Developer presents commercial sketch plan for 6502 4th St NW; commission flags parking, frontage and pedestrian improvements

The Planning and Zoning Commission held a sketch-plan review for SDP25-03 on Oct. 14, 2025, to discuss a proposed multi-tenant commercial building at 6502 4th Street NW in the village center project area. Director Shana Schulz described the sketch-plan stage as advisory and listed initial staff observations on glazing, landscaping, parking calculations, and site layout; staff noted the plan showed 15 parking spaces, which meets minimum parking for typical office or retail uses of the proposed size but would not support higher-demand uses such as restaurants without additional parking or shared-parking arrangements.

Developer Chris Pacheco said the proposed building is approximately 7,167 square feet with parking at the rear, arranged to activate Fourth Street with pedestrian entrances and glazing on the frontage. Pacheco said the site was a former gas station that had undergone Phase I/II work and monitoring and that the state issued a letter of no further action; he said prospective tenants are office and clinic uses rather than standalone restaurants.

Commissioners asked technical questions about environmental remediation records (the developer confirmed the site has a state 'no further action' letter), stormwater ponding and whether it will be fenced, and parking-space dimensions. Staff noted several stalls on the sketch were dimensioned at 8×18 feet, but code requires a minimum of 9×20 feet; the developer agreed to revise the layout to meet code or pursue alternatives where necessary. The commission also encouraged the developer to explore harvesting roof runoff and other green stormwater measures to reduce ponding and increase usable site area.

Design and pedestrian-frontage issues were central to the discussion. Commissioners urged the applicant to provide a more activated street edge — glazing, pedestrian entrances, and a landscape buffer between Fourth Street’s travel lane and the sidewalk to match recent village frontage improvements — and to consider monument or minimal signage appropriate for office tenants. The developer said materials will follow a Northern New Mexico/territorial character (stucco-like finish, pitched or metal roof) and that landscaping will comply with code while contributing shade and visual interest.

What’s next: Because the sketch plan is an early-stage review, staff asked the developer to address glazing percentages, landscaping calculations, parking stall sizes, and G&D (grading and drainage) details in the next submittal. The developer said they expect to return with a refined site plan and requested coordination on sidewalk/curb-cut adjustments so the frontage improvements match adjacent projects.