Pre-application Review

What is a Pre-application Review?

A Pre-application Review is an opportunity for prospective applicants to get answers from staff about development proposals in an informal setting. City staff from the Planning Department, Fire Marshall's Office, Solid Waste, and Parks & Recreation provide advice about relevant City standards and processes.

Pre-application Reviews are for informational purposes only; they are non-binding and do not constitute any type of approval.

The Planning Department offers three types of Pre-application Review:

1. Current Planning staff helps applicants identify and understand the allowable uses, development standards, and processes for land use decisions in the Integrated Development Ordinance. (See Table 6-1-1.)
   • Any statements regarding zoning are not official and do not constitute certificates of zoning.
   • The interpretation of specific uses allowed in any zone district is the responsibility of the Zoning Enforcement Officer (ZEO).
   • You may include up to 5 questions you need answered from Current Planning staff.
     • A Pre-application Review is not appropriate to answer all due diligence questions, which often require hiring an agent to do extensive research.
     • You may need to request follow-up Pre-application Reviews to answer more questions. 
     • Current Planning staff conducts up to 6 Pre-application Reviews per week. 
       • The deadline to submit a request is Wednesday at noon.
2. Development Review Services staff reviews proposals for subdivisions, waivers, or vacations of easements or public rights-of-way.
   
   • See Sketch Plats.
3. Historic Preservation staff helps applicants to request a Certificate of Appropriateness for properties in a Historic Protection Overlay zone or with a historic designation.

Some applications require a Pre-application Review with with Planning staff.  Notes from staff submitted with an application fulfill this requirement, and a $50 fee will be charged as part of the application.

Requesting a Pre-application Review

Apply for a Pre-application Review through ABQ-PLAN.

For the most accurate and comprehensive responses, please complete the request as fully as possible and submit relevant information.

Requests are processed in the order they are received. 

• Due to high demand, Pre-application Reviews will only be conducted if all the required information is completed.
• You will receive an email with notes from staff. If you still have follow-up questions, you can contact staff by email or you may request an appointment to follow up via Zoom or in-person.

NOTE: If you need to request a record of a prior approval, please make an IPRA request here.

Which Site Plan? Online Tool

This online tool is available to help potential applicants understand which site plan might be required. Note: This tool assumes that the appropriate zoning is in place that allows the desired use and that a Conditional Use approval has already been granted, if required.

Resources

• Urban Design & Development
  • Current Planning Team
  • Historic Preservation Team
• Development Review Services
• Fee Schedule - General Planning