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Development Review Board

Learn more about the Development Review Board.

Membership

The six members of the DRB are City staff representing the Planning Department, Parks and Recreation Department, Code Enforcement, City Engineer, Traffic Engineer, and Water/Sewer Utilities Engineer.

The chairperson is the City Planner representative. Each member is authorized to sign plats.

Update to DRB Meeting Process During COVID-19 Public Health Emergency

The Planning Department is working to promote economic activity that can be completed in a safe way during the COVID-19 crisis.  Review of future development projects has been identified by the Governor’s Office as an area of ‘essential services’ which can proceed during this time.  The Development Review Board (DRB) launched its first ‘remote’ meeting on April 8, 2020.  All participants were able to safely participate from home. 

The DRB continues to meet remotely on its regular schedule, Wednesdays at 9:00 AM, until it is determined that public gatherings are safe.  Meeting details and agendas will continue to be available on our website:  http://www.cabq.gov/planning/boards-commissions/development-review-board/development-review-board-agenda-archives.

The DRB ‘remote’ public meetings are using the Zoom software.  All participants –  DRB members, applicants, and the public – participate from the safety of their homes.  You can choose to participate by video or audio only.  Participants can listen to the meeting and may also speak during the public comment period.  The agenda for the DRB meeting is posted on the City website by Friday afternoon ahead of the Wednesday meeting.  The agenda includes information on accessing the DRB meeting.  Participants can call the number listed on the agenda from their phone to be connected to the meeting.  Participants may also can click on the link on the agenda to participate via computer (a microphone is required; a camera is optional.)  Participants are not required to create a Zoom account, but may choose to do so. 

If there are questions about these matters, DRB Planner Jay Rodenbeck (924-3994) or DRB Hearing Monitor Angela Gomez (924-3946) can be contacted.

Thank you in advance for your willingness to help our City try new things during this health and economic crisis.  We appreciate your patience with this new ‘remote’ meeting process.  We value your input and will help you connect to this new way of participating.

Function

The Development Review Board (DRB) was established in March 1982, by Administrative Instruction 8-2. The Development Review Board conducts meetings on major subdivision actions (where no re-zoning or annexation is required), approves or denies proposed major and minor subdivision actions, vacations of public rights of way or public and private easements and variances to standards in Sections 14-16- 5-3 (Access and Connectivity), 14-16-5-4 (Subdivision of Land), or 14-16-5-5 (Parking and Loading), or the DPM.

The Development Review Board is charged with administering the IDO and the DPM as well as other City ordinances and policies applicable to subdivision actions.

The Development Review Board also reviews site development plans delegated by the Environmental Planning Commission (EPC) for final sign off, as well as Site Plan-DRB, as required by the IDO.

Requirements for Plans and Plats

The DRB requires that all plans and plats be signed and sealed by a licensed engineer, architect or, in the case of plats, a surveyor. For plats, the first page must be signed and sealed. For plans, all pages must be signed and sealed. This requirement is based on several things. 

A member of our staff recently attended an ethics training for engineers in which the topic of signed plans was discussed. The guidance from this training was that all plans that the DRB approves must be signed and sealed, even if something is “conceptual." All professionally services must be performed by a licensed professional and plans submitted must be signed and sealed. Most of the plans we receive already meet this requirement. This protects the DRB and the applicant.

Additionally, The Handbook for New Mexico Building Officials requires that all non-exempt plans be sealed by an engineer or architect.

We understand that this may be a change for some of you, but we believe that this is the best practice for all concerned.

Please let us know if you have any questions regarding these requirements. We appreciate your cooperation and look forward to working on future projects with you.

Application

See below for links to an updated infrastructure list template and examples of signature blocks for different types of applications:

General Meeting Information

On October 16, 2019 at their regularly scheduled meeting, the DRB will review and discuss updates to their Rules of Procedure. A draft of the Rules of Procedures can be viewed here.

Development Review Board meetings, a portion of which are public hearings, are held each Wednesday beginning at 9 a.m. in the Plaza del Sol Hearing Room at 600 2nd NW.

The public hearing portion of each week's agenda is announced in the Albuquerque Journal.

Forms

Parking Notice

Free 2-hour parking for Plaza del Sol customers is available on the north side of the building at 600 2nd NW.

This parking lot is monitored by Parking Services. Vehicles in the lot for more than 2 hours are subject to fines and or/towing.

Notices

Links

Online Services System

The Planning Department's Online Services System is expanding. Soon, the Development Review Board, Environmental Planning Commission, Zoning Hearing Examiner, and the Landmarks Commission will join other services currently available on the system.

The new online system will allow you to fill out your application, submit required documents, track application progress and pay application fees from any computer or mobile device. Stay tuned for more details.

Staff Contact

For questions, contact the Development Review Board Administrative Assistant at (505) 924-3946.

Scheduled Meetings

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