Albuquerque City Council Meeting – September 16, 2024: Economic Development, Zoning Appeal, and Downtown Ordinances Debated
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Albuquerque City Council Meeting – September 16, 2024
The City Council met on Monday, September 16, 2024, at 5:00 PM in the Vincent E. Griego Chambers. The meeting included several proclamations, presentations, approvals of economic development projects, a zoning map amendment appeal, and introduction of comprehensive downtown revitalization ordinances. Over 80 members of the public signed up to speak, and public comment was limited to one minute per speaker. The meeting adjourned at 10:34 PM.
Proclamations & Presentations
- National Recovery Month: Recognized September 2024 as Recovery Month. Albuquerque Celebrates Recovery will host a free event on Civic Plaza on September 26, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. with over 100 vendors.
- Hispanic Heritage Month: Proclaimed September 15–October 15 as National Hispanic Heritage Month. The New Mexico Hispanic Heritage Committee has been celebrating for 20 years.
- 40th Anniversary of Open Space Division: Recognized the 40th anniversary of the city’s Open Space Division, which manages 30,596 acres, one of the largest municipal open space programs in the U.S.
- Climate Pollution Reduction Grant Update: Presentation from Sustainability officer on the Phase One Planning Grant covering the four-county metro area, leading to a Comprehensive Climate Action Plan.
- Epic Pathways Presentation: A nonprofit transitional living campus for unhoused individuals with high acuity needs. The 43-room facility at Central and Tramway opened in February 2024, privately funded, and currently serves referrals from Blue Cross Blue Shield and hospital systems. Capacity to help up to 90 people per year. No current city contracts.
Consent Calendar
- Approved (9-0) the following items:
- EC-24-197 – Withdrawn by Administration (Automated Speed Enforcement).
- EC-24-200 through EC-24-213 – Confirmed Mayor's appointments to various boards and commissions (ABQ Volunteers, Indicators Progress Commission, Affordable Housing Committee, Albuquerque Energy Council, Veterans and Military Affairs Advisory Board, Arts Board, Metropolitan Parks and Recreation Advisory Board).
- EC-24-207 – Approved grant application to FAA Voluntary Airport Low Emissions (VALE) Program for two all-electric skid loaders and charging station for Aviation Department.
- EC-24-214 – Withdrawn by Administration (Kaizen Institute Consulting Group contract).
- R-24-12 – Postponed to December 16, 2024 (Mountain View Neighborhood pollution abatement).
Public Comments & Testimony
- O-24-44 (Mesa Film Studios): Several speakers from the Native American community, including Bernadette Hardy and Monique Hardy, expressed opposition due to lack of meaningful tribal consultation, concerns over noise pollution and impact on sacred lands near Petroglyph National Monument. Other speakers supported the project for economic development and job creation.
- O-24-42 (Downtown Ordinances): Approximately 60 speakers provided comments. Many business owners, residents, and downtown advocates supported the bill, citing vacant buildings, crime, and the need for revitalization. Numerous community organizers, ACLU representatives, and unhoused advocates opposed Section 5 (No Obstruction Zone), arguing it criminalizes homelessness, restricts First Amendment rights, and would be selectively enforced. Many requested deferral for further community input.
- O-24-25 (Campaign Finance): Two speakers commented – one questioned disclosure thresholds, another urged transparency.
- General Public Comment: Three speakers addressed concerns about ADA accommodations for city employees, particularly within the Albuquerque Fire Department, and described barriers to obtaining reasonable accommodations.
Discussion Items
Financial Instruments
- O-24-43 (Ebon Solar LLC): Passed 9-0. Approves up to $1 million in LEDA funding for a photovoltaic cell manufacturing facility at Mesa del Sol (Phase 1 – $942 million investment, 911 direct jobs, 2,600 construction jobs). Net benefit to city estimated at $49 million over 10 years. Company aims to break ground Q1 2025.
- O-24-44 (Mesa Film Studios LLC): Passed 9-0. Approves $1 million in LEDA funding for a full-service film studio campus at Double Eagle II Airport (Phase 1 – $448 million investment, 800 million cumulative direct spend, 230 construction jobs, 500 indirect jobs). Administration noted tribal consultation occurred government-to-government; additional outreach planned.
- O-24-45 (Kairos Power IRB): Passed 8-1 (Fiebelkorn opposed). Authorizes $300 million industrial revenue bond for advanced energy technology R&D at Mesa del Sol (salt coolant production facility). No nuclear material; self-funded by company. 100 new high-wage jobs ($100,000 average annual wage). Net fiscal benefit estimated at $4 million in taxes by 2043.
Appeals
- AC-24-14 (University Heights Neighborhood Association v. EPC): Denied appeal 6-3 (Bassan, Fiebelkorn, Rogers opposed), upholding the Environmental Planning Commission’s approval of a zoning map amendment from R-ML to MX-L for 0.34 acres at 201 & 203 Harvard Drive SE. The property owner plans a coffee shop, breakfast restaurant, and community gathering space while preserving two existing houses. The appellant argued the change would commercialize an area of consistency; the applicant pointed to the site’s history of mixed uses and support from planning staff. The council adopted the EPC’s findings.
Final Actions
- O-24-42 (Downtown Revival Ordinances): Deferred to October 7, 2024 (8-1, Peña opposed). The bill packages four sub-ordinances: vacant building registration, dilapidation standards, no obstruction zones, and automated parking enforcement. After debate on amendments (Amendment No. 1 from Councilor Rogers to remove sleeping/sitting/banner restrictions failed 3-6), the sponsor moved to defer to allow compilation of all proposed amendments and further community engagement. Public comment will be accepted at the next meeting.
- O-24-25 (Campaign Finance Reform): Passed as substituted and amended, then deferred to October 7, 2024 (9-0). The floor substitute strengthens disclosure requirements for candidates and elected officials, including reporting of income over $5,000 and assets over $50,000; exempts dependents under 18 and vehicle values; allows partial addresses for property ownership. An amendment (Peña) to require department directors to report same disclosures passed 6-3. An amendment to set flat $55,000 public financing for all council candidates failed 3-6.
- RA-24-2 (Council Rules on City-wide Legislative Priorities): Passed as amended 8-1 (Fiebelkorn opposed). Amends council rules to require a unanimous vote for adoption of city-wide legislative priorities resolutions, aligning with charter majority-vote provisions.
Key Outcomes
- Approvals:
- O-24-43 (Ebon Solar LEDA): 9-0
- O-24-44 (Mesa Film Studios LEDA): 9-0
- O-24-45 (Kairos Power IRB): 8-1
- RA-24-2 (Council rules): 8-1
- Denials:
- AC-24-14 (appeal of zoning change, denied): 6-3
- Deferrals:
- R-24-12: postponed to December 16, 2024
- O-24-42: deferred to October 7, 2024
- O-24-25: deferred to October 7, 2024 (after substitution and amendment)
- Consent Agenda: Approved 9-0 with two items withdrawn.
- Proclamations & Presentations: Noted without formal vote.
- Public Comment: Over 80 speakers; time limited to 1 minute each.
Meeting Transcript
The video recording of this and all past council meetings will remain available for viewing at any time on the City Council's website. Council staff is available via telephone if members of the public need to need assistance finding the videos online. Please call 505-768-310 for assistance during business hours, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. The council will take a break at approximately 7 p.m. this evening if needed with grudge with regard to decorum in the chambers. We want tonight's meeting to proceed to be as civil as respectful as possible. So please do not make any personal attacks and please no applause or other outbursts during the meeting. The meeting go a lot smoother if we are respectful of one another. All right, we're on proclamations and presentations and councils. We have several uh proclamations tonight, several presentations. Um so we're gonna uh move through these and then get to the first part of our our agenda um and try to get to final actions um before we uh uh take a break around seven or so um if you're five if you're signed up to uh for public speaking on any of our bills or on general public comment um because we have so many people here tonight I think about 80 people or so that are uh signed up to speak tonight and we want to hear from everybody uh so our our public comment will be limited on all bills and general public comment at one minute. Uh we want to make sure everybody's heard tonight, and uh you have plenty of opportunities to hear from everybody uh tonight on all the bills as well as general public comment. Question on whether you're signed up for either one of those, any bill or general public comment, and come down and talk to our staff and see where you're at on the list. Uh well, we want to we're gonna try to work hard to get to uh get through the meeting um you know quick as we can efficiently as we can uh to you know before we get to some of our bills and final actions tonight. So we'll start with proclamations and the first one, Councillor Grubb. Thank you, Mr. President. Um at this time we're going to have a proclamation rec uh recognizing National Recovery Month, accepting this evening are Madison McCool and Edensfield Suite and Renee Martinez. Good evening. Whereas Recovery Month is a national observance held every September to raise awareness about the prevention, treatment, and recovery of substance use and mental illness, and to promote, support, and celebrate individuals in recovery, individuals seeking recovery, and the dedicated service providers and community members who make recovery possible. And whereas the United States Department of Health and Human Services Substance Abuse and Mental Health Service Administration, the state of New Mexico, and the City of Albuquerque invite all community members to honor and participate in National Recovery Month events during the month of September. And whereas a collaborative of local recovery advocates, including individuals with lived experience, community-based organizations, the City of Albuquerque, Bernalillo County, and the state of New Mexico have established Albuquerque celebrates recovery to honor and celebrate uh September recovery month. And whereas Albuquerque celebrates recovery aims to reduce stigma by enhancing public awareness, increasing access to recovery supports, and advocating for individuals with substance use and mental health challenges, and supports community efforts that provide an avenues to sustain long-term recovery while focusing on attempt um acceptance, embracing all paths that lead to recovery, and building strength in our communities. And whereas Albuquerque celebrates recovery in the city of Albuquerque have shared understanding that the right treatment support and resources recovery is possible for everyone. Therefore, the council, the governing body of the city of Albuquerque hereby proclaim that September that September 2024 is National Recovery Month in the City of Albuquerque. Thank you so much. We will have a wonderful event, probably a hundred vendors on Civic Plaza on the 26th from 10 to 2. It's open, it's free. We've got food, Chick-fil-A sandwiches, and all kinds of goodies. And so we've got uh flyers here. Reddit, you want to tell them about the flyers? Yeah, sure. So this information just gives you a little bit more information about the recovery celebration celebration event. This is our ninth annual event, and so um we've had it, we've had it every year in the civic plaza, and it's a good way to recognize um people who are um seeking recovery, people who are in recovery, and people who support someone who's in recovery, because I'm sure that we're all touched in some capacity um for and supporting those individuals. So thank you so much. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you for what you do for our community. I appreciate thank you. Okay, we'll come up this way and we'll just congratulate you. All right, we'll go to our next presentation or proclamation. Uh this is recognizing Hispanic Heritage Month. Um, and we have some folks here that are accepting the proclamation this evening. Uh Mr. Orlando Marquez, uh the uh uh committee chairman. So if you all folks would like to come on down and councillor uh pinya has a proclamation for you all. Councilor Pena, if you want to have if you'd like to have them say a few words and speak, and then we'll do the proclamation and and uh hand that to them tonight. So uh counselor yes, Mr. President, since I'm not there in person and this is so important to the Hispanic community.
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