To:  Land Use, Planning and Zoning Committee

Re: IDO Amendment-11:  Liquor Retail in the MX-M Zone

Greetings Land Use, Planning and Zoning Committee Members
and Madam Chair, Jones:

In its drafting, the Integrated Development Ordinance (IDO) ignored statistics regarding the effects on communities of density of retail package liquor sales, thus, allowing increases in criminal behavior and the continued deterioration of business corridors and residential neighborhoods in favor of unregulated private property use protections regardless of their parasitic effect upon quality of life and sustainable commerce.   As a whole, our city realizes no gain from any business that inflicts this burden upon its public.  It is merely a continuing liability that has shown to have a detrimental effect on our City’s public safety resources, diminishing our City’s reputation as well as its bond capability to the extent that it contributes to a spiral of increasing debt.

Short of a much needed prohibition on retail package liquor sales in areas of Albuquerque where it has been proven be harmful to public safety, quality of life and sustainable commerce, Councilor Davis' amendment “A-11”, revising “Table 4-2-1” on page 142 of the IDO,  “Allowable Uses to make ‘Liquor Retail’ a Conditional Use in the MX-M zone, unless accessory to a Grocery Store”.  This amendment would repair some of those harmful effects allowed by the IDO and subsequent amendments to it.

I urge this Committee and our City Councilors to support Councilor Davis’ amendment that would restore some ability to its citizens to protect themselves, their communities and their businesses from further injury caused by the permissive use of retail package liquor within MX-M zones.  I also urge that this Committee and our City Councilors consider the  restoration of the 500 foot protections of “conditional use” to residential zones, schools, churches and public parks that existed prior to the enactment of the IDO.

Sincerely yours in community,
Charles Bennett
Resident and advocate of Albuquerque’s International District
505-331-4517