City Councilor Dan Champine Proposes Halt to New Fiber Internet Installation Permits
Albuquerque, NM – At the May 5, 2025, Albuquerque City Council meeting, District 8 City Councilor Dan Champine introduced R-25-154, a resolution responding to growing concerns surrounding the ongoing fiber internet installation throughout the City of Albuquerque. The resolution proposes a temporary moratorium on the acceptance of new fiber internet installation permits and the creation of a working group to thoroughly reevaluate the City’s current permitting criteria and other required standards.
Councilor Champine acknowledged the importance of upgraded fiber optic infrastructure for Albuquerque’s residents and businesses and recognized its potential to deliver faster, more reliable, and affordable internet services. However, Councilor Champine highlighted that the extensive installation activities taking place in neighborhoods, side streets, and major roads have generated significant disruption and numerous complaints from residents. These complaints include concerns regarding inadequate notice of construction, improper marking of work zones, damage to utilities and landscaping, delayed cleanup of excavated materials, untimely pothole repairs, and work being conducted outside of permitted hours.
“While the City does not perform the installation work itself, it is responsible for ensuring that all projects are properly permitted and adhere to necessary standards,” said Councilor Champine. “These installations are carried out by private fiber providers and their contracted crews, who operate under license agreements with the City and must comply with City construction specifications and ordinances, including the Street Excavation Ordinance.”
In response to these growing issues, the resolution introduced by Councilor Champine seeks to temporarily suspend the acceptance of new fiber internet installation permits for a period of three months, or until the City Council takes final action on updated permit criteria and standards. Importantly, this moratorium would not halt the review or approval of permit applications already submitted, nor would it impede construction on permits that have already been approved and are in good standing.
Furthermore, the resolution mandates the City Administration to provide the Council with a detailed outline and copies of current agreements, permit criteria, and standards related to fiber internet installation within 15 days of the resolution’s enactment. Within 30 days, the City Administration, including representatives from the Broadband Office, Municipal Development Department, Planning Department, and City Legal Department, is directed to meet with Council Services. The purpose of this meeting is to review the current installation process, address instances of non-compliance, examine how resident concerns are handled, and identify potential improvements to mitigate negative impacts on the City and its residents.
Councilor Champine stated, “It is crucial that we strike a balance between facilitating necessary infrastructure upgrades and ensuring the quality of life for our residents. The concerns raised by the community regarding the ongoing fiber installation are significant and warrant a thorough review of our current processes. This temporary pause on new permits will allow us the opportunity to create more effective standards and minimize disruptions moving forward.”
The proposed resolution will be considered by the City Council at its May 19, 2025 meeting.