, main thoroughfares, and interstate highways, such as Interstate 25 and Interstate 40.

5. Are there any exceptions?

Yes, if the phone call is for an emergency situation and the user is talking to an emergency response operator such as a hospital, a physician’s office or a health clinic, an ambulance company, such as a fire department; or a police department.

6. How did my Councilor vote on this amendment?

Councilors Benton, Sanchez, Cadigan, O’Malley and Heinrich voted for the law.
Councilors Winter, Mayer, Loy and Harris opposed the law.

In response to recent events involving the damage of archeological resources in Albuquerque, City Councilor Martin Heinrich has introduced an ordinance designed to ensure the protection of significant archeological discoveries. While Heinrich has been working on the details of this ordinance for nearly two years, several recent events have illustrated the need for this legislation.

On Tuesday, January 27th, 2007, crews adding new athletic fields at Bosque Preparatory School on Albuquerque’s Northwest side uncovered a centuries-old Pueblo Indian site dating back to A.D. 1300 to 1400. In August, construction crews excavating rock for a waterline to the new northwest high school damaged many artifacts demonstrating proof of a Folsom culture presence in the Albuquerque area.

The bill is the result of extensive consultation with local archaeologists as well as representatives of the real estate and building industry. It will enable a “City Archaeologist” to protect material remains of past human activity that are at least 75 years old and of potential historic or pre-historic significance, including artifacts, monuments and other cultural remains.

“Albuquerque is growing and new construction is a fact of life. However I believe we must protect our heritage as we grow. My hope is that this ordinance will prevent both inadvertent and willful destruction of priceless archeological resources,” stated Councilor Heinrich.

Heinrich’s ordinance would place a City Archeologist in the City of Albuquerque’s Planning Department. The new position would approve subdivision plats, site plans and master plans in areas where significant archeological resources are present in order to ensure the preservation of those resources.

For more information, please contact City Councilor Martin Heinrich at 768-3152 TTY 768-2474.