Two Story Apartments Rise Above Noise Wall
Last March, we just happened to notice construction beginning in the backyard of 5304 Summer NE, immediately adjacent to the San Mateo Sound/Art wall. Unknown to us, a two-story, multiunit apartment complex had been approved by City Planning, complete with second story units rising above the protection of the 10’ noise wall.
Although the R-3 zoning for this area allows for such development under normal circumstances, we believe the City's permit for this development should have been limited to one story by noise policies of the City's Rank One master plan, the Comprehensive Plan. These policies require that noise analysis and mitigation be done before any development is allowed adjacent to an arterial highway like San Mateo. This was not done.
Had the City followed its own legally binding policies, we believe the conclusion would have been that the only noise mitigation for the second story would be raising the 10’ noise wall to the 23’height of the apartments. That option clearly is a nonstarter. The 2nd story should have been denied.
When we asked City Planning to notify us of any future applications for similar development, they refused, saying notice was not required because of presumed consistency with the R-3 zone.
The traffic noise levels along San Mateo are extremely high. The City spent 3/4 million dollars building a wall to protect residents from this toxic noise; and now they have approved development which would undermine that investment, and expose people to loud traffic noise 24/7.
Many, many thanks to Mr. Dinelli and Mr. Broderick
of the City, CCA, and others who helped. Our
Neighborhood Association is deeply grateful to have our
old friend returned to us!
Freeway Sign Built in Workers Memorial Park
The huge freeway-type sign recently erected in Workers Memorial Park along San Mateo came as another surprise. Although we had participated in hearings for the San Mateo/I-40 interchange construction, this sign was never mentioned, and the project area did not include any of the Worker’s Memorial Park.
The FHNA made a public records request to the NM Department of Transportation to discover how this happened. It appears that NMDOT violated State and Federal laws, did not publish any public notice, did not solicit public comments, and did not consider other locations or designs. City Parks may have agreed to the sign, also.
Exercise Stations in Workers Memorial Park Lost
The City lost $75,000 appropriated by the 2007 State Legislature for this PAR course project. They allowed the money to sit unused until the 2009 Legislature recalled it.
The FHNA had worked hard on this for over two years.
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