The document summarizes a sector plan update for a downtown neighborhood area. It describes the context and issues in 1976, including poor housing conditions, lack of investment, and office uses creeping into the neighborhood. The 1976 plan rezoned areas but did not achieve redevelopment. The new plan process included public involvement like walking tours. The plan aims to preserve historic character, encourage walkability, and allow appropriate infill. It makes zoning designations and provides policies and strategies to implement the plan over time.

1. Downtown Neighborhood Area
Sector Plan Update
Jim Strozier, AICP
Western Planner
Conference 2012

2. Presentation Outline/Approach
 A case study
 Context/Problem Definition
 Process
 Outcomes/Solutions
 Lessons Learned
 Discussion Points Built In – Participate!

3. Location
 Adjacent to Downtown
 Impacted by new Courthouses
 Stable Population, but not a lot of young
families
 Strong Neighborhood Association, but known
for fighting everything.

4. 1976 Conditions
 Housing – mostly in poor condition
 Trend – lack of maintenance
 Zoning – Almost entirely Office
 People – moving out to new
suburban locations
 Some office conversions had
happened
 Investment – not much

5. 1976 Plan Purpose
 Stop the Blight
 Promote Redevelopment
 Promote Higher Densities
 Don’t Compete with Downtown
 Promote New Investment
 Increase Amenities

6. 1976 Plan – What did it do?
 Rezoned the bulk of the
neighborhood to Townhouse
 Rezoned areas adjacent to
Downtown to the highest
residential densities allowed
 Identified a new park and
other Amenities

7. What Happened?
 Nothing Planned!
– No redevelopment, or very little
– Reinvestment in existing houses
– Office continued to creep
into the neighborhood
– Courthouses moved from
Downtown to the area just
east of the Neighborhood
– Neighborhood Park
and other amenities
constructed

8. What Happened? (cont.)
 Preservation
– Value of Existing Historic
Houses Realized
– New Investment in the
Older Homes
– 5 Historic Districts
Established
– Historic Register
Nominations
 Bail Bond Offices
– Old Houses
– Near the Courthouses

9. Questions/Discussion

10. Process
 Establish Steering Committee:
DNA Board
 Public Involvement Process:
Steering Committee Meetings
Walking Tours
Public Meetings
Outreach to Property Owners
 Approval Process:
EPC
City Council

11. Walking Tours
 Gets people out on the street. A photo
safari.
 Discussion occurs as a group.
 See the good, bad,
and the ugly.
 Make a movie,
post it!
 Real projects, what
they like, what they
don’t.

12. Purpose
 To update the original Plan (1976)
 Sector Plan Seeks To:
Preserve what’s best with the
neighborhood
Make zoning and existing land uses
consistent
Make the neighborhood more
walkable
Remain respectful of the
neighborhood’s historic context and
character
Encourage appropriate infill
development

13. Planning Themes
 Matching the zoning with the existing land use
for properties within the DNA.
 Preserving and celebrating the historic
buildings and character of the DNA.
 Reinforcing the DNA as primarily
residential, with mixed-use
corridors.
 Creating a walkable, bike-friendly
community that connects the DNA
with Old Town and Downtown.

14. Planning Themes
 Allowing for appropriately-designed and scaled
infill development, while respecting the historic
character of the DNA.
 Creating tree-lined streetscapes throughout the
DNA.
 Calming traffic speeds and reducing cut-through
traffic on local streets through the DNA.

15. Goals and Objectives
 Developed as a result of
the 1st public meeting and
‘tested’ at the 2nd meeting:
Land Use and Zoning
Historic Preservation
Community Character
Transportation
Quality of Life

16. Analysis
 Changing Demographics
 Community Perspective
 Existing Land Use &
Zoning
 Comprehensive Plan
Goals and Policies
 Historic Districts and
Buildings
 Transportation Systems

17. Questions/Discussion

18. Implementation Policies &
Strategies
 Plan Boundary
Adjustment
 Zoning/Development
Regulations
 Zoning Enforcement
 Redevelopment/
Opportunity Sites
 Historic Preservation
 Transportation
 Street Tree Program

19. Cool Park – Not within the
Boundary!

20. Plan Boundary Adjustment

21. Zoning - Framework
 Match zoning to existing land use
 Ensure new development responds to and
complements existing character
 Respect existing zoning/property rights
 Address problem land
uses:
Commercial Parking Lots
Bail Bond Offices
Office intrusion into the
neighborhood
Bus Terminal

22. Zoning – Special Considerations
 Landscape – Street Trees
 Demolition – Adds review to
protect historic buildings
 Non-Conforming Uses
 Character Elements:
 Massing
 Height
 Entries/porches
 Façade articulation
 Windows and doors
 Building placement

23. Zoning - Categories
 SF – Single Family
 Based on the R-1 zone
 Exceptions – setbacks, garages, façade articulation, secondary
dwelling units are permissive
 Add Secondary Dwelling Allowed
 TH – Townhouse
 Minimized, purpose is limited in the updated plan
 Exceptions - setbacks, garage placement, curb cuts,
secondary dwelling units, etc.
 Minimum lot size has stayed the same as the current Sector
Plan
 MR – Mixed Residential
 Replaces the existing HDA and MDA zones
 Based on the R-2 zone
 Exceptions - building height, parking, no maximum floor area
ratio, and allows senior housing as a conditional use

24. Zoning - Categories
 OR – Office/Residential
 Transition zone between the commercial zone along Central Ave.
and the single family core of the neighborhood
 No commercial uses are allowed
 Strict criteria for new office development
 MUM – Mixed Use Medium
 Replaces the existing RC zone
 Allows mixed use with no min. or max. requirements for residential
 Permissive uses include R-G zone, institutions, professional
office, limited retail and services uses
 Building heights can go above 26 feet if certain conditions are met
 MUL – Mixed Use Light
 Replaces the existing MRO zone
 Allows mixed use with no min. or max. requirements for residential
 Strict criteria for new non-residential development

25. Zoning - Categories
 CC – Central Corridor
 Based on the C-2 zone
 Exceptions related to land use, building heights,
setbacks, parking, façade articulation, etc.
 Residential use based on R-3 zone, but with no
maximum floor area ratio
 NC – Neighborhood Commercial
 Based on the C-1 zone
 Exceptions related to land use, building articulation,
entries, lighting, etc.

26. Action Agenda
 The Action Agenda:
 Critical component of the Sector
Plan
 Determines the timing for specific
strategies
 Identifies the primary responsible
party
 Provides linkages to the Capital
Improvement Program

27. Questions/Discussion

28. Albuquerque Oddities
 Zoning Changes and Plans done
simultaneously
 Quasi-Judicial Process – Councilor Can’t
Participate
 City Council has their own planners
 Neighborhood Association Led – Need to
fight to have property owners and
businesses included

29. Lessons Learned
 Trust the process (grocery store upgrade
– citizen led initiative)
 Make sure that all are given the
opportunity to participate
 Analysis is hard, but needs to be done – in
older neighborhoods it can be a real
challenge

30. Lessons Learned (cont.)
 Property rights are important – figure out
a way to make it a win-win
 Be creative, think of new ways to
accomplish the same goal (demolition
ordinance)
 Make sure the process is transparent

31. Questions/Discussion
Thank you!