Latest news with #IntegratedDevelopmentOrdinance
Yahoo
01-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Ruling on Quirky Used Books encampment expected next week
Apr. 30—An impending ruling will determine if a local bookstore will pay thousands of dollars in fines to code enforcement or be allowed to continue sheltering unhoused people in the store's parking lot in Northeast Albuquerque. Quirky Used Books has been in an ongoing battle with the Albuquerque Code Enforcement Department since July 2024 for allowing the encampment, which the city says is violating the store's mixed-use zoning codes, after the city received numerous 311 complaints from neighboring businesses and residents. At the end of an administrative hearing Monday, City Hearing Officer Ripley Harwood said he would review the matter and make a ruling by May 9. During the hearing, Andrew Coon, a managing city attorney, argued the store at 120 Jefferson NE, just north of Central, is in violation of the Integrated Development Ordinance, which includes zoning and subdivision regulations to govern land use and development within the city. The city alleges the store is violating four ordinances in relation to weed and litter, outdoor storage, camps and tents when the store is not classified as a campsite and allowable use. Prior to the hearing, the city offered a settlement to Quirky Used Books, which would have given the bookstore two weeks to remove all unhoused people from the property. Bookstore owner Gilliam Kerley and his attorney, Billy Trabaudo, rejected the settlement. Kerley said he plans to appeal if the hearing officer rules in favor of the city, sending the matter to district court. "The hearing officer indicated that he did not believe he really had the authority to rule on constitutional issues, but the district court certainly does," Kerley said. "The constitutional issues that we're presenting, including protecting the right of unhoused people to seek and obtain safety and to protect their property ... are issues the district court will be able to review in-depth." Kerley said the business has had a 50% profit increase from the previous year, but did not say whether that was due to the ongoing legal battle between Quirky Used Books and the city. He added that the bookstore provides water and a restroom for the unhoused people to use, but is not financially at a point to "start directly assisting." Jude Brunner, a manager at the Firestone Complete Auto Care store just around the corner from Quirky Used Books, said that while the business has not noticed a significant decline in customers, it has affected their ability to do larger jobs because customers are hesitant to leave their vehicles overnight with homeless people milling around Firestone. Coon said the bookstore owner does "not appear to contest the facts that give rise to the violations." He added, "In fact, respondents openly admit in their response to the notice of administrative civil enforcement that they are allowing shelters to be set up on the property." In response to the city, Quirky Used Books said it is not a camping ground and the city does not know what the unhoused people use or don't use on a daily basis and cannot consider their property rubbish. Trabaudo argued the bookstore didn't get enough time during the hearing to present its evidence. Coon stated that if the bookstore applies to become a Safe Outdoor Space, they can continue to allow the encampment, but they must go through the proper avenues and approvals. Kerley said becoming a Safe Outdoor Space requires 24/7 onsite support, which could cost the store hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Yahoo
08-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Neighbors push to stop Mesa Film Studios from being built on the west side
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – Community groups and neighbors are once again pleading with Albuquerque City Councilors to put a stop to the development of a film studio near the Petroglyphs in west side Albuquerque. Story continues below Crime: APD arrests mother for shooting death of 2-year-old son Community: Westside Albuquerque rallies around Cup of Cozy after robbery National: Trump threatens additional 50 percent tariff on China The groups argue the plans are being rushed without enough input from the community. 'How are you adversely affected?' said Councilor Dan Lewis, City of Albuquerque. Albuquerque city councilors questioned the designated representative who was urging the development of Mesa Film Studios, set to be built at Double Eagle II Airport, to be put to a stop. 'The issue here is upholding the provisions of the IDO,' said Jane Baechle, Designated Representative for appellants. The IDO, or the Integrated Development Ordinance, is what governs the land use and development within the city of Albuquerque. The appellants are made up of the West Side Coalition of Neighborhood Associations, Santa Fe Village Neighborhood Association, and the Native American Voters Alliance. 'Our concerns include the financial sustainability of the project, airport safety, design standards, and open space protections,' said Baechle. A Land Use Hearing Officer or the 'LUHO' provided a report outlining the problems the project presents, of which the studio representatives oppose. 'We disagree with his conclusion that the uses approved by the EPC as a part of the film studio facility cannot be allowed as accessory uses,' said a representative of Mesa Films Studio. Accessory uses would be a way in which the property is used beyond its primary purpose. They said it obstructs the view for residents and those enjoying the Petroglyph National Monument. They argued the new building would not compare to the current structures in place. One councilor questioned if the appellants had any basis to make the complaints.'They are both lower in height and much more distant than the immediate area of the Petroglyph monument. They're absolutely visible, but the effect would not be comparable,' said Baechle. The $80 million project would create 30 internal job positions, and through productions, studio representatives estimate it would bring in 1,200 jobs a year on the 60-acre plot of land. 'This in addition to the movie studio, this is just going to be an important part of creating and helping with that jobs to housing imbalance on the westside,' said Councilor Klarissa Peña. The vote on the appeal was deferred to further analyze the complaints and will be considered during the next city council meeting. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
04-04-2025
- Yahoo
Albuquerque church opens first ‘Safe Outdoor Space' in International District
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – It's been a long time in the making for a Safe Outdoor Space designed to help the unhoused. The City of Albuquerque said the sanctioned homeless encampment is just a part of the solution to get people off the streets, but it didn't come without controversy. It's owned by the New Creation church in the heart of the International District, and city officials are encouraging more churches to come forward to operate these safe outdoor spaces. Story continues below Crime: Third grade Farmington teacher arrested in connection to husband's stabbing death Entertainment: Japanese retailer Daiso sets opening date for first Albuquerque store Traffic: Albuquerque speed cameras are slowing drivers but less than half of tickets are paid 'We need like a 100 of these all over our city as soon as possible,' said Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller. His message was loud and clear: collaboration is needed to help tackle the problem of homelessness in the city. On Thursday, the city celebrated the first official Safe Outdoor Space by New Creations church in the International District. It's an outdoor plot with tents and tiny rooms to shelter the unhoused. 'To welcome people off the streets into safe, secure, sanitary space. We will accommodate up to 10 individuals. They'll be given a tent, a sleeping bag, extra blankets, secured storage to store important documents,' said Pastor Jesse Harden. In July 2022, the city updated its Integrated Development Ordinance to include safe outdoor spaces, which allows groups to use an empty plot of land as a legal homeless encampment. Several non-profits applied to operate those spaces, but they faced backlash from nearby neighborhoods and businesses, so it never came to fruition. 'But now, we changed some of the zoning and were asking people for something different,' said Mayor Keller. The ordinance now permits smaller spaces to shelter ten people instead of 100. It also requires the spaces to be secured and to provide bathrooms, showers, and more. 'It also requires a number of things to help that individual get stable housing, get the mental health assistance, physical health assistance, food assistance,' said Maria Wolfe, innovations officer with the city's Health, Housing and Homelessness department. New Creation Church is currently housing five people and plans to increase the capacity. They said individuals who stay there go through a background check before staying. The city said it's working on opening a space on city-owned land, and it's also working with community groups to find more areas in the coming weeks. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
