COUNTY NEWS RELEASE
Los Alamos County’s Community Development Department (CDD) will hold three meetings to present the draft Metropolitan Redevelopment Area (MRA) Plan to redevelop three locations in White Rock to stimulate economic and community development. The three properties include the area adjacent to the Del Norte Credit Union, the Longview neighborhood, and the vacant McDonalds/Time Out Pizzeria.
According to CDD Project Manager Sobia Sayeda, the first meeting will be virtual and held on Wednesday, July 20 at 12:30 p.m. CDD staff and its consultant Site Southwest will present the draft Plan to the MRA steering committee. While the public may join the meeting via Zoom at https://us06web.zoom.us/j/89242243802 there will not be an opportunity for public comment.
Sayeda explains that a second meeting, specifically scheduled to solicit community feedback, will be an in-person, open house held on Wednesday, Aug. 17 at 5:30 p.m. at the White Rock Library Multi-Purpose Room, 10 Sherwood Blvd, White Rock. She invites locals to drop in between 5:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. to view the proposed redevelopment plans, ask questions of staff and the consultant and provide input.
Lastly, the Tuesday, Sept. 20 Council meeting will be the third opportunity for the community to view the draft Plan and provide input during the public comment section of the meeting. Held in Council Chambers, 1000 Central Ave, Los Alamos at 6 p.m., Sayeda says that staff will present to councilors the draft Plan, with public comments from the open house.
The draft MRA Plan is part of a multi-year effort that the County has undertaken to define the community’s vision for the White Rock downtown. Supporting the adopted 2016 Comprehensive Plan and the 2021 White Rock Town Center Master Plan, it identifies priority projects and programs to create a redevelopment implementation plan to revitalize the area. “An adopted MRA Plan allows the County to utilize public resources for private redevelopment projects without violating the anti-donation clause,” Sayeda said, adding that these projects may also be eligible for specific grant opportunities. For more information, visit the White Rock MRA Plan webpage or send an email to Sayeda at Sobia.Sayeda@lacnm.us.