INTER-OFFICE MEMORANDUM September 17, 2025
TO: Brook Bassan, President, City Council
FROM: Timothy M. Keller, Mayor
SUBJECT:
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Community Planning Area Assessment Report - West Mesa CPA
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This memo serves to transmit the West Mesa (Community Planning Area (CPA) Assessment Report to the City Council for its acceptance. The West Mesa CPA Assessment Report is the fifth CPA report to be transmitted to Council.
Background
The Comprehensive Plan establishes 12 CPAs in the City, outlines a process to engage residents and community partners in an assessment of each CPA, and establishes performance metrics to gauge progress toward achieving the plan’s vision and goals. The results of planning efforts for each CPA, when completed, are contained in a CPA Assessment Report.
The Integrated Development Ordinance (IDO) requires that CPA assessment recommendations accepted by the City Council be included in updates to the Comprehensive Plan and the IDO. IDO §14-16-6-3(E) Community Planning Area Assessments establishes parameters for CPA assessments, which inform updates to planning policies, zoning regulations, technical standards, and capital improvement priorities.
CPA assessments provide an opportunity to generate community-based recommendations for a given area. Though they inform updates and amendments to the Comprehensive Plan and the IDO, the CPA assessments themselves are not part of the ranked planning system.
Request
The request to the Environmental Planning Commission (EPC) was for review and recommendation regarding the CPA Assessment Report for the West Mesa CPA. The West Mesa CPA is located west of the Rio Grande to the city’s western edge, west of the Double Eagle II airport, and along Atrisco Vista Boulevard between I-40 and Montaño and Gila Roads.
The West Mesa CPA Assessment Report (Part 5) introduces 15 new policies particular to the West Mesa CPA Area. If accepted by the City Council, these new policies will be incorporated into the Comprehensive Plan, Chapter 4 Community Identity, Section 4.3.13 West Mesa CPA, in a future update.
Engagement
The cornerstone of the CPA assessment process is engagement of residents, businesses, and other community partners. The West Mesa CPA planning effort included a range of opportunities for input, discussion, and consensus-building. Planning staff gathered more than 1,500 responses and comments during the CPA community engagement process that served to inform the report and its recommendations.
EPC Role and Process
Pursuant to IDO §14-16-6-3(E)(7), the EPC has an advisory role in the CPA Assessments. The EPC’s task is to review and recommend to City Council whether to accept recommendations in the CPA assessment reports. Pursuant to IDO §14-16-6-3(E)(7), the assessments shall be forwarded to the City Council for review and acceptance. This is a legislative matter.
The EPC reviewed the report during a properly-noticed public hearing. At its August 21, 2025 hearing, the EPC discussed the report, heard public testimony, and voted to forward a recommendation of Acceptance to the City Council.
Conclusion
The EPC is forwarding a recommendation of Acceptance to the City Council of the West Mesa CPA Assessment Report. The Official Notification of Decision dated August 21, 2025 contains the EPC’s findings and recommended conditions of approval that have been incorporated into the West Mesa CPA Assessment Report .
Title/ Subject of Legislation: Project #: PLAN-2025-00002 - Community Planning Area Assessment Report - West Mesa CPA
Approved: Approved as to Legal Form:
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Samantha Sengel Date Lauren Keefe Date
Chief Administrative Officer City Attorney
Recommended:
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Alan Varela Date
Planning Department Director