BY LWV OBSERVER CORPS

Editor’s note: Members of the League of Woman Voters of Los Alamos Observer Corps have been providing LWV members with reports on certain meetings in the County for many years. These reports have been included in the LWV’s monthly newsletter and now, at the invitation of the Los Alamos Reporter, will also be submitted to the Reporter for publication. The video of the full meeting may be seen at https://losalamos.granicus.com/player/clip/4676?view_id=2&redirect=true

Commissioners present: Karen Easton (Chair), Rachel Adler, Marlon Brown, Katherine Bruell, Robert Chrien, David Hampton, Stephanie Nakhleh, Ronald Nelson, and Rebecca White. 

Coyote Mesa Development

The Commission voted unanimously (9–0) to adopt the site plan for the Coyote Mesa Neighborhood development located at 125 DP Road, which was a County-owned parcel known as Tract A-8-A. 

Site Plan Features

Lindsay Newman of Norris Design presented the proposal on behalf of the property owner, Servitas. 

Newman said the proposed development is intended to create an open, walkable neighborhood within less than a mile of Main Street, with trail connections supporting multimodal access and outdoor recreation.

The project will deliver 380 deed-restricted affordable housing units across a mix of building types. Plans include a four-story, 45-foot wrap-style multifamily building with 237 units and an internal four-story, 480-space parking structure; ten two- to three-story garden flat buildings with 131 units; and three two-story townhome buildings totaling 12 units.

In addition to housing, the development features a 6,200-square-foot community building, a fenced dog park, and other neighborhood amenities. The plan also incorporates an extension of the Canyon Rim Trail, along with a nature trail through the northern canyon connecting DP Road to an overlook and gathering space at the eastern edge of the site.

The project supports County housing goals by providing workforce housing for households earning between 60 and 120 percent of Area Median Income (AMI). It will be delivered through a public-private partnership between Los Alamos County and Servitas.

Public Input

Newman said a neighborhood meeting was held in early February with approximately 25 attendees, including nearby residents, Los Alamos National Laboratory employees as potential tenants, and local business owners along DP Road. Outreach emphasized that the development would not require road closures or disrupt existing businesses.

Community feedback focused on preserving eastern views, ensuring strong pedestrian connectivity, addressing parking concerns—particularly in relation to The Bluffs—and understanding the construction timeline. Newman noted that the project is designed to provide ample parking and shared amenities that will also be accessible to neighboring residents, fostering interaction between communities.