Albuquerque's Community Planning Areas (CPAs) Aim to Enhance All Neighborhoods

Albuquerque's first neighborhood, Old Town, was established in 1706 when Spanish families settled there. Native American tribes already inhabited the region, and for more than 200 years, Albuquerque grew into a vibrant city with deep cultural roots. In 1959, as the city expanded with midcentury modernity, Albuquerque moved to establish its first zoning code by enshrining the preservation of Old Town. In the following decades, Albuquerque has developed numerous zoning regulations to protect its unique areas. By the mid-2010s, however, the city had instituted dozens of sector plans, adopted many overlays, and accumulated layers upon layers of regulatory practices, creating a complex bureaucratic environment.

Community Challenge

This regulatory fragmentation meant that the zoning code and the city's comprehensive plan, which was intended to guide growth and development, were often at odds. The sector plans catered to specific areas without a cohesive city-wide strategy, leading to disjointed development patterns. Furthermore, the community planning system was largely reactive, responding to immediate pressures rather than anticipating future needs. This often placed a burden on communities to advocate for planning efforts, which could delay necessary developments and improvements.

Albuquerque recognized the need to transition from this overly complicated, reactionary approach to a more unified and proactive planning process. The goal was to integrate comprehensive city-wide policies with specific community needs, ensuring equitable development across all areas of Albuquerque.

CPA map with the designated areas for each assessment. Image courtesy of the City of Albuquerque AGIS Division.

Planning Solution

To address these challenges, Albuquerque embarked on a comprehensive overhaul of its planning framework. This involved a complete update of the zoning code to align with the comprehensive plan. The old sector plans were consolidated into a single zoning document with multiple tools for special places, while the comprehensive plan provided strategic guidance for growth in centers and corridors.

In 2022, the city launched Community Planning Area (CPA) assessments, a proactive approach to urban planning. The Albuquerque Planning Department divided the city into 12 areas for assessment to gather data, inventory assets, and create an action plan to determine what each community needs.

The CPA assessments aimed to "take the temperature" of the dozen areas within Albuquerque through regular evaluations, akin to wellness checks. Instead of waiting for problems to arise, the city sought to stay ahead of issues by listening, learning, and honoring the lived experience of community members. These assessments sought to understand trends, anticipate future needs, and make recommendations to ensure that development aligned with residents' visions and community necessities.

Key elements of the CPA assessments included:

• Community Engagement: A commitment to inclusive and fun engagement methods, such as walking tours, art tours, poetry sessions, and block parties, to reach a diverse audience. The Planning Department also dispatched a plan van to community events to encourage engagement. This approach was designed to gather input from historically underserved communities, making the planning process more equitable.
• Long-term Implementation: Each CPA assessment involved a team of planners who not only conducted the assessment but also stayed involved in implementing the recommended projects and preparing for future assessments. This ensured continuity, built a strong foundation of trust and maintained strong relationships with communities.
• Equity Focus: With the 12 areas scheduled over six years, the city prioritized vulnerable communities based on a needs assessment. This meant starting in areas south of the interstate, which are historically underrepresented, lower-income, and predominantly communities of color.

Community engagement event with the "plan van." Photo provided by the City of Albuquerque Planning Department.

Outcome

The new planning framework and CPA assessments have shown promising results. The Albuquerque Planning Department has completed assessments in 4 of the designated 12 areas. Thus far, assessments have led to actionable recommendations that are now influencing city policies and zoning updates.

The Near Heights area assessment, for instance, highlighted the need for zoning changes to support non-traditional living arrangements, resulting in updated regulations for accessory dwelling units (ADUs). This demonstrated the city's ability to quickly adapt and implement community-driven recommendations.

The assessments have also enhanced transparency and accountability in planning, reducing the need for communities to advocate for basic planning efforts and fostering a more collaborative relationship between the city and its residents. The ongoing engagement and regular assessments are helping to normalize planning as an expected part of community development, making it a more integral and trusted process for residents.

Top image: Historic center of Old Town Albuquerque, New Mexico. iStock/Getty Images Plus - Alex Potemkin.