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What is the County “Planning Update?”

Santa Fe County is undertaking a coordinated and comprehensive update of the adopted General Plan (adopted in 1999) and the Land Development Code (LDC, adopted in 1980, minor amendments in 1996).

The current focus of the planning process is the General Plan update, which will be known as the “Sustainable Growth Plan.”  The Sustainable Growth Plan will be a guide to on-going growth and development for public and private decision-makers.  The Plan will identify goals for the County, establish policies to be used in making decisions, identify appropriate development types for the County, and prioritize implementation strategies.  The Plan will address affordable housing, economic development, sustainable development, alternative energy, natural and cultural resource protection, public facilities and services.   

The General Plan update process will include some discussion of LDC-related issues and concepts, such as density, land use and infrastructure requirements, the LDC update will not be the primary focus until mid-2009.

Why is the Plan Update needed?

Typically, communities adopt comprehensive plans for a 20-year planning period.  Such plans are generally updated every five or 10 years.  The Santa Fe General Plan, adopted in 1999, reflects the conditions and preferences that were important at that time.  Circumstances have changed since then, and new and challenging issues require consideration to ensure that policies and decisions reflect community preferences and values. 

What is the focus of the Plan Update?

The Plan Update is part of an ongoing process to prepare the community for growth and change.  It supports and is based on the County and its communities working cooperatively to define future growth areas and establish land use and infrastructure policies.  The updated General Plan will be a guide to action.  It will:

• Focus on the efficient provision of facilities and services;
• Establish the relationship between future growth, public facilities, economic development, community character and quality of life;
• Establish standards and review processes by which future development proposals may be evaluated;
• Maintain adequate public facilities and services to serve existing and new development;
• Designate preferred growth/economic development areas and identify appropriate incentives; and
• Make recommendations to implement growth management techniques, amend regulations, and prioritize budgets and capital facility improvements.

What are some of the challenges and opportunities that the Update will address?

There are many important issues to address, such as:

• Oil and gas development proposals;
• Development of large conservation-based subdivisions;
• Expansion of the movie industry;
• Support for eco‑tourism development;
• Sustainable development alternatives;
• Protection of agricultural/ranching areas;
• Designation of future growth areas that reflect desired development types in rural and urban/suburban areas;
• Support for existing communities; and
• Amendment of zoning designations and density based on the demand for facilities and services and the ability of the County to provide and fund infrastructure.

What is the Charrette process and how can I get involved?

To involve to the public, four Charrettes are scheduled throughout February and March.  A “Charrette” is an intensive, three-day workshop that provides a consensus-based foundation for the Plan Update.  The Charrette is not only a planning and design process, but also a forum for the community to come together; to celebrate and to prepare for the future. 

The Charrette process will be used to identify key issues and opportunities for the Plan Update, define a Plan Vision, identify draft goals and policies and build the County’s Future Land Use Map. 

A Charrette will be held in each of the County’s four Growth Management Areas (GMAs): El Norte, El Centro, Galisteo and Estancia.  Citizens are encouraged to attend the Charrette in the Area in which they live, but are welcome to attend the public meetings at any of the Charrettes.

El Norte Charrette; February 2-5, 2009
El Centro Charrette; February 9-12, 2009
Galisteo Charrette; February 23-26, 2009
Estancia Charrette; March 2-5, 2009 

What are the benefits of a Charrette?

The intensive schedule and extended time spent in the County, with stakeholders, will allow the Planning Team to gather public input, respond to public concerns, provide opportunities for public education on planning principles, and maintain the “community-based” planning approach that has been established in the County.

What will happen at each Charrette?

Each Charrette will include:

• An introductory meeting with elected and appointed officials who represent or have an interest in the GMA, to ensure that the Planning Team understands the Area’s needs and opportunities;

• A “Kick-off” meeting with the public that will include a presentation and hands-on activities;
• A day-long public open house, where County residents can drop by to talk with a planner, view project maps and see how the planning process is progressing;
• More than a dozen stakeholder work sessions, including meetings with community leaders, service providers and interest groups; and
• A final public workshop, at which the Planning Team will present findings from each of the stakeholder work sessions and provide additional opportunities for public input and recommendations. 

What happens after the Charrettes?

Following the final Charrette, several County Development Review Committee (CDRC) meetings will be held to present the findings of the Charrettes and confirm support for the goals and policies established during the process.  A Charrette Report will include an assessment of the County’s needs and opportunities and an overview of the input received during the process.  The Charrette Report will be refined through the CDRC meetings to form the cornerstone of the Plan Update.  The process will culminate with two public hearings before the Board of County Commissioners. 

Other additional opportunities for public participation will be announced on the project website, including on-line surveys.  The first survey regarding growth and development issues and preferences is in-progress at the project website.

How can I find out more?

More information about the Plan Update is available at the Growth Management Information Center, located in the foyer outside of the Planning office, on the second floor of the County Administration Building, at 102 Grant Avenue.  It is open weekdays from 8:00am to 5:00pm. 

The Growth Management Information Center showcases up-to-date information on the County’s ongoing planning processes, including the General Plan Update, the Interim Development Ordinance and the Land Development Code Update.  It includes resource materials, planning documents, project documents, maps and copies of the on-line survey.  The Center is hosted by the Santa Fe County Planning Department.  For more information, contact Robert Griego at (505) 986-6215, or visit the County website at www.santafecounty.org.  

What will Plan Update accomplish?

The Plan Update will be a statement of the community's vision for its own future and a guide to achieve that vision through the year 2025.  The view of the future expressed in the Plan is shaped by local community values, ideals and aspirations about the best management and use of the community's resources.

The Plan Update is part of an ongoing planning process undertaken by County staff, and requires ongoing action to translate it from a vision to a reality.  Success is achieved through incremental actions and decisions about specific development projects.  Because the Plan does not carry the force of law, the County must implement Plan policies through a variety of actions.   

The County's Land Development Code (LDC) is the most important tool for Plan implementation.  Amendments to the LDC should be consistent with the Plan to ensure that incremental actions on development proposals support the Plan's goals, policies and recommendations.

The Plan will address the use of Inter-governmental Agreements (IGAs) between the County and each city (and adjacent counties) to establish coordinated development review standards, infrastructure guidelines and development and use standards in rural and growth areas.

How facilities and services are provided and funded affect all taxpayers.  The Plan will address coordination of County and municipal Budgets, Capital Improvement Plans (CIPs) and private investment to ensure that development is cost‑effective and supports an efficient allocation of resources.

What will become of the existing Community Plans?

Community planning will continue to be the basis for the Plan’s perspective and communities will continue to maintain a significant role in the ongoing planning and development review processes.  All Community Plans and Ordinances will be incorporated into the Plan and LDC updates.  Santa Fe County will incorporate and build on the adopted and in-progress community plans and ordinances through the updates.