Governing body adopts 5-year capital plan; debate centers on city’s top-priority homeless shelter and transparency of site work

The City of Santa Fe governing body voted July 9 to adopt its five-year Infrastructure Capital Improvements Plan (ICIP) for 2027–2031, a required document for state funding and a roadmap for capital projects the city plans to advance. Director of Public Works Regina Wheeler presented the plan and listed the top five priorities: a large-capacity non-congregate shelter with wraparound services, replacement of the Paseo Real wastewater treatment plant, a police training facility, airport terminal expansion phase II, and midtown redevelopment.

Wheeler told the governing body the ICIP is the city’s application vehicle for legislative appropriations and noted the plan’s “funded to date” column shows how far individual projects have progressed. She said the city has delivered “well over $120,000,000” in completed capital projects over the past five years and estimated more than $40,000,000 is underway this fiscal year.

Much of the meeting’s debate focused…