By Jesse Jones, City Desk ABQ in The Paper. — Bulldozers are officially cleared to start building new housing in Albuquerque. The only problem, say neighbors and pueblos, is that the development will sit next to the Petroglyph National Monument.
The Pueblos of Santa Clara and Laguna and the Westside Coalition of Neighborhood Associations (WSCONA) were denied a zoning appeal to stop Jubilee Development’s planned 238-unit complex near the Petroglyph National Monument. The Albuquerque City Council, which unanimously denied the appeal March 16, upheld decisions by the Environmental Planning Commission and Land Use Hearing Officer Steven Chavez to deny the appeal.
After Jubilee Development won site plan approval from the EPC, the neighborhood coalition and Pueblos appealed the decision. The LUHO reviewed the case, held a quasi-judicial hearing, and issued a 26-page report recommending that the Council deny the appeal, noting the EPC’s initial decision was backed by substantial evidence. During the March 16 meeting, Councilor Dan Lewis moved to adopt the LUHO’s findings, leading to a unanimous 9-0 vote to finalize the project.
The Pueblos appealed the development, arguing the buildings would disrupt views of a culturally sacred landscape. They also argued the city failed to provide them with adequate notice to review the proposed development before it was approved.
The appellants collectively argued that the project’s underlying platting was invalid and that the buildings violated height restrictions under the city’s View Protection Overlay (VPO-2). They also claimed the plan was inconsistent with the city’s Comprehensive Plan and that tribal governments were not adequately notified. The LUHO determined the appellants failed to meet their burden of proof. The city ruled the 35-day notice provided to the Pueblos was adequate and the site plan was “generally consistent” with the Comprehensive Plan.
The courts had previously ruled that the area’s building height limits do not apply to this specific property. Finally, the city ruled WSCONA lacked standing to appeal after gathering only 45 petition signatures, falling short of the required majority from the 127 households within 660 feet of the site. Following the loss, WSCONA was ordered to pay $1,000 in fees and costs; the Pueblos were exempt from the penalty due to sovereign immunity.