The Santolina Project Master Plan Review

Bernalillo County commissioners are having public hearings to review the Santolina Master Plan—the largest master plan to date. The debate will have a huge impact on how Albuquerque grows for decades.

About The Santolina Project

Western Albuquerque Land Holdings, together with Albuquerque Public Schools, has requested approval of a Planned Communities Level A Master Plan called the ‘Santolina Master Plan’ for approximately 13,700 acres of undeveloped land in the southwest portion of Bernalillo County. The plan area is generally bounded by I-40 to the north, 118th Street and the escarpment open space to the east, the Pajarito Mesa on the south, and the escarpment area adjacent to the Rio Puerco Valley on the west. Along with access from I-40, the property is can be reached from several existing roadways, including Central Avenue, Dennis Chavez Boulevard, Atrisco Vista Boulevard, and 118th Street.

The Santolina Master Plan, which is contingent upon future demand and market conditions, provides a general framework for development over the next 40-50 years, to include residential villages and village commercial uses, two business parks, a town center, an industrial/business park, and an urban center, along with parks, trails, public open space, educational facilities, roads and utilities. Over time, the applicant proposes that the project will be developed with approximately 38,000 households and provide approximately 75,000 jobs.

The Santolina Master Plan has been under review by Bernalillo County staff and other state and local agencies, with particular attention to its compliance with the Albuquerque/Bernalillo County Comprehensive Plan and the Planned Communities Criteria. 

The Santolina Master Plan Level A is a high-level overview of the zoning, street and infrastructure plan for the proposed planned community. No construction would begin until after two more complex and detailed plans go through the review and approval process.

Pros & Cons

Supporters say that the plan:

  • Ensures smart, orderly development
  • It will make it easier to attract employers to the West-side, making Satolina a “self-sufficient” live-work community.
  • Complies with the “no net cost to Bernalillo County.” Revenue from the development will cover the cost of providing services.
  • Advanced planning allows for orderly sustainable growth over-time rather than helter-skelter development that would occur otherwise.

Opponents are concerned about:

  • The size and distance is too far away from Albuquerque’s core, drawing taxpayer resources from the built-out parts of the city.
  • Strain on the water supply
  • Possible underestimates for the costs of providing services and overestimates of revenue
  • The impact on West Side sand dunes and traffic congestion.

In addition to deciding whether or not to approve or deny the master plan, the county commissioners will also need to consider the conditions it will impose.

The Greater Albuquerque Association of REALTORS® supports the smart, sustainable growth of Greater Albuquerque area and, as such, supports the approval of Santolina Master Plan Level A so the review process of this planned community can contintue to the next phase.

More articles on the Santolina project:

Albuquerque Journal Article: "Hearings on proposed Santolina Master Plan to start"

Albuquerque Journal Article: "Santolina development isn's the threat opponents claim"

Albuquerque Journal Article: "Studies show Santolina is sustainable"

Ways REALTORS® can get more involved: