CITY of ALBUQUERQUE
TWENTY SIXTH COUNCIL
COUNCIL BILL NO. R-25-175 ENACTMENT NO. ________________________
SPONSORED BY: Tammy Fiebelkorn, by request
RESOLUTION
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Adopting An Amendment To The Albuquerque/Bernalillo County Comprehensive Plan To Change The Designation Of Segments Of Rio Grande Boulevard NW, Indian School Road NW, And Menaul Boulevard From Multi-Modal Corridors To Major Transit Corridors (Fiebelkorn, by request)
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WHEREAS, the City Council, the Governing Body of the City of Albuquerque (the City), has the authority to amend and adopt the Comprehensive Plan as authorized by State Statute, Section 3-19-9, NMSA 1970, and by its home rule powers established by the New Mexico State Constitution; and
WHEREAS, the City’s planning and zoning powers are established by the City charter, in which: Article I, incorporation and Powers, allows the City to adopt new regulatory structures and processes and implement the Albuquerque/Bernalillo County Comprehensive Plan (“Comp Plan”) guiding future legislation; Article IX, Environmental Protection, empowers the City to adopt regulations and procedures to protect and preserve environmental features such as water, air and other natural endowments, ensure the proper use and development of land, and promote and maintain an aesthetic and humane urban environment; and Article XVII, Planning establishes the City Council as the City’s ultimate planning and zoning authority, including adoption of the Comp Plan; and
WHEREAS, to affect these ends the Council shall take whatever action is necessary and shall enact regulations and procedures and shall establish appropriate Commissions, Boards or Committees with jurisdiction, authority and staff sufficient to effectively administer city policy in this area; and
WHEREAS, the City Council adopted an update to the Albuquerque/Bernalillo County Comprehensive Plan in 2024 via R-24-27 (Enactment No. R-2024-033); and
WHEREAS, the Comp Plan is the Rank 1 Plan for the physical development and conservation of areas within the City of Albuquerque and unincorporated Bernalillo County, which sets out the context, goals and policies, monitoring and implementation, and supporting information to further its vision and purpose; and
WHEREAS, the proposed update to the Comp Plan reflects best practices to coordinate land use with transportation; and
WHEREAS, the changed designation will help protect and enhance quality of life for Albuquerque's residents by creating an easily accessible public transit network which translates to a humane urban environment; and
WHEREAS, the proposed amendment to the Comp Plan will help implement the City’s ABQ RIDE Forward Network Plan (May 2024); and
WHEREAS, the Comp Plan, ABQ RIDE Forward Network Plan (2024), Rank 3 Menaul Metropolitan Redevelopment Area Plan, ABQ RIDE Equity Analysis for Proposed “Recovery” Bus Route Network (Spring 2025), and the City of Albuquerque Integrated Development Ordinance (IDO) are incorporated herein by reference and made part of the record for all purposes; and
WHEREAS, the Integrated Development Ordinance requires a Comprehensive Plan Amendment to be reviewed and recommended by the Environmental Planning Commission and decided as a legislative action by City Council [IDO §14-16-6-7(A)]; and
WHEREAS, in the Comp Plan, a Major Transit Corridor is defined as “a Corridor type that prioritizes high-frequency and local transit service over other modes to ensure a convenient and efficient transit system. Walkability is important near transit stops along these corridors, but otherwise they are generally auto-oriented;” and
WHEREAS, ABQ RIDE has undergone a 3-year planning process to create the ABQ Ride Forward Recovery Network and incorporated over 3,000 survey responses, held 45 pop-up survey events, 18 small group discussions, and 30 meetings; and
WHEREAS, the ABQ Ride Forward Recovery Network Equity Analysis (R-25-142) shows this portion of Menaul Blvd. having a frequency of 15 minutes; and
WHEREAS, the IDO includes zoning incentives, such as reduced minimum parking requirements and building height bonuses for workforce housing and structured parking, for development along a Major Transit Corridor.
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL, THE GOVERNING BODY OF THE CITY OF ALBUQUERQUE:
SECTION 1. ADOPT AN AMENDMENT TO THE COMP PLAN TO DESIGNATE MAJOR TRANSIT CORRIDORS.
The Albuquerque/Bernalillo County Comprehensive Plan (the “Comp Plan”) is amended to change the designation of segments of Rio Grande Blvd. NW, Indian School Rd. NW, and Menaul Blvd. from Multi-modal Corridors to Major Transit Corridors (“MT Corridors”) as shown in Exhibit A. The existing Rio Grande Blvd. MT Corridor will extend north of I-40 to Indian School Rd NW. A new Major Transit Corridor will extent east of Rio Grande Blvd. on Indian School Rd. NW to Menaul Blvd. NW at Louisiana Blvd. NE. Associated maps in the Comp Plan shall be amended accordingly.
SECTION 2. ADOPT FINDINGS SUPPORTING THE COMP PLAN AMENDMENT.
1. Council Services submitted a request to the Environmental Planning Commission (EPC) for an amendment to the Albuquerque/Bernalillo County Comprehensive Plan (the “Comp Plan”) to change the designation of segments of Rio Grande Blvd. NW, Indian School Rd. NW, and Menaul Blvd. from Multi-modal Corridors to Major Transit Corridors (“MT Corridor”). There are no other requested changes to the Comp Plan.
2. The proposed amendment to the Comp Plan will help implement the City’s ABQ RIDE Forward Network Plan (May 2024) <https://abqrideforward.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/ABQ-RIDE-Forward-Recovery-Network-Report-High-Res-20240507.pdf>. The ABQ RIDE Forward Network Plan (May 2024) <https://abqrideforward.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/ABQ-RIDE-Forward-Recovery-Network-Report-High-Res-20240507.pdf> is a culmination of years of research and analysis into how to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic’s impact on transit ridership. The plan identifies Menaul Blvd. as a key corridor in the Recovery Network. The changed MT corridor designation would help implement the ABQ Ride Forward Network Plan. By designating segments of Rio Grande Blvd. NW, Indian School Rd. NW, and Menaul Blvd. as MT Corridors, the Comp Plan would reflect the most recent plan for public transit and would encourage higher-density residential development and mixed-use development along the corridor, which can best be supported by - and support - public transit.
3. The Albuquerque/Bernalillo County Comprehensive Plan, ABQ RIDE Forward Network Plan (2024), Rank 3 Menaul Metropolitan Redevelopment Area Plan, ABQ RIDE Forward Proposed New “Recovery” Bus Route Network (Spring 2025), ABQ RIDE Equity Analysis, and the City of Albuquerque Integrated Development Ordinance (IDO) are incorporated herein by reference and made part of the record for all purposes.
4. Rio Grande Blvd. NW, Indian School Rd NW. and Menaul Blvd. are existing Multi-modal Corridors that would be changed to Major Transit Corridors with this amendment. Major Transit Corridors are anticipated to be served by high frequency and local transit (e.g., Rapid Ride, local, and commuter buses) and connect to Centers. The proposed Menaul Blvd. MT Corridor passes through the Indian School Activity Center, American Square Activity Center, and Uptown Urban Center.
5. The American Square Activity Center includes both sides of Menaul Blvd. NE from Richmond Dr. east to half block before Morningside Dr. Activity Centers provide convenient, day-to-day services at a neighborhood scale to serve the surrounding area within a 20-minute walk or a short bike ride.
6. The Uptown Urban Center begins on Menaul Blvd. NE at Cagua Dr. and continues east past Louisiana Blvd. NE to San Pablo St/Mesilla St. Urban Centers are intended to be distinct, walkable districts that incorporate a mix of employment, service, and residential uses at a density and intensity lower than Downtown but higher than the neighborhood-oriented Activity Centers. Urban Centers serve a smaller regional area than Downtown, while Activity Centers serve the immediate surrounding area.
7. The proposed MT Corridor passes through the Menaul Metropolitan Redevelopment Area.
8. Although Corridors are not designated development areas, the proposed MT Corridors predominantly passes through Areas of Change and some Areas of Consistency, as designated by the Comprehensive Plan.
9. The City of Albuquerque adopted the City Charter in 1971. Applicable articles include:
A. Article I. Incorporation and Powers: The City of Albuquerque may exercise all legislative powers and perform all functions not expressly denied by general law or charter, whose purpose is to provide for maximum local self-government.
Updating the Comprehensive Plan is an act of maximum local self-governance and is consistent with the purpose of the City Charter, as it serves as the guide for the zoning code and the substance of policy analysis for proposed development.
B. Article IX, Environmental Protection: The City Council in the interest of the public in general shall protect and preserve environmental features such as water, air and other natural endowments, ensure the proper use and development of land, and promote and maintain an aesthetic and humane urban environment. To affect these ends the Council shall take whatever action is necessary and shall enact ordinances and shall establish appropriate Commissions, Boards or Committees with jurisdiction, authority and staff sufficient to effectively administer city policy in this area.
The proposed update to the Comprehensive Plan reflects best practices for policy to guide the proper use and development of land coordinated with transportation. The change to a MT Corridor designation will help protect and enhance quality of life for Albuquerque's citizens by creating an easily accessible public transit network which translates to a humane urban environment.
10. Pursuant to §14-16-6-7(A)(3) of the Integrated Development Ordinance, Review and Decision Criteria, " an application for Adoption or Amendment of the Comprehensive Plan shall be approved if it meets all of the following criteria."
6-7(A)(3)(a) Because of changed economic, social, environmental or other conditions, the adoption or amendment is necessary to protect the public health, safety, or welfare.
The request is intended to align with the proposed ABQ Ride Recovery Network. ABQ RIDE provided a thorough analysis and data that show that an increase number of bus riders would have efficient access to more areas of the city in the same about of time compared to the Existing ABQ Ride Network; therefore, the change will help protect or enhance public welfare through increased access to transit along Rio Grande Blvd. and Indian School Rd./Menaul Blvd.
6-7(A)(3)(b) The adoption or amendment will protect the public health, safety, or welfare better than retention of the continued application of the existing Comprehensive Plan.
The request to change the designation of Menaul Blvd. from a Multi-Modal Corridor to a Multi-Transit Corridor will protect the public health, safety, or welfare better than retention of the continued application of the existing Comprehensive Plan, which is the Multi-modal Corridor designation.
The Major Transit Corridor would prioritize transit above other modes to ensure a convenient and efficient transit system, which is consistent with the proposed 2024 ABQ RIDE Network Plan and the Menaul Metropolitan Redevelopment Area Plan.
The MT Corridor would better align with the purpose of prioritizing efficient and cost-effective transit as noted in the Rank 3 Menaul Metropolitan Redevelopment Area Plan <https://cabq.legistar.com/View.ashx?M=F&ID=11978393&GUID=FF72BC8E-78EA-4BC7-B2FA-6C053529F6EB>. This MR Area includes Menaul Blvd. starting at I-25 to the west and ending at the North Diversion Channel (Embudo Channel) to the east. The Menaul MR Area Plan prioritizes Comp Plan goals and policies pertaining to land use and transportation, which is in line with amending the Comp Plan for the benefit of Public Welfare.
Goal 5.1 Centers and Corridors: Grow as a community of strong Centers connected by a multi-modal network of Corridors.
The proposed Major Transit Corridor will be part of a multi-modal network of Corridors by connecting Indian School Rd NW/Menaul Blvd. to three Centers.
Policy 5.6.2 Areas of Change: Direct growth and more intense development to Centers, Corridors, industrial and business parks, and Metropolitan Redevelopment Areas where change is encouraged.
The majority of the area along the proposed Major Transit Corridor is designated as an Area of Change and includes an MR Area where more growth and development are encouraged.
Goal 6.1 Land Use-Transportation Integration: Plan, develop, operate, and maintain a transportation system to support the planned character of existing and future land uses.
The ABQ RIDE Recovery Network Plan and Menaul MR Area Plan ensure that transit will support the planned character of existing and future land uses as encouraged in the Comp Plan. The update to an MT Corridor aligns with the goals of these plans.
Policy 6.2.1 Complete Networks: Design and build a complete, well-connected network of streets and trails that offer multiple efficient and safe transportation choices for commuting and daily needs.
The request is aligned with the Recovery Network Plan and Menaul MR Area Plan to update Rio Grande Blvd. NW, Indian School Rd NW and Menaul Blvd. as MT Corridors. This would create a complete and well-connected network of corridors and provide safe transit options for daily commuting needs along the Corridor, which connects to Centers.
Policy 6.4.2 Air Quality: Reduce the adverse effects of automobile travel on air quality through coordinated land use and transportation that promote the efficient placement of housing, employment, and services and improve the viability of multi-modal transportation options.
The request will reduce the effects of automobile travel on air quality by promoting bus transit to more individuals which will reduce the number of automobiles on the roads and related air pollution.
6-7(A)(3)(c) The adoption or amendment will result in general benefits to a large portion of the residents or property owners in the city.
In adherence to Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 ABQ RIDE performed a service equity analysis based on a proposed major service change to determine whether those changes have a disparate impact on minorities or disproportionate burden on low-income populations.
According to ABQ RIDE’s policy, a “major service change” is a change that increases or decreases service revenue hours on a route by 35 percent or more or that adds or eliminates service to 35 percent or more of the bus stops on a route.
The Equity Analysis found that the “Recovery Network” represents a major service change by changing some routes and adding approximately 40% more service than the current service, which has been reduced due to staffing shortages, and will return total service to pre-pandemic levels.
The Equity Analysis of the ABQ RIDE Forward Proposed New “Recovery” Bus Route Network concluded that there was no disparate impact on minorities or disproportionate burden on low-income households as defined in the Department’s 2023 Title VI Program.
On June 2, 2025, City Council approved the “ABQ RIDE Forward Proposed New “Recovery” Bus Route Network Spring 2025 ABQ RIDE Equity Analysis <https://cabq.legistar.com/LegislationDetail.aspx?ID=7318222&GUID=48C95B4A-9A37-4F40-BFB6-EFF84B1F5689&Options=ID|Text|&Search=equity>.”
According to the Recovery Network Plan, “The average resident could reach +11% more jobs within 30 minutes, +32% more jobs within 45 minutes and +63% more jobs within 60 minutes of travel.” This would benefit the majority of existing and future bus riders and allow them to have access to more jobs.
The proposed Major Transit Corridor will result in general benefits to a large portion of the residents or property owners in the city by providing transit to more individuals and provide access to more areas in the City.
6-7(A)(3)(d) If the adoption or amendment is being proposed by a small group of residents or property owners, it would not create significant adverse impacts on the remaining residents or property owners in the city.
This amendment is not being proposed by a small group of residents or property owner. It was proposed by City Council Services.
11. Two public meetings and presentations were held with various neighborhood associations and members of the public to provide information, receive public input, and discuss the request.
A. Near North Valley Neighborhood Association - May 21, 2025
Residents were in favor of increased bus frequency along the corridor. They had questions regarding how the Major Transit Corridor would impact Areas of Change and Areas of Consistency. The applicant explained that the request would not impact the designation of the Areas. The residents questioned the ability of the bus to travel on Indian School Rd. NW and were informed that an existing bus route routinely travels the road with no problems.
B. North Valley Coalition - June 3, 2025
Residents were in favor of increased bus travel. They were concerned about neighborhood character, land entitlements, and traffic congestion. The applicant informed residents that most of the lots off Rio Grande Blvd NW are comprised primarily of small single-family homes, with larger lots mostly east of 4th St. NW on Menaul Blvd NW. Some residents wanted the Multi-modal Corridor to remain in certain sections, but the applicant informed them that this would create a broken corridor network, which is not encouraged in the Comp Plan and inhibits consistent right-of-way design.
12. The CABQ Metropolitan Redevelopment Agency (MRA) provided comments stating that designating Menaul as a Major Transit Corridor aligns with the goals and objectives to the Menaul Metropolitan Redevelopment Area Plan.
13. The CABQ Municipal Development Transportation Section submitted a comment stating that the proposed Comp Plan Amendment is complementary and consistent with the CABQ Vision Zero Year in review/ Action Plan Update goals and prioritized actions.
14. CABQ Parks and Recreation/Urban Forestry recommends a “robust street tree plan” along the Major Transit Corridor for shade and to promote walkability.
15. Bernalillo County Transportation Planning submitted a comment stating that CABQ Transit will need to coordinate changes to the corridor and routes affected in unincorporated areas.
16. Staff received two letters requesting a deferral of four months for more public engagement opportunities from the North Valley Coalition and an individual from the Rio-Grande Blvd. Neighborhood Association. Both letters stated that they would oppose the request if more opportunities for public engagement regarding the request was not given.
17. An email was received on June 11, 2025 from an executive member of the North Valley Coalition and the chair of GAATC with questions regarding differences in zoning and development intensities, restrictions on development made by this request, and changes in transit frequencies and biking facilities needed due to the request. The individual suggests that City Transit coordinate with the Transit Advisory Board and the Greater Albuquerque Active Transportation Committee (GAATC). The applicant responded to the questions.
18. Pursuant to IDO §14-16-6-4(J)(2)(e) all City Neighborhood Associations were notified as required. Meetings were held with Neighborhood Associations, which included the general public.
19. During the June 26, 2025 EPC hearing, Council Services staff stated that they intend to notify the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center (IPCC) of the request prior to consideration by the City Council. The EPC acknowledges that the required notice for the request was given upon original application and the notice to the IPCC goes beyond this requirement.
20. This proposed change to the Comprehensive Plan is on the July 14, 2025 GAATC agenda and the August 14, 2025 Transit Advisory Board agenda.
SECTION 3. CONDITIONS OF APPROVAL.
1. Council Services staff shall coordinate with Planning staff to ensure that all Conditions of Approval are met and then submit a vetted, final version to the EPC staff planner for filing at the Planning Department.
2. Make any necessary editorial changes to the document, including minor text additions, revisions for clarity (without changing substantive content), adding cross references, reorganizing content for better clarity and consistency throughout, revisions to graphic content for clarity, and updating tables of contents, including, but not limited to the following:
A. Figure 3-1: Countywide Vision Map
B. Figure 3-2: Metro-focused Vision Map
C. Figure 5-2: Vision Map with Center Boundaries
D. Figure 5-4: Centers and Corridors
E. Figure A-15: Centers and Corridors
F. Table A-9: Corridors
SECTION 4. SEVERABILITY. If any section, paragraph, clause, word, or provision of this Resolution shall for any reason be held to be invalid or unenforceable by any court of competent jurisdiction, such decision shall not affect the validity of the remaining provisions of this Resolution.
SECTION 5. COMPILATION. This Resolution shall be incorporated in and made part of Chapter 1, Article 2, Section 1, the Code of Resolutions of Albuquerque, New Mexico, 1994.