ALBUQUERQUE – Yesterday, City Council passed R-24-22, which establishes a two-year policy for prioritizing site plan approvals and construction permitting of development projects that will result in permanent housing within the Downtown Center.
The current procedure for site plan approvals and construction permitting is “first come, first served”, which means wait times can vary depending on workload and staff capacity. The Planning Department does have an optional fee-based construction permitting program called “FasTrax” to expedite plan review with guaranteed plan review completion dates. This resolution will put housing development projects within the Downtown Center into FasTrax at no additional charge.
“There is a critical need for more housing units to accommodate the existing and future demand for housing at all income levels. To try to address part of the proposed housing shortfall, the City is taking numerous steps, including passing R-24-22, to spur development,” said Planning Department Director Alan Varela.
“We're going to do everything we can to help increase housing supply,” Varela added. “This resolution will help speed up new housing development in the Downtown Center by getting those permit applications through site plan review and construction permitting as expeditiously as possible.”
This resolution continues the City’s commitment to increasing the number of housing units and highlights the City’s dedication to revitalizing downtown.