[Neighbors] Nob Hill Zoning

[Dennis Trujillo via Neighbors_nobhill-nm]

In re-writing the city’s various zoning codes, the Integrated Development Ordinance (IDO) will do away with Sector Plans like Nob Hill's 2007 Sector Plan, which was developed with the hard work of the Nob Hill Neighborhood Association (NHNA) and input from the community. This plan was specific to Nob Hill as a historic district and attempted to preserve history and build a sense of community in this area. The IDO is a bureaucratic one size fits all plan that can dilute the capacity of a specific area to preserve history and build community.

 Although there are many contested issues related to this change in zoning, there are a couple that I would like to address here: building height, designated areas where the height of buildings is differently addressed and the associated issue of building height bonuses. The Nob Hill Neighborhood Board with input from the community has established a 39-foot height maximum for all new buildings.  This was established for various reasons including line of sight, neighborhood scale, and historic precedent. Nob Hill, like Old Town Albuquerque has a historic look that helps to define these areas as culturally and historically significant. To simply disregard this for simplicity and expedience in a bureaucratic taming procedure is in my view myopic and destructive of the character of an area that most folks would like to preserve. This building height maximum should be preserved throughout the Nob Hill Historic District from Girard through Aliso.  There should be no exceptions for ART transit stations, for parking floors or any other reason which might qualify under the so-called Premium Transit Bonus’ that simply water down the height limit maximum as accepted by the NHNA and community and ultimately change the character of the historic district and associated neighborhoods.


 I have read with interest, comments by various Nob Hill community members, most of whom seem to be in favor of limiting building heights to the original sector plan for this area. There have also been comments about accepting building height in excess of the original 39 foot maximum if those buildings were built with an aesthetic that, as one person has said "how the new building will present itself to the street level.  Setbacks from the sidewalk, landscaping, interior courtyards for restaurants and shops – these are features that can really be molded to maintain a street level sense of Nob Hill.  A three story building like the building that Staples vacated or the new condo building on the corner of Carlisle and Central is worse than a five story building with an open front to the sidewalk, native plantings and a walkway front to back to allow pedestrian wandering and sitting – and maybe mandated public access to the rooftop to watch the clouds move across the mountains.” That is a fair critique but one that depends on the builder adding building costs to their project.  If one looks at the new buildings of size in the Nob Hill area, none of them attempt this aesthetic in any way.  They are generally big box structures that lack or discourage open wandering, sitting, or views of the mountains except for the most expensive units that allow their owners a private view of the mountains and surrounding area.


 I am a 25-year resident of Albuquerque and 17-year resident of Nob Hill.  My wife and I actively support Nob Hill businesses and walk the neighborhood regularly. We are in communication with neighbors and we all would like to see Nob Hill remain a neighborhood that remains true to its historic Route 66 roots. I personally think that keeping its historic character makes it more valuable and desirable for business, consumers and neighbors.  Successful communities around the country know the value of historic districts for economic development and tourism. Watering down historic character is a fatal mistake that Albuquerque cannot afford.  Knocking down the historic Alvarado Hotel in the past is a cautionary tale that we should heed.  Allowing building heights above the NHNA maximum of 39 feet would in effect be the same as knocking down the Alvarado. Let us not miss the opportunity to develop Nob Hill in a way that preserves its historic character.


Sincerely,

Dennis Trujillo, PhD (Historian)





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