[{"_1":2,"_97":-5,"_98":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,85],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6361120,"mediaKeyId","2171070-25c256c802b69829eeb302a031c55124","parentId",2171070,"title","Votes at a glance: Santa Fe council actions and appointments Jan. 29, 2025","audioSeconds",4022,"startMs",8638000,"endMs",12660000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2171070-25c256c802b69829eeb302a031c55124&start=8638&end=12660","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2171070-25c256c802b69829eeb302a031c55124/thumbnail_8638000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6361120/Santa-Fe/Santa-Fe-County/New-Mexico/Votes-at-a-glance-Santa-Fe-council-actions-and-appointments-Jan-29-2025","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6361120-df99ef027e85812bb5fc7e9268f24a40/orig.mp4?Expires=1770299003&Signature=LbErCPhkKTuBRbUq11PL46uRoR5uwZHEcaybn23LeRt5ibTxohnQ3K2aEB5K5NMRmQd3hYmnIrWT7p40di4JSNq26dGffHwT8WGl3gY-DzLAqlNLnV5Ug71tR0oMDt3p-D0cqY-EMurjVpdyly7hyU70uMWUrjvTbB4u9q~-7x-Fg7-eUf006ZupPICjmoW1kNucqrnAar36Qis60azjmJeKRoy7ydrU62Dr1C656IQM2ociXe9DGc-T9VPjOjWhyvup6m8tzOzk~JuxxRWrRfBmuTGJFNzZKQrFKJ5cXPvgxuc-pBrlNimGKPNLmVOdM1mN5OGBStsOtGJtQ1NRwQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City Council of Santa Fe, NM","date","2025-01-30T06:29:25Z","article","The City of Santa Fe governing body recorded several formal actions during its Jan. 29 meeting. Below are the items that drew final votes, the outcomes and key details recorded in the meeting transcript.

• Budget amendment — microcommunity units (agenda item 11b): Approved. The council reallocated $2,000,000 from a prior appropriation to buy pallet/microcommunity units and fund site planning for non‑congregate shelter solutions. Vote: unanimous (9–0). Staff noted no sites or operators had been selected when the funds were approved.

• Saint Michael’s Drive pedestrian underpass (resolution, agenda item 10q): Approved. Resolution authorizing the city’s representatives to work with New Mexico Department of Transportation to acquire rights‑of‑way and plan, design and construct a pedestrian underpass on Saint Michael’s Drive. Vote: unanimous (9–0).

• Purchase order amendment — police vehicles (agenda item 11a): Approved. Council approved increasing the purchase order for 26 police vehicles to cover an additional $6,000 per vehicle for equipment and installation, bringing the total to $1,713,731.94. Vote: passed (8–1); Councilor Castro recorded a no vote.

• Muffler/noise ordinance (bill 2024‑18 / final ordinance adoption, agenda item 20a): Adopted. The council amended the city’s uniform traffic ordinance to increase penalties for noisy or modified mufflers, remove a multi‑offense tier distinction and allow community service as an alternative. Vote: approved by roll call.

• Technical correction to vehicle regulations (bill 2024‑20 / ordinance, agenda item 20b): Adopted. The council approved a technical amendment relocating definitions within the code. Vote: approved by roll call.

• City manager appointment (agenda item 22a): Confirmed. The governing body approved the appointment of Mark Scott as city manager. Vote: passed (8–1); Councilor Michael Garcia recorded a no vote and offered an explanation citing concerns about the increase in the city manager salary from the previous city manager’s pay.

• Appointments to boards and committees: Multiple appointments were approved by roll call (immigration committee, transit advisory board, public safety committee and other appointments listed on the agenda). Vote: unanimous or recorded as approved in each roll call.

These votes do not include routine consent items that were approved as part of the consent agenda and which the governing body adopted by roll call during the meeting.

For details on each item — including staff presentations, public comment and next steps — consult the transcript and staff reports on the city’s website or contact the City Clerk’s office.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Governing body Meeting 1/29/2025","oneSentenceSummary","List of formal votes taken by the City of Santa Fe governing body during the Jan. 29 meeting, including budget reallocations, contract adjustments, ordinances and appointments.","taxTitle","Santa Fe, Santa Fe County, New Mexico","taxId",2727,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":44,"_45":79,"_47":80,"_49":50,"_51":81,"_53":82,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":83,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":84,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6361125,"Santa Fe council approves $2 million to buy microcommunity units amid heated public debate",962,9600000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2171070-25c256c802b69829eeb302a031c55124&start=8638&end=9600","/articles/6361125/Santa-Fe/Santa-Fe-County/New-Mexico/Santa-Fe-council-approves-2-million-to-buy-microcommunity-units-amid-heated-public-debate","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6361125-c8f4c007028526330176de2ddebe07d2/orig.mp4?Expires=1770299003&Signature=Y~fl2Q6FgXMjEbxR6WBxTMnJmsh34nCSRqanBYC9LEMMIR5T3LCj9NZc5-L8L5FiKyp57K2oSlNM5jxDZ5~Ga6xP011of7gvrNTu1wRcrmMEeIsnmRhwBNiUmSNWyoyotgZgav0JorLJnEAx1j8LIvkhYxW8hrdYng-S12UOA37o-ef3NUAWNv9OQhJOjcvmfHtzaaCm~h6RNJ8U4sS3rpVxNBOPGjz0hau~TFntBL9R6Gi25rkVelTXDRKsiaQGVHAcFqnmABlY5EhLTH3b78tVu9JpsbJa8WnLSM8PzCAL5O1gXV6GzEC7CgzeJv62yESpMh85IH-vxPetR8foKg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The City of Santa Fe on Jan. 29 approved a $2,000,000 budget amendment to purchase microcommunity (“pallet”) shelter units and related site planning work, a step city staff said is intended to expand non‑congregate housing options while staff pursue operators and community‑based sites.

The action (agenda item 11b) reallocated funds that had previously been set aside for acquiring buildings and directed them toward mobile or modular non‑congregate shelter solutions, the city’s Community Health and Safety director, Henry Hammond Paul, told the governing body. The council approved the move by roll call; the vote on the budget amendment was recorded as unanimous.

Hammond Paul said the city has used a pilot model at Christ Lutheran Church since April 2024 and described microcommunities as temporary, staffed units with wraparound services and 24‑hour supervision. He said the current objective is to secure operators and, where appropriate, land — either privately offered sites from faith‑based or nonprofit partners or, potentially, city‑owned parcels — and to engage neighborhoods before a site is finalized.

Public comment at the governing‑body meeting was lengthy and divided. Supporters who described personal experience of homelessness or work with shelter programs urged the city to buy units now to take advantage of current pricing and to provide safer alternatives to unsheltered living. A number of speakers described the pilot at Christ Lutheran Church as well‑run, supervised, and effective at connecting people to treatment and housing.

Opponents and concerned residents objected to specific potential siting locations and warned that placing large microcommunities in residential neighborhoods would bring crime, drug use and public‑safety risks without guaranteeing long‑term solutions. Several speakers said sites proposed in the city feasibility study were clustered on the city’s south side and asked for more equitable geographic distribution and earlier neighborhood consultation.

City staff outlined the pieces that must come together before installation: a willing site owner or a negotiated use of city property, a vetted operator under contract, a site‑specific community engagement process and a good‑neighbor agreement that defines communications, maintenance and security. Hammond Paul said the city’s RFQs and RFPs are seeking land partners and experienced providers; he said neither a specific site nor an operator has been selected for the new allocation.

Council members pressed for transparency and for a stronger public process. Several councilors said they support purchasing units now to preserve pricing and allow ready deployment once operator and community agreements are in place, but asked staff to move deliberately on siting and to guarantee community engagement and oversight.

After the vote to allocate $2 million for the initiative, Councilor Michael Garcia explained his vote as a yes and urged staff to pursue district‑by‑district engagement so residents across the city know the plan and can help find acceptable host sites. City staff said they will continue to seek state and philanthropic funds to support operations, sanitation, security and case management services that accompany the units.

The council vote followed more than an hour of public comment that included residents near proposed sites, shelter volunteers, operators and people with lived experience of homelessness. The discussion reflected broader tensions across many U.S. cities: how to move from short‑term shelter models to long‑term housing while balancing neighborhood concerns about safety and quality of life.

The vote on the BAR (agenda item 11b) passed by roll call and was recorded as: Councilors Chavez, Faulkner, Lee Garcia, Lindell, Cassett, Castro, Romero Wirth, Michael Garcia and Mayor Weber — all voting yes. Staff said the funds were previously allocated and would be reappropriated toward site planning, purchase or development for non‑congregate shelter solutions.","The governing body approved a $2 million budget amendment to buy portable 'pallet' microcommunity units for non‑congregate shelter while residents, councilors and service providers debated siting, services and community engagement protocols.",{"_33":86,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":87,"_41":88,"_43":89,"_45":90,"_47":91,"_49":92,"_51":93,"_53":94,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":95,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":96,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6361130,"Santa Fe launches three‑year Santa Fe Forward general plan update to guide growth to 2050",881,3019000,3900000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2171070-25c256c802b69829eeb302a031c55124&start=3019&end=3900","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2171070-25c256c802b69829eeb302a031c55124/thumbnail_3019000.jpg","/articles/6361130/Santa-Fe/Santa-Fe-County/New-Mexico/Santa-Fe-launches-threeyear-Santa-Fe-Forward-general-plan-update-to-guide-growth-to-2050","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6361130-055c29946f0fa22b21a2c95c094a6a4f/orig.mp4?Expires=1770299003&Signature=M0JOgX8BuCxs4hzV2SxlqvXem7Uv1zs9Cz5OZ2a2OLRlmSA-aLtF4QALAJwEjsvCrOa~UhHpeBfceeHfTjfSUJBNRy9aT1CgUv57kvOgsZS4NbOy9CO9R2boGpNNAVrV9oq~sdwRSSZOmQdzoS8BubNN89wXc-m8kJfAzVDxT7Y2y-V-bN12L5DTkoYYNYXxORkczad4pPFo0REjSMzUH6wOo6v0yaMUobm0PXC7QgltEFhfuVsyi0xVMTlvuoW5c-QEyd0r-woK5BenAD7GGIzQdOfdpXvAQAkxxlfTwO9DZ94weM9rHuvK~RQjsI4X2sPadL1C7hFYdyN5ce5HHA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","City of Santa Fe planning staff and their consultants on Jan. 29 launched Santa Fe Forward, a three‑year process to update the city’s 1999 general plan and set policy priorities through 2050.

Janice Biletnikoff, long‑range and strategic planner in the Planning and Land Use Department, told the governing body that the update will combine an assessment of existing conditions with scenario planning, new policy direction and an implementation and funding plan. She said the project will be led by the city’s planning staff with consulting support from WSP USA, Design Workshop and Leland Consulting Group.

“Over the next three years this planning process will ascertain the community’s vision for the future of our city up to the year 2050 and set goals for achieving that vision,” Biletnikoff said. The consultants said the update will aim to produce a “living” plan intended to be used by multiple city departments to guide investments and regulatory updates including the land development code.

Consultant Nick Fazio, WSP’s communications lead for the Southwest and the project’s deputy manager, described the five major steps: project setup and assessment, vision and goals, scenario development, draft and final plan, and an implementation/funding plan. He said an assessment report — an “existing conditions” baseline of demographics, housing, transportation, infrastructure and cultural resources — will be the first major deliverable.

Fazio and project manager Manjeet Ranu said public engagement will be central. The outreach strategy rests on three pillars: broad engagement to reach many residents, equitable engagement to include groups historically left out of planning, and collaborative engagement that demonstrates how public input is used. The team described a bilingual web platform (santafeforward.org/SantaFeAbanzando) and plans to deploy interactive tools, in‑person tabling at community events and paid, compensated community partner organizations to help recruit participants.

The consultants said they will also form a technical working group of up to 15 members with professional and lived experience to advise the project team. Biletnikoff said city staff will return to the governing body and the Planning Commission at the end of each major step for direction.

Council members pressed the team to document why old goals were not achieved, to coordinate closely with the land development code update and to explain how community partners will be selected and compensated. The consultants said community partners will be recruited via an open call; applicants will be reviewed by the project team and recommendations advanced to the city manager for onboarding. The partners program will include tiers of participation and compensation to match organizational capacity.

Biletnikoff said the assessment report will include inventories of infrastructure, facilities and policies and that public feedback will inform identified gaps and priorities. Fazio said the team will pursue bilingual and visually driven communications and add content and tools on the Santa Fe Forward website as the project progresses.

The planning team emphasized that the update seeks to balance Santa Fe’s cultural and environmental values with new challenges such as climate change, housing demand, and changing economic and technology conditions.

City staff said the full public website will expand on Feb. 3 and invited councilors and residents to review materials and share suggestions for community partner representation.","City staff and consultants formally kicked off “Santa Fe Forward,” a three‑year update to the 1999 general plan that will inventory existing conditions, run scenarios and mount bilingual, equity‑focused public outreach to shape land use, housing, transportation and resilience policy through 2050.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Votes at a glance: Santa Fe council actions and appointments Jan. 29, 2025

Santa Fe council approves $2 million to buy microcommunity units amid heated public debate

Santa Fe launches three‑year Santa Fe Forward general plan update to guide growth to 2050