Increasingly many communities are designed in such a way that residents are living farther from places of work, school and services, fostering an ever-increasing dependence on motor vehicles. Such community design results in increased levels of pollution (including greenhouse gases) associated with higher rates of car travel. 

Land use patterns shape transportation type and performance, predicting required travel for such quality of life issues as raising a family, getting to school, commuting to work, operating a business, participating in community activities and aging in place.

Land use and land use policies will facilitate the entire City development and redevelopment into a viable network of transit-oriented, mixed-use and mixed-density, complete urban centers composed of livable neighborhoods. 

The city’s land-use patterns and policies can be the catalyst for facilitating the process of creating complete, livable neighborhoods that meet the diverse and unique needs of Albuquerque’s rich and varied cultures. Furthermore, local government, residents and businesses can all benefit from the land-use patterns and policies that not only encourage livable neighborhoods but also protect the open spaces and urban forest resources.

Strategies

During the Document Review Phase, team leaders developed broad evaluative criteria to rank strategies by estimated implementation costs, greenhouse gas reductions, timing and feasibility.

Read the Complete, Livable, Neighborhoods section