The Albuquerque City Council voted unanimously last night in favor of a compromise plan to incentivize the Unser Crossing shopping center at the intersection of West Central and Unser. Councilor Ken Sanchez had previously proposed extending the West Central Metropolitan Redevelopment Area (MRA) to the intersection. This would have allowed the developer the benefits of an MRA designation, including the elimination of impact fees on new development as well as access to other public subsidies.



As previously described by the Independent, there is extensive support by area residents for the project, which was voiced at a City Council meeting in April. But a number of councilors objected to the extension, saying that MRA’s are intended for blighted areas and that extending this particular MRA would set a poor precedent since the area in question is not blighted. Instead, it’s located in an undeveloped area on the edge of the current West Central MRA. The compromise plan provides $1.8 million in public funds for infrastructure improvements at the site and on surrounding roads.



Councilor Rey Garduno, who did not support the extension of the MRA, told the Independent he was pleased with the compromise. According to Garduno, the issue was never one of councilors not wanting to provide support to an area that obviously needs more shopping options and other services. Given the burgeoning population in the area, he said, this is the right thing to do. He said he didn’t support the MRA extension itself though, because

…this area isn’t an area that fits the description of what an MRA is supposed to benefit. My concern was that we would start designating anything and everything as blighted in the future in order to bring public subsidies to a particular area. In this case, the developer probably doesn’t really need the public support given the population growth in the area but we were willing to give it through this measure to ensure that the development happens for that community. I also challenged the advocates to extend their fervor in support of other parts of the southwest mesa that are very under-served, such as Pajarito Mesa, and I will wholeheartedly join them.



The council also passed a resolution sponsored by Garduno calling on the federal government to create a Department of Peace and Nonviolence, that would have a cabinet level secretary. The department would promote peace and nonviolence as alternatives to war.  Congressman Dennis Kucinich along with 78 co-sponsors has introduced a bill to create such a department and the Albuquerque City Council voted last night to encourage that effort.