By KIRSTEN LASKEY
Los Alamos Daily Post
kirsten@ladailypost.com
Developing downtown master plans for Los Alamos and White Rock began with visions for the two areas. Now, Dekker Perich Sabatini, the consulting firm hired by Los Alamos County, is trying to further define those visions.
Specifically, Dekker Perich Sabatini representatives are collecting input from the public on what housing and commercial spaces should look like in the Los Alamos and White Rock downtowns and where they should be located.
The conversation kicked off Sept. 21 with a virtual design workshop, which focused on White Rock. A second virtual design workshop is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. Oct. 5. To attend the meeting, log in at Zoom at: https://zoom.us/join and entering the Meeting ID number: 919 9952 0379.
Community Development Department Director Paul Andrus encourages people to attend the upcoming workshop because it “gives an opportunity for people’s voices to be heard.”
During the Sept. 21 meeting, Andrus said pedestrian amenities and connectivity to trails for residential and commercial spaces were highly favored.
Additionally, other concepts such as mixed used zoning, density options for new housing, where new housing and commercial development should be located, as well as parking concerns and allowances for building heights were also discussed, he said.
Public spaces was discussed along with how a more main street like atmosphere can be created.
He emphasized that whatever route is taken for the master plans, the needs of existing neighborhoods will be considered.
“We want to representative and mindful of those residents living nearby to the downtown districts in Los Alamos and White Rock and the impact that redevelopment could have on them, Andrus said. “We recognize that is a concern.”
He explained if mixed use zoning is implemented, the County understands that adjacent properties will be impacted but, the County will work to ensure, through the downtown plans and ultimately through the update of the development code, that the impact is properly mitigated and will not be negative.
After the Oct. 5 meeting, Andrus said recommendations on actionable items will be presented Oct. 27 to Los Alamos County Council during its work session. The drafts of the two master plans will also be presented to Council, he said. The goal is to get council’s feedback on the direction the master plans have taken.
Afterwards, the final vision and plan for the downtown areas will be developed. This, Andrus said, will be the jumping off point for the next phase of the project, which is to address chapter 16 of the County’s development code.