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Council approves small comprehensive-plan change to expand Fire Station No. 4 site for replacement facility
Summary
The council unanimously approved an amendment to the Los Alamos County future land use map to transfer roughly 18,735 square feet from "open space, passive" to "institutional," a change proponents say is needed to site a modern replacement for Fire Station No. 4.
Los Alamos County Council voted unanimously June 24 to amend the county comprehensive plan future land use map to transfer approximately 18,735 square feet from an open-space designation to institutional land use to accommodate a replacement Fire Station No. 4 on the existing site.
Jane Matthews, senior planner with the Community Development Department, introduced case CPA-2025-009 and told the council the Planning and Zoning Commission recommended the change. Matthews said the amendment "does not introduce a new use to occur, but would rather reconfigure the existing land use designation on the county owned land to better serve public facility needs." She said the institutional designation in the comprehensive plan covers schools, museums and fire and police stations.
Matthews described the parcel as county-owned property at or addressed as 4401 Diamond Drive and an adjacent open-space parcel addressed at 9999 Range Road (lots NC 2 G and NC 2 H). She said the proposed change would transfer approximately 18,735 square feet (the Planning staff figure in the application) to the institutional category so the county can complete rezoning, a summary plat and later a site plan for the replacement facility.
Matthews and a Public Works representative said the replacement is needed because Fire Station No. 4, built in 1964, cannot meet modern staffing and equipment needs; a new facility will provide updated male and female changing areas and space for larger apparatus. Planning staff applied the four decision criteria in Los Alamos development code section 16.75(a)(3) and concluded the amendment met those standards, including conformity with council strategic goals for public safety and infrastructure asset management.
There was some confusion during the hearing about the acreage conversion of the square-foot figure; staff and councilors discussed alternative sites that had been considered previously and said the chosen location reduced the need to extend utilities compared with other options. Matthews confirmed the application proceeds only for the future land use map change and that rezoning and site-plan steps will follow.
Councilor Neil Clinton moved approval of the commission's recommendation; Councilor Herman seconded. A roll-call vote recorded unanimous support (7-0). The council separately adopted Resolution No. 25-10 to formalize the map amendment later in the meeting, also by a 7-0 vote.
