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Planning and Zoning Commission considers trainings and hears updates on affordable housing, staffing and upcoming projects
Summary
Commissioners discussed training options (Planetizen videos vs. live subject experts), requested workshops on zoning/density and affordable housing, and heard staff updates on an affordable housing rehabilitation project and new planning staff hires.
At the close of the public hearing, Los Alamos County Planning and Zoning commissioners discussed a staff proposal for continuing education and heard department updates on affordable housing work and staffing.
Acting Community Development Director Dan Osborne proposed using Planetizen training modules as an affordable option for the commission, saying the staff is “proposing that we engage with Planetizen” and offering to assign individual logins or convene group viewings with facilitated discussion. Several commissioners said they preferred targeted, interactive sessions. One commissioner said Planetizen videos were “pretty unwatchable” and recommended live subject‑matter presenters instead; another said brief, staff‑led trainings like a prior session were more useful.
Commissioners suggested several priority topics for future training and workshops: zoning and density (including examples and outcomes from other jurisdictions), parking and parking policy, the county comprehensive plan process, accessory dwelling units and short‑term rental impacts, and the mechanics of financing affordable housing projects.
Dan Osborne and staff also reported that the county has begun implementing its recently adopted affordable housing plan. Osborne described a project presented to County Council that would purchase deed restrictions on existing multifamily units on Ninth Street to hold them at or below 45 percent AMI for 20 years and to fund accessibility and energy‑efficiency upgrades. “We are now starting to bring projects forward to council,” he said, summarizing the Ninth Street rehabilitation and participation agreement.
Staff announced hires: Danielle Valdez will join the department as planning manager the Monday after the meeting; the county also extended a formal offer to Elias (Eli) Isaacson for the community development director position, with an anticipated start in May.
Commissioners asked staff to return with targeted training options and to schedule briefings on the affordable housing plan and the upcoming comprehensive‑plan process. Staff said it would pursue a blend of modalities — self‑paced Planetizen access for commissioners who want it and focused, live presentations or invited experts for group sessions.
No formal decisions were taken; items were discussion and scheduling requests for future meetings.
