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Los Ranchos trustees amend Village Center moratorium to allow limited single‑story additions and routine permits
Summary
Trustees amended a moratorium affecting the Village Center to allow routine commercial permits (interior remodels, signs, fences) and one‑time single‑story building additions up to 25% of existing floor area; the amendment was adopted after trustees sought height and setback limits to protect nearby residences.
The Village of Los Ranchos de Albuquerque Board of Trustees on March 18 amended an existing moratorium in the Village Center (VC) zone to permit certain routine commercial permits and to allow one‑time, single‑story building additions up to 25% of a building’s existing floor area during the moratorium period.
Brennan Williams, the village’s planning and zoning consultant, told trustees the amendment was intended to clarify that ‘interior remodeling projects, signs, walls and fences, and one‑time building additions of up to 25%’ would not be delayed by the moratorium, which remains in effect through the end of June. Williams said the allowance targets modest projects—typically accessory buildings, storage structures or small additions—rather than major new development.
Trustees pressed staff on how a 25% allowance could be interpreted for height and neighborhood impacts. Trustee Benvitas asked whether the 25% figure might be used to add multiple floors; Williams replied the proposal ‘would exclude’ multi‑story expansions of the sort that would require extensive engineering and a longer review timeline. To address those concerns the board amended the proposal on the floor to require that any permitted one‑time additions be single‑story.
The amended resolution clarifies that projects covered by the exception still must meet existing setback requirements and other code standards, and that decisions by the planning director can be appealed through the normal process. Trustees also asked staff to memorialize in the moratorium language that the department may consult engineers or other consultants where necessary for technical review.
The trustees approved the moratorium amendment by roll call vote. The change is intended to let small commercial tenants and property owners proceed with routine maintenance and modest improvements while the village continues work on a comprehensive revision of the VC zone.
Next steps: staff will update the moratorium language to reflect the single‑story amendment, memorialize the permitting process for routine requests, and continue broader VC zone work through planning and zoning.
