Archives: Projects

Indoor Climate Controlled Storage Projects

Consensus Planning has provided technical assistance on and facilitated the approval of numerous climate-controlled, indoor storage facilities in the Albuquerque metropolitan area. Some of the projects required a zone change, conditional use, or site plan approval. These projects, due to the size of the buildings, are always challenging and require extensive neighborhood and City staff coordination. Some of the storage projects have incorporated small retail or restaurant areas in response to neighborhood and staff concerns. Several projects have been appealed. All these projects were approved, and where appealed, those approvals were ultimately upheld by the Albuquerque City Council.

City of Carlsbad Comprehensive Plan

Consensus Planning completed a major update to the City of Carlsbad Comprehensive Plan and created a Short Term Housing Strategy. The City of Carlsbad has been in an unique situation where it faced unprecedented economic growth and development due to the oil and gas industry, which caused the unintended consequences of a deep housing shortage, lack of service workers, traffic congestion, roadway improvement needs, and challenges to its tourism industry. Consensus Planning lead a public engagement process that included a Steering Committee comprised of City staff, industry representatives, business owners, and the general public; an on-line community survey; public meetings; and interviews with key stakeholder groups that each have shown a deep commitment to addressing the challenges faced by the community. The Comprehensive Plan was adopted by the City Council in January 2020.

The Short Term Housing Strategy involved the identification and mapping of 31 potential growth areas within and outside the City of Carlsbad. Each of these areas were evaluated for the feasibility and potential of existing infrastructure capacity and expansion, adjacent land uses and zoning, roadway access, ownership, housing density and yield, etc. The Short Term Housing Strategy was designed to allow interested developers to view each of the growth areas, their various attributes, and have access to further contact information.

Fire Station 12 Location Analysis

Consensus Planning worked with the Albuquerque City Council staff to develop a location analysis for a new Fire Station 12 to serve the East Gateway area of Albuquerque. The City Councilor for this area was concerned that portions of the community were not being adequately served by the existing location and wanted to ensure that the best location was identified. To this end, the purpose of the analysis was to identify a location where emergency response personnel could reach the maximum number of residents in the shortest amount of time. The challenge for Fire District 12 was to find a location that would equalize the response times between the very low-density edges of the District and the high-density of activity along the Central Avenue Corridor.

To create a thorough analysis, Consensus Planning obtained “Fire box” incident data from Albuquerque Fire and Rescue; traffic and Data Analysis Subzone data from the Mid-Region Council of Governments (MRCOG); and geographic data from the City’s GIS Department. The study also incorporated an analysis of the impact of a new Basic Life Support (BLS) Unit that would address a very specific type of call (overdose and similar calls predominantly in the Central Avenue Corridor) and free up other units to respond to other types of calls. This data was used with GIS software to analyze socio economic conditions and present the data as graphic visualizations. The graphic visualizations and mapping showed the current incident “hot spots” within the Fire Station 12 service area; average response times to all areas of the District from the potential fire station locations; the total population served throughout the service area; and the site benefits and constraints of potential locations. Through this analysis, Consensus Planning was able to recommend a new fire station location that would best serve the residents within Fire District 12.

Albuquerque Downtown Neighborhood Area Sector Development Plan

Consensus Planning prepared a major revision to the Downtown Neighborhood Area Sector Development Plan on behalf of the City of Albuquerque. The Downtown Neighborhood Area is unique in its rich history of development, architectural styles, diversity of residents, and location between Albuquerque’s Downtown Core and Old Town. The primary intent of the Sector Plan was to make the Downtown area a more walkable community, provide appropriate and attractive infill development, and remain respectful of the neighborhood’s historical context and character. The Sector Plan created all new zoning districts and customized development standards that were consistent with the underlying goals and objectives identified by the community. Some of the challenges included addressing the encroachment of bail bonds businesses into the residential area, a widespread mismatch of zoning and land use, and inappropriately designed new development that took away from the historic character of the Downtown Neighborhood Area. Consensus Planning worked with an active steering committee whose role was to provide input throughout the planning process and become advocates of the Sector Plan. Consensus Planning organized and held a series of public meetings/workshops in various locations within the Sector Plan area. The Sector Plan was recommended for approval by the City’s Environmental Planning Commission in May, 2011 and approved by the City Council in June, 2012.

City of Roswell Comprehensive Master Plan, MainStreet Master Plan, Railroad District MRA Plan, and Wayfinding Plan

Consensus Planning provided planning services to the City of Roswell on the City’s first MainStreet Master Plan. Our scope of services also included preparation of the MRA Designation Report, which was simultaneously adopted with the MainStreet Master Plan by the City Council. One of the key components of the Plan was to balance the need for efficient traffic movement through the MainStreet District with the ability to provide for local traffic to park, shop, and utilize the services offered on Main Street and ensure the safe and efficient mobility of pedestrians. The Plan also provided recommendations for the designation of the Railroad District as a Metropolitan Redevelopment Area District, establishment of an Arts and Cultural District to celebrate, enhance, and capitalize upon the City’s dynamic arts community, a wayfinding program, new parking strategies, façade enhancements, pocket park improvements, etc.

As part of the update to the City’s Comprehensive Master Plan, Consensus Planning completed the City of Roswell Railroad District Metropolitan Redevelopment Plan and the Downtown Wayfinding Plan, which were recommendations from the MainStreet Master Plan, also completed by Consensus Planning. The Railroad District Metropolitan Redevelopment Plan identified catalytic projects, both for the public and private sector, that will help spur redevelopment of this important area of Downtown Roswell. These included a redesign for Railroad Avenue to allow for bicycle lanes, on-street parking, and sidewalks within a very constrained right-of-way. Public spaces included the redevelopment of the iconic silo building and outdoor gathering space. The Wayfinding Plan provided the City with the first step in branding and helps direct visitors to a wide variety of community amenities within Roswell. The recommendations and strategies from these two planning documents are integrated with the Comprehensive Master Plan, also completed by Consensus Planning.

City of Tucumcari MainStreet Master Plan and Railroad Depot Plaza

Consensus Planning completed the Tucumcari Main Street Master Plan, which involved working with a dynamic steering committee comprised of representatives from the City of Tucumcari, Tucumcari Main Street, Greater Tucumcari Development Corporation, Chamber of Commerce, etc. The Master Plan identified catalytic projects, including the redevelopment of the Depot District, based upon the results of a 2.5 day planning charrette. The Depot District concept included redeveloping the depot building into a rail and transportation museum, restaurants and small retail uses within a community-oriented plaza setting, a new City/County building with associated parking, landscape and streetscape improvements, farmers’ market area, rail car/motor court motel, and infrastructure to support redevelopment. Physical, institutional, and regulatory actions designed to spur redevelopment and reinvestment into Downtown were identified in the Master Plan. Plan sections included a comprehensive asset inventory, market analysis, community participation, and the master plan section itself comprised of goals, strategies, and phased projects; character defining elements; infrastructure improvements; municipal financing strategies; and an implementation schedule with timelines and responsible entity. A comprehensive funding resource section was also provided.

The Master Plan was enthusiastically and unanimously adopted by the City Commission. Consensus Planning provided planning and urban design services to the City of Tucumcari and Tucumcari Main Street on the primary catalytic project (design and construction of the Rail Depot and Depot Plaza) identified in the Master Plan. Consensus Planning prepared construction documents for the Depot Plaza, which included new sidewalks, planting and seating areas, decorative fencing, lighting, and a large central plaza area.

City of Grants Downtown Metropolitan Redevelopment Area Master Plan

Consensus Planning worked with the City of Grants, Grants MainStreet Project, Cibola Communities Economic Development Foundation, Grants/Cibola County Chamber of Commerce, Northwest New Mexico Council of Governments, and other interested agencies and individuals to complete the City of Grants Downtown MRA Master Plan for the Santa Fe Avenue corridor within Downtown Grants and the surrounding neighborhood area. The Downtown MRA Master Plan was predicated on the need for collaboration between the public sector, private investors, and community stakeholders to achieve a lasting and prosperous revitalization of Downtown Grants. Consensus Planning designed and facilitated a two-day charrette, which included a walking tour, visioning process, and identification of projects and strategies that were intended to spur redevelopment in Downtown Grants. Some of the concepts that emerged from the charrette included a “road diet”, enhanced street crossings, and street lighting for Santa Fe Avenue; preservation of the Lux and West Theaters; rehabilitation of the iconic neon Route 66 signs; identification of several opportunity sites and public art locations; wayfinding program; etc. Two surveys, a business owner survey and a general public survey, were distributed prior to and during the charrette, as well as the public meeting. The surveys were designed to help inform the recommendations contained in the Downtown MRA Master Plan and to provide further opportunities to reach the community on their vision and concerns regarding Downtown Grants.

A Park Above

Consensus Planning provided conceptual plans through construction documents for this 6-acre park site in Rio Rancho’s Cabezon community. Opened to the public in 2015, A Park Above is considered the first universally accessible park in New Mexico. This all-inclusive park is designed to a higher level of accessibility than standard ADA requirements so that physical and social barriers are eliminated and people of all ages with disabilities will be able to enjoy the park and have the same opportunities for play as those without disabilities. Numerous meetings were held with various community stakeholders and extensive research was conducted to ensure the needs of a broad range of disabilities and abilities would be met by the park’s plethora of amenities. The park design will set the accessibility standard for all future parks in New Mexico.

Del Norte High School and Nex+Gen Academy

Consensus Planning prepared schematic designs through construction documents, administration, and LEED documentation for this school in Albuquerque’s Northeast Heights. This unique campus is composed of a new magnet school, Nex+Gen Academy, combined with the traditional curriculum at Del Norte High School. The existing high school received a nearly complete renovation over multiple phases to accommodate the new magnet school and a new campus configuration for Del Norte. The design for each school required accommodating existing sports fields and a new soccer field. Vehicular circulation was greatly improved on campus with a perimeter loop road, multiple drop-off areas, and additional parking options. Pedestrian circulation included numerous ADA-accessible pathways to circumnavigate the new campus with ease. The planting palette included native and naturalized species to enhance and blend with the surrounding landscape. Multiple ponding areas allow for passive water harvesting to serve the landscape.

City of Clovis Comprehensive Plan, Parks & Recreation Master Plan, and MRA Plan

Consensus Planning has a long history of providing professional planning services to the City of Clovis, the primary population center and county seat of Curry County.

Comprehensive Plan

Our most recent project, an update to the City of Clovis Comprehensive Plan, was adopted by the City Commission on December 13, 2018. The Comprehensive Plan established an overall vision for the community’s physical development, economic health, and well-being with an assumed planning horizon of 20 years. Consensus Planning lead a robust public engagement process that included meetings and interviews with a Steering Committee, stakeholder groups, City staff, general public, and an online community survey. The intent and purpose of the Comprehensive Plan was to:

  • Provide an overall framework to advance Clovis forward in a clear, coordinated, and effective manner to achieve the community’s vision;
  • Provide guidance regarding growth, development, and capital investments for public infrastructure and facilities;
  • Strengthen existing neighborhoods and encourage quality development and new investment by the private sector;
  • Build upon and leverage the City’s existing strengths and opportunities to bolster the economy;
  • Encourage community participation in an open and consensus-building planning process; and
  • Maintain and nurture partnerships with other local and regional entities to address community needs and implement the Comprehensive Plan.

One of the key recommendations of the Comprehensive Plan was to designate two areas in Clovis as Metropolitan Redevelopment Areas (MRA). The City Commission acted on the recommendation by designating the two MRAs, successfully applying for a community planning grant from the New Mexico Finance Authority, and contracting with Consensus Planning in May 2020 to complete the plan.

 

Parks and Recreation Master Plan

Consensus Planning prepared a Parks and Recreation Master Plan for the City of Clovis in 2015. The intent of the Master Plan was to provide guidance to City leaders as they make decisions regarding rehabilitation and improvement of existing parks and recreational facilities, and acquisition of park land over time to meet the needs of the community. The Master Plan provided the necessary framework for determining the type, location, and the number of facilities to accommodate the need for park facilities over a ten-year planning horizon. The Master Plan included a demographic analysis, an inventory of existing parks and recreational resources, an analysis of the existing level of service, a prioritized list of improvements to park facilities and acquisition of additional park land in growing areas of the community, interim and long term concepts for redevelopment of Hillcrest Park, and funding resources. Consensus Planning facilitated the public input process, which included close coordination and several meetings with City staff and the City’s Parks and Recreation Committee, a Town Hall meeting, a community survey, and two meetings before the City Commission. The Parks and Recreation Master Plan was adopted by the City Commission on July 16, 2015.

 

MRA Plan 

Additionally, Consensus Planning completed an MRA Plan for the City of Clovis in 2021. The Clovis Metropolitan Redevelopment Area (MRA) Plan is the culmination of a planning process that began in June 2020. The intent of the MRA Plan is to provide the tools and the guidance needed to facilitate the redevelopment of and reinvestment by the public and private sectors in two older areas of Clovis located south of 7th Street, and east and west of Downtown Clovis. These areas contain some of the oldest neighborhoods in Clovis that have suffered from deteriorated and blighted conditions. The residents in these two areas have lower incomes, larger households, and generally lack the resources to improve their existing conditions. There is a significant need for improving the public realm (i.e. streets, sidewalks, and utilities) and the private realm (i.e. houses, yards, commercial buildings) to ensure the health, safety, and welfare of the MRA residents, MRA business owners, and the general public who visit these two areas.

The Clovis MRA Plan is designed in compliance with the New Mexico Redevelopment Code (3-60A-1 to 3-60A-48 NMSA 1978), which provides New Mexico cities with the powers to correct blighted conditions in areas or neighborhoods, which “substantially inflict or arrest the sound and orderly development” within the city. Designation of a Metropolitan Redevelopment Area (MRA) must be based on a finding of “blighted” conditions, as defined in the New Mexico Metropolitan Redevelopment Code. MRA Plans provide the necessary framework and vision for redevelopment. It is a planning document that is typically developed through a community engagement process that includes business owners and residents of the area, as well as members of the general public. MRA Plans typically identify specific redevelopment projects, public sector investments, and support actions to help achieve the community’s vision and eliminate the blighted conditions. This may include land acquisition, building rehabilitation and adaptive reuse, demolition, zoning revisions, street and sidewalk improvements, drainage improvements, housing, etc. MRA Plans provide a powerful planning tool for establishing future public/private partnerships and communicate the type of land uses and redevelopment that are appropriate for the area through written narrative, photographs, graphics, maps, and charts. The MRA Plan is developed to be consistent with and further the City of Clovis Comprehensive Plan adopted in December 2018, and authored by Consensus Planning.