Volcano Mesa Sector Development Plans

Contact Information: Mikaela Renz-Whitmore at 505-924-3932 in Long Range Planning or Sara Westbrook at 505-768-3189 in City Council Services.

Councilor Dan Lewis is pleased to present the adopted Sector Development Plans (SDPs) for Volcano Cliffs and Volcano Trails in the Volcano Mesa area and to sponsor the planning effort to draft the Volcano Heights Sector Development Plan. The area consists of approximately 3,532 acres, along the volcanic Escarpment of the City’s Northwest Mesa. Volcano Mesa contains unique features and dramatic views, worthy of preservation and protection.

Volcano Mesa Map - Three Plan Areas [1475KB]

This unique cultural and historic area is now protected through an amendment to the Rank II West Side Strategic Plan, adopted by the City Council on February 23, 2010. This amendment sets land-use, transportation, and open space policies for the “Volcano Mesa” Community and designates a Major Activity Center to the northeast of the intersection of Universe Boulevard and Paseo del Norte within the Volcano Heights SDP boundary. This Major Activity Center is intended to provide employment and service opportunities and ease traffic congestion by encouraging mixed-use development for what, until now, has been a mostly residential part of the city. The new policies in the amendment are also intended to provide the groundwork for future transit and transportation system improvements.

The Individual Plans

Purpose

In 2004 the Albuquerque City Council initiated a planning process for the wider area called the Volcano Heights Sector Development Plan; however, the Volcano Heights Sector Development Plan was appealed and was subsequently remanded back to the City in 2008/9.

In 2010, at the direction of City Councilor Dan Lewis and Planning Director Deborah Stover and in consultation with area property owners, a new planning approach was proposed. The new planning approach created three separate but related sector development plans to address the diverse needs and issues within each planning area. Each plan contains goals, policies, and regulations that address land use, transportation, and environment/open space.

The three sector development plans, Volcano Cliffs, Volcano Heights, and Volcano Trails, fall within the wider area referred to as Volcano Mesa.

• The Volcano Cliffs Sector Development Plan is south of Paseo del Norte and bordered by the Petroglyph National Monument to the east and Major Public Open Space owned by the City of Albuquerque to the west.
• The Volcano Trails Sector Development Plan is north of Paseo del Norte and west of Universe Boulevard.
• The Volcano Heights Sector Development Plan is north of Paseo del Norte and east of Universe Boulevard. (For more information on the Public Process of the Volcano Heights Sector Development Plan, please click on the link.)

Attachments

Informational Powerpoint of the Volcano Mesa submittal to the EPC

Volcano Mesa Sector Development Plans - Overview Presentation [1.06MB]

The PowerPoint summarizes what is found in each of the plans. Please note that this is in no way intended to replace or supplement the information, policies, and regulations contained in the Sector Development Plans and West Side Strategic Plan Amendment. The purpose of this PowerPoint is to provide a quick reference and overview of the content of the Plans and WSSP Amendment. In order to gain the most comprehensive understanding of the Plans and WSSP Amendment, we encourage you to download and read the documents found on this website.