Albuquerque's Environmental Story

Which of the problems listed should be given the highest priority?

Are any of these problems currently being addressed? If so, by whom?

What solutions can you suggest for these problems? Who should initiate these solutions?

Select one problem for further study and for student action. After obtaining as much information as possible about the problem, develop your own proposals for solutions. Bring these proposals to the attentions of neighborhood leaders, other members of the community, and, subsequently, to the appropriate agencies.

Compile the research into short biographical sketches.

Write stories or plays about the lives of these people in early Albuquerque.

Locate and map the community's historical sites associated with the pioneers studied.

Transplant one of the early pioneers to today. Conduct a simulated radio interview with this person. Discuss how he or she might feel about the changes in the neighborhood.

Identity areas that are poorly planned or poorly zoned.

Replan your neighborhood into the ideal.

Would you change the population density?

Would the environmental quality be improved? How?

Would human services be improved by your planning changes? Explain

Would there be a change in public facilities (e.g., parks, libraries)?

Would there be more or less business activity in the community?

Would the economy of the community be effected? Strengthened? Weakened? how?

If I could change just one thing in this community it would be...

The single greatest problem this community has is...

If I had $10 million to spend on this community, I would...

The single best thing in this community is...

The people in this community make me proud because...

In the future, this community...

Did any national events have any direct or indirect effects on the development of your neighborhood?

Do any of the original houses or businesses still occupy their original sites?

What caused the original structure to be replaced? Were there zoning changes? Did some businesses fail or move to new, more profitable sites?

Are there any open spaces left on the block? Are there any plans for these spaces?

How has the value of the property changed?

Degree to which the community's development has adhered to Albuquerque's Comprehensive Plan

Adequate open space in the community

Adequate parks

Traffic congestion

Commercial areas separate from residential areas

Population density

Water quality

Degree of citizens' involvement in community affairs

Responsiveness of elected officials to citizens

Friendliness of residents to each other

Quality of community shared activities

Relationship between the elderly and the younger generation

Amount of space allowed young people

The schools

Crime

What location (undeveloped land) would you choose? Why?

What environmental factors must be considered? What impact will the new community have on the natural environment and all the services needed to maintain the new community?

What population factors need to be considered? Will this community have school age children? Where will schools be located? What facilities for the elderly will it have?

Construct a model of the community.

How do you determine the boundaries of your neighborhood?

What public or private facilities help to give a sense of neighborhood?

What, if any, physical features help to define the neighborhood?

What commonalties are found in the architecture?

What similarities exist among people of the community?

What subjective factors contribute to a feeling of community? To an absence of such a feeling?

Is there a neighborhood association? If there is, what is its focus?

How do you feel about your neighborhood?

Why were Pueblo and Territorial styles used?

Why is the architecture in Huning highland so different from Old Town and Martineztown?

To what extent has the Pueblo or Territorial style influenced architecture in other parts of the city?

Discuss the types of diversity which exist in Albuquerque Bernalillo County.

Does diversity enrich a community? If so, how does it compare to the importance of diversity in a natural community? How can a growing community contribute to increased diversity?

What conditions in our rapidly growing city and county might lead toward increased homogeneity? (Look alike housing, look alike shopping centers, expedient commercial buildings, etc.). What are the economic or social reasons for this look alike syndrome?

Should neighborhoods be defined by self organization, or should the city serve as a catalyst in determining how many there should be and where they should be located?

When neighborhood identity is not clearly established through tradition or because a feeling of community has developed for other reasons, how can neighbors be defined?

What role should the private sector and the Albuquerque Board of Realtors play in neighborhood revitalization?

What guidelines will be necessary to ensure that neighborhoods, in determining their own specific goals, select projects which are compatible with citywide needs and objectives?

What are the ways for neighborhood associations to provide community input?

Why has Albuquerque followed a course of annexation of surrounding land?

What are the pros and cons of annexation?

What is the current status of the city county consolidation concept?

Which sub areas of the county were settled first? Which were most recently developed? Which are growing most rapidly?

Which areas of the city and county have the highest population?

Which areas have the greatest potential for growth?

Using a map or Planning Department figures to determine geographical size, which area is the most densely populated? Which is the least dense?