Albuquerque City Council Meeting - March 17, 2025

The Albuquerque City Council met on Monday, March 17, 2025, at 5:00 PM in Vincent E. Griego Chambers. The meeting included proclamations, a consent agenda, an appeal hearing for the Mesa Film Studio, public comments, and final actions on two ordinances: O-25-73 (amending appeal costs) and R-25-120 (enhancing rental habitability enforcement). The meeting adjourned at 7:16 PM.

Consent Calendar

• Approved unanimously (9-0): Legal Department’s Quarterly Litigation Report for Q1 FY2025; reappointment of Dr. Sherri Burr to the Albuquerque Museum Board of Trustees; appointment of Ms. Teisha Holloway to the Arts Board; appointment of Ms. Annie M. Montes to the Metropolitan Parks and Recreation Advisory Board; appointment of Mr. Tyler J. Richter to the Impact Fee Committee; reappointment of Ms. Hilma E. Chynoweth to the Albuquerque Museum Board of Trustees.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Barbara Taylor (retired capital planner) criticized the geo bond bill process as discourteous to taxpayers and noted that the transportation tax raises $45–50 million annually, 57% for roads, and requested a required report on collections and expenditures.
• Carlos Michelin (Strong Towns) urged downtown revitalization and opposed I-25 expansion, citing high costs for road maintenance ($116 million/year vs. $8 million budget).
• Candice New attempted to support the Mesa Film Studio but was ruled out of order due to closed record on appeals.
• Dr. Lisa Christofferson expressed concerns about the nuisance ordinance potentially criminalizing protest and asked for public input after amendments.
• Peggy Norton (North Valley Coalition) opposed O-25-73, arguing that neighborhood associations are being silenced and that the process circumvented public engagement.
• Anami Das warned that prioritizing property over people could lead to unrest, referencing Sandia National Labs and the Air Force Base.
• Tom Owen alleged that Albuquerque Police officers are not signing oaths of office as required by state statute.
• Chili DeCastro (journalist) complained about police using sirens and horns within 500 feet of pedestrians and horse-mounted units dispersing crowds without proper notice.
• Janice Herrera (Health Equity Council) presented policy one-pagers on extreme heat/cold action plans and nutritional insecurity, recommending cooling centers, backup power, and standardized nutritional guidelines for city meal contracts.
• Benjamin Bean (Strong Towns) supported housing-forward initiatives and suggested city-guaranteed loans for small infill projects and same-day approvals for incremental development.
• Jordan McConnell urged reform of the neighborhood association recognition ordinance (NARO) to increase transparency and inclusivity.
• Rihanna And Samuel (NAOP New Mexico) urged rejection of the repeal of appeal costs, stating the current system is working and discourages frivolous appeals.
• Alfia Atherton (Victory Hills NA president) opposed O-25-73 as originally written but appreciated the social vulnerability index amendment, noting her association has limited funds.
• Leslie Padilla thanked sponsors of O-25-73 but raised concerns about Senate Bill 446, which would collect demographic data on speakers at planning meetings, calling it chilling.
• Tad Numinsky complained about government overreach and homeless issues.
• Other speakers addressed police conduct, rental habitability, and youth engagement.

Discussion Items

• Appeal AC-25-01 (Mesa Film Studio): Five appellants (Santa Fe Village Neighborhood Association, West Side Coalition of Neighborhood Associations, Native American Voters Alliance, Jane Baechle, Michael T. Voorhees) appealed the Environmental Planning Commission’s approval of a site plan for a film studio on approximately 60 acres at Double Eagle II Airport. The Land Use Hearing Officer (LUHO) recommended granting the appeal, finding that the proposed film studio use is not allowed in the NRSU zone district and cannot be considered an accessory use. The Council voted 8-1 (Baca opposed) to reject the LUHO recommendation and place the matter on the April 7, 2025 agenda for a full hearing.
• O-25-73 (Amending IDO regarding appeal costs): Sponsored by Councilors Grout and Rogers, this ordinance sought to remove the provision from O-24-69 that allowed the appellee to recover attorney fees from appellants. After three amendments:
  • Amendment 1 (Lewis): Capped appellee attorney fees at $1,000 flat fee (passed 6-3).
  • Amendment 2 (Lewis): Removed whereas clauses (passed 5-4).
  • Amendment 3 (Peña): Exempted appellants who demonstrate hardship, low income, or indigent status, or entity appellants located in areas with a social vulnerability index score of 50 or greater (passed 5-4). The final ordinance as amended passed 6-3 (Baca, Fiebelkorn, Grout, Lewis, Rogers, Sanchez in favor; Bassan, Champine, Peña opposed).
• R-25-120 (Rental unit habitability enforcement): Sponsored by Councilor Fiebelkorn, this resolution directs the administration to hire a dedicated code enforcement officer to assist renters with life safety issues (e.g., no hot water, broken locks). The administration supported the measure. Debate highlighted 5,000 related 311 calls in the last three months, 50 budgeted code enforcement positions with three vacancies, and concerns about whether adding one position would be effective. The resolution passed 9-0.

Key Outcomes

• Consent agenda: Approved unanimously.
• Appeal AC-25-01: Council rejected LUHO recommendation (8-1) and scheduled full hearing for April 7, 2025.
• O-25-73: Passed as amended (6-3), establishing a $1,000 flat fee for appeal costs with exemptions for low-income appellants and vulnerable neighborhoods.
• R-25-120: Passed unanimously (9-0), directing the administration to hire a dedicated code enforcement officer for rental habitability issues.
• Administration Q&A: Councilor Grout requested the Youth Advisory Council report to the City Council; Councilor Rogers suggested funding for youth to attend the National League of Cities conference.