July 29 council meeting: 20th Street redevelopment detailed
The Los Alamos County Council on July 29 detailed plans for the redevelopment of 20th Street, which will be led by contractors with RBMM LLC. The county first solicited project proposals in 2023 and deemed RBMM’s to be “the most responsive” to achieve the goal of the redevelopment within the Downtown District, according to Dan Osborn, the county’s housing and special projects manager.
Developer Russell Brott told council members that the project would focus on connecting the Canyon Rim Trail to Ashley Pond to create a “dynamic” public space.
“Our project places strong emphasis on increasing residential density in a thoughtful way, which is crucial to creating a lively downtown ecosystem,” he said. “By incorporating a diverse mix of housing types, including more family friendly units, we can support long-term residents and attract new ones.”
Under the proposal, RBMM would purchase the 20th Street parcel for the appraised value of $1.77 million and would pursue final approval for a site plan consisting of 285 market-rate residential units, 25,000 square feet of divided retail space, and a three-level parking structure. The developers would also pursue a LEED Gold certification, and construction is expected to take two years, according to Brott.
Central features of the development proposal include a new public park along with a bike path connecting Ashley Pond and the Urban Trail to the planned extension of the Canyon Rim trail. Architect Marcel Montoya said that RBMM was “inspired because of the location of this property, so close to downtown,” and said their goal is to “engender a sense of more urban community in this beautiful city.”
The county, under the proposed agreement, would reimburse the developer up to $3.6 million for public infrastructure improvements, including trail connections, utility infrastructure, and a traffic light and crosswalk at 20th Street and Trinity Drive.
Osborn said that while the development would consist of high-end market-rate residences, the hope is that the higher income from rents would allow the developers to make the retail spaces more affordable. He also noted that the county has entered into a separate agreement with Brott to update and manage 87 affordable deed-restricted apartments at the 9th Street complex in Los Alamos.
The proposed ordinance, which if approved would authorize the sale of the 20th Street parcel to RBMM, will be introduced at the Aug. 5 council meeting.
Don’t feed the wildlife...
Los Alamos Police Chief Dino Sgambellone presented the council with yet another update on the county’s proposed wildlife feeding ordinance. Along with providing a response to council’s previous request for more data regarding vehicle versus animal crash data, he also shared some lessons learned by the community of Ruidoso, where a similar ordinance was enacted in 2019.
Findings presented by Sgambellone show that Los Alamos traffic incidents involving wildlife are on track to be lower than the last couple of years, although it’s possible there will be an uptick in collisions during the deer mating season in the fall.
Sgambellone also shared that his counterpart in Ruidoso hasn’t seen “a measurable difference” in crashes involving vehicles and wildlife since their ordinance was enacted in 2019. However, Ruidoso’s animal control supervisor told the chief that he felt their deer population was much more healthy.
The subsequent discussion ended with Sgambellone and council members ultimately agreeing that no one expects an ordinance similar to Ruidoso’s would solve problems overnight, but that it could be a step toward building a healthier ecosystem by changing how people and wildlife interact.
A notable change in the latest revision of the ordinance explicitly states that “feeding songbirds or other common birds by any means, including the use of birdfeeders” will not be considered a violation of the ordinance.
Alluding to the fact that this issue has been in front of council multiple times over the last two years, Chair Cull ended the discussion firmly. “When this comes back, we vote it up or down and make a decision on it.”
A vote to accept the revisions to the ordinance passed 6–1, with only Councilor David Reagor voting against it. It’s not clear when the final vote on the full ordinance will take place.
The Los Alamos County Council is scheduled to meet again on Aug. 5 for a regular session inside council chambers at 1000 Central Avenue, and on Zoom.