Albuquerque Growth Policy Study PDF Download

The Planned Growth Strategy (PGS) for the Albuquerque metropolitan area represents a signal change in the direction of local government from its past practice of being reactive or accommodating to the initiatives of private developers to having a different, more intentional approach to growth that...follows carefully considered principles, in the words of Town Hall participants. The Planned Growth Strategy was completed in 2001, culminating nearly four years of effort by a team of consultants including Parsons Brinckerhoff, Camp Dresser & Mckee, Ch2M-Hill, Freilich Leitner & Carlisle, Friedmann Resources, Growth Management Analysts, Lora Lucero, Esq., Michael McKee, Ph.D., Sites Southwest, and Wilson & Co. The full text of the report is available on www.cabq.gov/council. The report was incorporated into three pieces of legislation: Bill Nos. F/S R-02-111, F/S O-02-39, and R-02-112. The first two of these bills have been adopted by the City of Albuquerque. The PGS proposed an interrelated system of implementation tools principally including a land use plan, a capital improvement program, development impact fees, financial and regulatory incentives, cumulative impacts, concurrency, governmental service delivery policies, and mixed-use zoning categories. The PGS is noteworthy nationally because of the extent of its reliance on market-driven and financial implementation tools. The article focuses on the PGS approach to development impact fees as a key element of the implementation strategy. The discussion is in the context of the New Mexico Development Fees Act.