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Santa Fe governing body designates Midtown, Franklin Miles Park as Metropolitan Redevelopment Area
Summary
The City of Santa Fe approved designating most of the Midtown Local Innovation Corridor and Franklin E. Miles Park as a Metropolitan Redevelopment Area, a step that enables planning tools such as tax-increment financing and public–private partnerships.
The Santa Fe governing body on Tuesday approved designating a majority of the Midtown Local Innovation Corridor, known as the Midtown Link, and Franklin E. Miles Park as a Metropolitan Redevelopment Area (MRA).
The vote followed a public hearing and staff presentation; the designation is the third of four steps under the New Mexico State Metropolitan Redevelopment Act. Daniel Hernandez, director of the city’s MRA, said, “This is the third step in a 4 step process pursuant to the NM State Metropolitan Redevelopment Act.”
The designation does not itself approve projects or change zoning, but it enables tools the city can use during the next step — drafting the MRA plan — including public–private partnerships, tax-increment financing and business improvement districts, Hernandez said. The plan will prioritize projects and identify financing mechanisms for the Midtown site and the adjacent commercial corridor.
During the public hearing, Stephanie Benonato, calling in via Zoom, said she opposed parts of the designation and expressed concern that the statutory finding of blight would lower nearby residential property values. Benonato also raised concerns about proposed street layout changes and potential building height increases along the corridor.
Council members and staff addressed those concerns during the discussion. Staff said the designation is a statutory step that requires findings such as deteriorated structures and defective street layout; those findings are used to unlock redevelopment tools. Council members asked whether the designation affects building heights; staff and members answered that the designation itself does not change building height and that height issues were addressed previously in the overlay ordinance adopted about a decade ago.
Council members also discussed a neighborhood stabilization plan to reduce the risk of displacement from rising property values as redevelopment proceeds. Councilor Lee Garcia said the designation could help “bring in much needed revenue” and support development envisioned in earlier Midtown planning efforts. Several members thanked staff for outreach and analysis.
The motion to approve passed on a roll call; the clerk recorded the vote as yes by Mayor Alan Weber and the councilors present. No amendment to the overlay’s height rules was adopted with the designation.
What happens next: staff will prepare the MRA plan — the statutory fourth step — which will outline financing tools, project priorities and recommended roles for an MRA commission. The plan will return to the governing body for review and approval.
