By KIRSTEN LASKEY
Los Alamos Daily Post
kirsten@ladailypost.com

Updates to Chapter 16 of the Los Alamos County Code, which addresses development, are about to be set in ink.

During Tuesday’s regular meeting of the Los Alamos County Council, council approved 6-0, with Councilor Keith Lepsch not in attendance, the following:

• To repeal and replace the text of Chapter 16 as council amended Nov. 30.
• To direct staff to evaluate alternative increased building height requirements south of Trinity Drive in the Los Alamos downtown district and to address canyon protections. The proposed building height south of Trinity Drive is 45 feet. The height everywhere else is 86 feet.
• To evaluate the alternative parking mandates, which includes required off-street parking shall be allowed a 25 percent reduction of the amount in the current table for minimum requirements in the off-street parking, loading and queueing section. Furthermore, required off-street parking shall be provided at 50 percent of the amount required in the table for the minimum requirements in the off-street parking, loading and queueing section.
• Within 60 days staff will submit the proposed amendments to the Planning and Zoning commission for review and recommendation. After that, it will go to council for adoption.

Councilor Sara Scott made the motion.

“This is a culmination of a multi-year process, and it will support the redevelopment in both White Rock and Los Alamos in accordance with how our citizens would like the community to look and function,” she said.

Councilor David Izraelevitz seconded the motion and thanked all the players who took part in the effort to update Chapter 16.

“I look forward to this actually getting boots on the ground …,” he added.

In other business, council:

• Approved 5-1, with Councilor David Izraelevitz opposed, to do the following for the Los Alamos County Golf Course: prioritize maintenance of the golf course facility and select none of the Phase 2 design concept options at this time; and that administrative management controls continue to be used at the driving range for safety. Furthermore, council added that the following scope be added to the Phase 1 golf course site improvement project, prior to being re-bid, to address the additional safety and maintenance needs that remain unaddressed by Phase 1 as follows: deferred maintenance improvements for holes 1 through 3 and realignment of hole 7 for safety; driving range practice area improvements; cart path improvements for the entire golf course; and return to Council with a budget revision required to accomplish all needed maintenance and improvements at the time of bid award. Finally, council approved that separate bids for a high fence on the existing driving range that prevents balls from leaving the range should be issued.
• Unanimously approved a $350,000 contract with CM ArborCare for on-call trail maintenance. Community Services Division Manager Cory Styron said the contract is specifically for maintenance and not developing new trails.
• Unanimously approved an ordinance to authorize the execution and delivery of a water fund project loan/grant agreement for construction of a new non-potable water tank in Bayo Canyon and upgrades to the existing tank.
• Unanimously approved to postpone the discussion on the work plans for boards and commissions to Jan. 24.
• Honored outgoing councilors Sara Scott and David Izraelevitz.