Planning Department
The Albuquerque Planning Department provides a full range of services from the processing of building permits to the development of long-range, regional plans and policies. The department also houses several quasi-judicial boards and commissions. The Department is comprised of several divisions, all of which are located in the Plaza del Sol Building, 600 Second Street NW. Business hours are Monday - Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Our mailing address is P.O. Box 1293, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87103, 505-924-3860.
Notices
Proposed Wal-Mart at Coors and Montano NW, Project #1003859 (updated May 2, 2012)
On March 15, 2012, the Environmental Planning Commission (EPC) voted to CONTINUE the hearing for the proposed development at Coors and Montano to May 17, 2012, beginning at 9:00 at the Convention Center.
On February 24, 2012, a Declaratory Ruling was requested from the Interim Code Enforcement Manager regarding this matter.
On March 23, 2012, the Interim Code Enforcement Manager provided a Declaratory Ruling, as requested.
On April 13, 2012, the Declaratory Ruling was appealed. The appeal is scheduled to be heard by the Land Use Hearing Officer (LUHO) on June 4, 2012. The LUHO is charged with making a recommendation to the City Council for their final decision. Given that the LUHO has 10 days to make his recommendation, the appeal will not likely be heard by the City Council during the month of June. The appeal will most likely be heard by the City Council during the month of August.
Per the Appeals Section of the Zoning Code, a permit, including a site plan for building permit, cannot be approved until an appeal is decided. As a result, the site plan requests will not be heard by the EPC on May 17, 2012. Instead, on May 17, 2012 Planning Staff will be requesting a 90-day CONTINUANCE of the site plan requests to August 16, 2012.
- Project #1003859 - Site Plan Set
[pdf, 10.8MB]
The May 17, 2012 hearing will be moved from the Convention Center to the Plaza del Sol Hearing Room, basement level of the building, starting at 9:00 a.m
For more information, please contact Carmen Marrone - 505-924-3814 or Catalina Lehner at 505-924-3860.
EPC Rules Of Conduct Of Business
The Environmental Planning Commission (EPC) will consider amendments to their Rules of Conduct at a public hearing on May 10, 2012 in the Plaza del Sol Hearing Room, 600 2nd Street NW. This item will be discussed at the end of the public hearing under “Other Matters”.
A copy of the amended Rules of Conduct is posted on the Planning Department’s website at www.cabq.gov/planning/epc and printed copies are available in the Planning Department office on the third floor of the Plaza del Sol Building, 600 Second Street NW, Albuquerque, NM.
For more information, please contact Carmen Marrone, Current Planning Section Manager at 505-924-3814 or at cmarrone@cabq.gov.
Proposed Text Amendments to the Zoning Code
Project #1001620, 11EPC-40090: Proposed Text Amendments to the Zoning Code – The Environmental Planning Commission (EPC) will consider text amendments to multiple sections of the Zoning Code at its regularly scheduled Public Hearing on Thursday, May 10, 2012 at the Planning Department, Plaza del Sol Building, 600 Second Street NW. The proposed text can be found through the City Council’s Legislative Information Portal by searching for Ordinance O-11-1.
The amendment is intended to amend the sector plan adoption process by removing the quasi-judicial determination from the City Council and placing that process with a Hearing Officer. The amendment also cleans up minor technical errors in the Zoning Code.
The New Mexico Courts have held that certain sector plan adoptions and amendments must be treated as quasi-judicial matters. This bill makes the Council’s role with respect to Sector Plans legislative and delegates to a Hearing Officer the determination of any matters that must be decided in a quasi-judicial manner. The Hearing Officer will determine if the standards are met for requiring a quasi-judicial process after City Council approval of the plan. This change will allow City Councilors to participate in the Sector Planning process while not violating due process for quasi-judicial Sector Plans. The proposed text amendments would apply City-wide.
Please email Carrie Barkhurst, Planner or call her at 505-924-3879 for more information.
Get Your House In Order
Do you have more than one house, a guesthouse or apartment on your property? If so, do you know that it might be illegal? You need to make sure all the homes on your property are allowed to remain.
The Zoning Code, which regulates all land use within the City of Albuquerque, was first adopted on March 27, 1959. Adoption of the code brought many houses out of compliance with the new regulations. As of March 27, 1959, the Zoning Code allowed for some houses to remain forever while others were required to comply with current regulations after a number of years. For example, in residential zones where only one house is allowed and two or more exist (a duplex on an R–1 zoned property) this residential property will need to comply with new regulations by March 27, 2012.
If you think you own a property that fits this description please contact Juanita Garcia to discuss this issue. You may need to submit an application for a “Status Established Building Review Procedure.” This procedure will allow you to submit evidence to determine if your property's current use can remain. This process can take 60 to 90 days to complete, please act quickly.
Please call Juanita Garcia, Acting Code Compliance Official, 505-924-3823 or juanitagarcia@cabq.gov to obtain more information.
Special Note - March 14, 2012
The City Council has passed a moratorium on the enforcement of those Non-conforming properties that fit within this category until further action. City Council will be drafting amendments to the Zoning Code to address this issue. This webpage will be updated as these amendments progress.
Contact:
Juanita Garcia, Acting Code Compliance Official
505-924-3823 or juanitagarcia@cabq.gov today!
Don't let your house expire!
- March 2011 - FEMA has issued new preliminary Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM) Panels. For more information, please visit our Hydrology webpage.
Divisions of the Planning Department
AGIS (Albuquerque Geographic Information Services) is the primary GIS group in the City of Albuquerque. AGIS maintains and updates dozens of layers of geographic information in a computerized format. AGIS makes special maps for the Planning Department, all other City Departments, the City Council, other government agencies and the general public.
The Building and Safety Division administers the building permit process for residential and commercial construction. This is a fundamental process for ensuring the protection of life and property.
The Code Enforcement Division includes Zoning Enforcement and Housing Code Enforcement. The mission of the Division is to regulate the occupancy level and maintenance of all residential structures within the City in order to safeguard life, health, property and public water. This Division is also responsible for administering and implementing other City Codes and Ordinances, including the Comprehensive City Zoning Code.
The Development Review Services Division reviews new building projects in the city. Their work assures that new subdivisions and commercial areas integrate well with the existing development. Their review includes transportation, drainage, utilities and parks.
The ONC (Office of Neighborhood Coordination) serves as a liaison between neighborhood associations and City government. The ONC publishes a monthly newsletter, Neighborhood News, that shares information between neighborhoods and local government.
The Planning Department's planning functions are housed in the Urban Design and Development (UD&D) Division. The UD&D Division's overall charge is to ensure internal and external coordination of long range planning, development review, and redevelopment functions that affect the physical development of Albuquerque. Three sections comprise the UD&D Division: Long Range Planning, Current Planning, and Metropolitan Redevelopment.
The UD&D Division assists and provides staff support to several land use boards, including: the City's principal Development Review Board (DRB), the Environmental Planning Commission (EPC); the City's historic preservation board, the Landmarks and Urban Conservation Commission (LUCC); the City's redevelopment board, the Albuquerque Development Commission (ADC); and the Board of Appeals (BOA), which hears appeals of special exception decisions made by the Zoning Hearing Examiner.
Need to apply for a New Mexico Business License?
Treasury Department - 505-768-3309