Issues

Our Transportation Board will be pushing a variety of things forward this year, continuing what has already been started. Among other things:

• Comprehensive Transportation Plan, to address how we will meet transportation needs as our population increases.

• Alternative Transportation. This includes things like improving the bicycle infrasture, improving pedestrian infrastruture and amenities, E-bike rentals, micro transit, etc.

• Regional solutions.

Community solar, reducing restrictions on rooftop solar, a comprehensive compositing program, increased access to materials to weatherize a house or apartment, and prohibiting gas hookups in new construction are just some of the local actions our county can take on climate change.

11/30/23 UPDATE: Climate Action Plan Survey Summary

Click here to see information about a proposed Climate Investment Center (“Green Bank”) that could help New Mexico’s goal to be Carbon Free by 2045.

Ongoing red tag issue between Sirphey and Los Alamos County.

11/21/2023 Part 3: More Of Judge Lidyard’s Oral Ruling In Sirphey, LLC Stop Work Order Case Against Los Alamos

11/5/2023 Judge Finds Board Of Appeals, And County Council Acted Arbitrarily And Capriciously On Sirphey Stop Work Order Appeal

11/1/2023 District Judge Rules That County Violated Sirphey’s Due Process Rights In Every Phase Of Stop Work Order Appeal

8/28/2022 District Judge Signs Order On Sanctions Against Los Alamos County, Retained Attorneys, In Sirphey, LLC Appeal Case

6/30/2022 Sirphey Sues Los Alamos County, Others In U.S. District Court

6/16/2022 Nothing To See Here!

4/29/2022 Judge Grants Request For Sanctions Against County’s Attorney In Sirphey Appeal Case

3/26/2022 Sirphey’s Attorney Raises Constitutional Concerns During District Court Hearing Friday

3/25/2022 Board Of Appeals Ruling On Sirphey, LLC Stop Work Order Stands Following Tuesday’s County Council Meeting, Tort Claim Notice Filed With County

3/22/2022 Sirphey, LLC Goes Before Los Alamos County Council Again This Evening On Second Appeal

2/13/2022 County Council Sets Mar. 22 For Sirphey Appeal Of Board Of Appeal’s Jan. 25 Orders, District Judge Grants Sirphey 90 Days Of Discovery

1/31/2022 Sirphey, Los Alamos County Back In District Court: Judge Again Weighs In On County’s Actions In Case

1/25/2022 Board Of Appeals Approves Findings Of Fact, Conclusions Of Law And Order On Motion To Reopen Hearing To Take New Evidence And Reconstitute Board

1/19/2022 Board Of Appeals Deliberates For More Than Three Hours, Recesses Until Friday

1/19/2022 Response To Sirphey Motion Filed With County Clerk Tuesday Afternoon In Advance Of Wednesday’s Board Of Appeals Meeting

1/18/2022 Sirphey Case Back Before Board Of Appeals Wednesday

11/9/2021 Judge Remands Sirphey Appeal To County Board Of Appeals

11/8/2021 District Judge, Sirphey Attorney Voice Concern During Hearing About County’s Handling Of Red Tag Appeal

10/9/2020 Appeal Notice Filed By Sirphey, LLC In District Court Thursday On Unquarked Stop Work Order

7/29/2020 Councilor Randall Ryti: Unquarked Board Of Appeals Decision

7/27/2020 Sirphey Files Letter Of Appeal Of County Appeals Board’s July 14 Decision

7/15/2020 Appeal In Unquarked Red Tag Case Denied Following Three Days Of Testimony

6/30/2020 Unquarked Hearing Continued Until July 7 Following Another Lengthy Virtual Session Monday

6/12/2020 Appeals Board Hearing To Reconvene June 29 In Unquarked Red Tag Case

6/8/2020 County Releases Agenda For June 11 Unquarked Hearing

6/8/2020 Council Chair And County Manager Designate Alternates To Replace Them On Appeals Board Hearing On Unquarked Stop Work Order

6/2/2020 Appeals Board Virtual Hearing On Unquarked Stop Work Order Now Scheduled For June 11

2/22/2020 Unquarked’s Red Tag Appeal Hearing Set For Mar. 30

2/21/2020 Board Of Appeals Meets Today To Set Date, Process For Unquarked Appeal Of Stop Work Order

11/23/2019 Unquarked Goes Public With Claims Of Community Development Department Double Standards

Good governance and sound public policy start with transparency.

Transparency in local government is vital for fostering trust, accountability, and citizen engagement.

By ensuring that decision-making processes, policies, and actions are open and accessible to the public, transparency helps to prevent corruption, maintain ethical standards, and safeguard the interests of residents.

Transparency enables citizens to actively participate in the democratic process, make informed decisions, and hold their elected officials and institutions accountable, ultimately strengthening the bond between government and the communities it serves.

Learn more about public views of Los Alamos County government in the 2022 Community Survey, summarized extremely well in this article from the Los Alamos Reporter.

This article, written by Gregory Williams of the NM Foundation for Open Government in honor of Sunshine Week (March 12-15), captures the heart of the problem and validates the importance of the issue at all levels of government: “Transparency In Government Is A Crowd-Pleasing Election Promise That Gets Set Aside In Practice”

Other relevant LTEs:

12/7/21: “Engaging With Constituents: More Than Just Your Social Circle,” Aaron Walker

12/9/21: “Transparency in Local Government,” Cortni Nucklos

3/9/22: “Transparency In Local Government And Why You Should Care,” David Hampton

6/16/22: “Nothing To See Here!,” Grant Harding

12/7/22: “Back to the IPRA,” Cat Ozment

5/3/23: “Transparency Black Hole,” Aaron Walker

The County invests in property, land, and infrastructure, as well as processes that govern procurement and contractors, wielding tremendous financial and strategic power in its use of public resources.

The County should ensure that it carries out and provides the public with a review of the economic, financial, social, and environmental costs and benefits of proposed major investments. Such a review should also contain an analysis of "who would pay" and "who would benefit" from such investments. The goal is to ensure that major investments by the County are doable, sustainable, cost-effective, and fair.

Los Alamos National Laboratory has experienced significant growth in its workforce, but the limited supply of housing in the area is creating challenges for people to find suitable accommodation. The tight housing market in Los Alamos is forcing many people to commute and search for housing in neighboring areas. The rising demand for housing, coupled with low supply, has led to increased housing prices, making it difficult to find affordable homes.

Expanding housing options alleviates the strain on the housing market, providing relief for those facing affordability challenges. Affordable housing is vital for a community as it ensures that individuals and families have access to safe and stable homes, promotes socioeconomic diversity, and fosters overall community well-being. By prioritizing these initiatives, the county can create a more balanced and livable environment for our residents while promoting economic growth and stability.

Current P&Z Commissioner and former Parks & Rec Chair Stephanie Nakhleh is #killingit on development issues in Los Alamos.

BIG WINS in May and June 2023: Council adopted ordinances recommended by P&Z that increase the limit on building height and reduce mandated parking minimums in the downtown areas, which will greatly assist developers in increasing housing options.

Relevant LTE’s addressing Housing and Parking

“Higher Density Housing Is Water-Wise” 10/22/22

“End Expensive Mandated Parking” 10/25/2022

“Mythbusting The Accessory Dwelling Unit” 10/25/22

“‘It’s Housing Driven’: LANL, Hiring And Local Housing” 12/19/22

“‘We Have To Be Okay Changing’: The Realtor Perspective On Housing” 2/2/22

“‘I’d Like To Stay’: What The Rental Situation Is Like For Young People” 2/27/23

From Council rules on public comment, to how far before a meeting the agenda is provided to the public, to more meaningful and respectful use of Boards and Commissions, the current Council has the ability to increase public engagement instead of holding to ineffective public information campaigns and exhausting meetings.

An e-comment system has been implemented as of 8/27/24! It has been over a year since Council instructed staff to implement a public comment system modeled off the School Board's email process. This wasn't an idea floated--it was an instruction from Council on March 29, 2022, but no progress has been made:

“A motion was made by Councilor Scott, seconded by Councilor Izraelevitz, that Council requests the County Manager develop an additional mechanism to collect written public comment on agenda topics and have it associated with the item for Council on public review” (click the link for the Minutes here)

Things Council can do right now (6/1/23):

1. hold staff accountable for implementing the motion from 3/29/22.

2. commit publicly to making agendas available on Thursday instead of Friday ahead of Tuesday Council meetings.

3. give presenters a much shorter time to speak and rely more on questions; they have provided written materials that everyone had ahead of time—do not let them read every bullet. Give them a timer ahead of time so they can prepare to keep their opening remarks to a tight 10 minutes.

4. Place high public interest discussions earlier on the agenda.

Make your opinions known by emailing

countycouncil@lacnm.us

The County’s Utilities Assistance Program exists to support residents who make less than 50% local median income; currently if you earn less than about $53,000/year you qualify. The program provides up to 30% of your bill up to $125 per bill. For most people, the program only applies November through March.

This program is underutilized. Proposals have gone to the Board of Public Utilities (BPU) with specific ideas for improving the program by addressing common reasons people do not not public assistance.

**BPU will consider “modifications” to the program on 7/19/23 that slightly increase maximum support and do nothing to expand access and effectiveness. Read more here.

There is increased demand and decreased donations for the County fund. If BPU is willing to improve the program, we hope the community will be willing to support it financially. Learn more about how you can help by clicking here and scrolling down to “donate.”

Our local government should execute the best, most accessible program possible, but as another option, LA Cares provides rent and utilities assistance without a burdensome application process. Call 505-661-8015 if you need financial support, and click here to donate to LA Cares.

Ranging from lack of options to high rents for poorly maintained buildings to permitting limitations and NIMBY neighbors, small business in Los Alamos faces tremendous challenges. The County has made big strides on food trucks and some promising site plans have made it through P&Z, (shout out to Sobia Sayeda in the Planning Division and P&Z Commissioners), but there is more work to be done.

Hoping for the pedestrian retail overlay to make another appearance in 23.

11/12/2021 On Triangulation of Public Policy — Grant Harding

Code enforcement first flared up in Los Alamos County in 2015, then again in 2017-2018, 2020, and 2022, becoming one of the most reliably divisive issues in the community. Class warfare is writ large in this ongoing struggle between subjective, personal preferences of individual Councilors and what is best for the community at large.

Brandi Engeman Blue Tarps and Scraping By 9/1/2022

Cat Ozment Back to the IPRA 12/7/22

Cat Ozment Loose Ends in County Nuisance Code 3/29/23

Los Alamos receives a disproportionate share of regional GRT. Many of us support a more equitable and respectful redistribution of this wealth than has been done under previous Councils.