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In North Albuquerque Acres, AMAFCA and Bernalillo County (and the City of Albuquerque in some locations), are the responsible entities for development review and stormwater management. Platted in the 1920-1930’s and sold as individual lots, the North Albuquerque Acres subdivision sought to preserve the rural nature of the foothills, and the arroyos were left largely in their natural state. To protect homeowners from the identified risk of flooding from these natural arroyos, AMAFCA and Bernalillo County beginning in the early 1990’s required individual property owners to submit Grading and Drainage Plans (G&Ds) for approval on proposed development. In some cases where an arroyo or flowpath was identified, AMAFCA and Bernalillo County required a grant a Drainage Easement to AMAFCA or Bernalillo County to preserve the conveyance of stormwater through each lot.
As development has increased in the area, a growing number of drainage issues have been identified by the agencies. These issues include unpermitted encroachments (perimeter walls/fences, driveway culverts, increased impervious areas) into existing drainage easements and sale of homes to owners who may not be aware of existing easements or drainage requirements. Because of the growing concern by the agencies of these issues and of potential changes in flood risk in the area, AMAFCA and Bernalillo County have begun conducting survey and hydraulic analyses of the arroyos in North Albuquerque Acres. This includes identification of violations of approved G&Ds and encroachments and assessments in the potential change in flood risk.
Below is a timeline for work conducted by AMAFCA regarding North Albuquerque Acres (NAA) since 2017. The timeline is separated into four categories of work, and individual entries in the timeline are abbreviated with a corresponding key and description below the timeline.
| AMAFCA Board of Directors Action/Informational Presentation on NAA | Other Relevant Presentations/Policies | North Domingo Baca Tributary Work | La Cueva Arroyo Work | ||
| 2017 | Sept | AB1 | |||
| Oct | AB2 | ||||
| Nov | AB3 | ||||
| Dec | |||||
| 2018 | Jan | AB4 | |||
| Feb | AB5 | ||||
| Mar | |||||
| Apr | AB6 | ||||
| May | AB7 | ||||
| Jun | AB8 | ||||
| Jul | |||||
| Aug | |||||
| Sept | AB9 | LCA1 | |||
| Oct | AB10 | LCA2 | |||
| Nov | |||||
| Dec | |||||
| 2019 | Jan | AB11 | |||
| Feb | AB12 | LCA3 | |||
| Mar | NDB1 | ||||
| Apr | AB13 | RP1 | NDB2, NDB3 | ||
| May | AB14 | NDB4, NDB5 | |||
| Jun | NDB6 | ||||
| Jul | |||||
| Aug | |||||
| Sept | AB15 | RP2 | |||
| Oct | NDB7, NDB8 | ||||
| Nov | NDB9, NDB10, NDB11, NDB12 | ||||
| Dec | AB16 | NDB13, NDB14 | |||
| 2020 | Jan | AB17 | RP3 | NDB15, NDB16, NDB17, NDB18, NDB19 | |
| Feb | AB18 | RP4 | |||
| Mar | AB19 | ||||
| Apr | AB20 | ||||
| May | RP5 | ||||
| Jun | |||||
| Jul | RP6 | ||||
| Aug | NDB20, NDB21 | ||||
| Sept | NDB22 | ||||
| Oct | AB21 | ||||
| Nov | AB22 | NDB23, NDB24 | |||
| Dec | AB23 | NDB25 | |||
| 2021 | Jan | AB24 | |||
| Feb | AB25 | RP7 | NDB26 | ||
| Mar | RP8 | ||||
| Apr | |||||
| May | AB26 | NDB27 | |||
| Jun | AB27 | NDB28 | |||
| Jul | RP9 | ||||
| Aug | NDB29 | LCA4 | |||
| Sept | LCA5 | ||||
| Oct | |||||
| Nov | |||||
| Dec | |||||
AMAFCA Board of Directors Action/Informational Presentation on North Albuquerque Acres
AB1 Board Presentation re: NAA Development. Discussion included new property owners with no easement knowledge, increased pressure on floodplain lots, and redevelopment of existing lots
AB2 Board Presentation re: NAA Easement/Quitclaim (QC). Discussion included requirements for AMAFCA easement and staff response to Board inquiries about potential drainage concerns in area
AB3 Board Presentation re: NAA QC. Discussion included requirements for AMAFCA easement and staff response to Board inquiries about potential drainage concerns in area
AB4 Board Presentation re: NAA Easements. Discussion included requirements for AMAFCA easement and staff response to Board inquiries about potential drainage concerns in area
AB5 Board Presentation re: NAA Easements. Discussion included requirements for AMAFCA easement and staff response to Board inquiries about potential drainage concerns in area
AB6 Board Presentation re: NAA Easement/QC. Discussion included requirements for AMAFCA easement and staff response to Board inquiries about potential drainage concerns in area
AB7 Board Presentation re: NAA Easement. Discussion included requirements for AMAFCA easement and staff response to Board inquiries about potential drainage concerns in area
AB8 Board Presentation re: NAA Easements. Discussion included requirements for AMAFCA easement and staff response to Board inquiries about potential drainage concerns in area
AB9 Board Presentation re: NAA Easements. Discussion included requirements for AMAFCA easement and staff response to Board inquiries about potential drainage concerns in area
AB10 Board Presentation re: NAA Easement. Discussion included requirements for AMAFCA easement and staff response to Board inquiries about potential drainage concerns in area
AB11 Board Presentation re: NAA Easement/QC. Discussion included requirements for AMAFCA easement and modifications to existing AMAFCA easements due to development
AB12 Board Presentation re: NAA Easements/QCs. Discussion included requirements for AMAFCA easement and modifications to existing AMAFCA easements due to development
AB13 Board Presentation re: NAA Easement. Discussion included requirements for AMAFCA easement and FEMA FP Mapping and staff response to Board inquiries about potential drainage concerns in area
AB14 Board Presentation re: NAA Easement/QC. Discussion included requirements for AMAFCA easement and modifications to existing AMAFCA easements due to development
AB15 Board Presentation re: NAA Development. Discussion included increased pressure on floodplain lots, lack of AMAFCA enforcement ability, and increasing number of redevelopment of existing lots
AB16 Follow up Board Presentation re: NAA Development. Discussion included increased pressure on floodplain lots, lack of AMAFCA enforcement ability, increasing number of redevelopment of existing lots, and need to identify AMAFCA easements
AB17 Board Presentation re: NAA Easement. Discussion included requirements for AMAFCA easement and FEMA floodplain Mapping; Follow up Board Presentation re: NAA Development. Discussion included increased pressure on floodplain lots, lack of AMAFCA enforcement ability, increasing number of redevelopment of existing lots, and need to identify AMAFCA easements and flowpaths of AMAFCA drainage
AB18 Board Presentation re: NAA Easement. Discussion included requirements for AMAFCA easement and FEMA floodplain Mapping; Follow up Board Presentation re: NAA Development. Discussion included increased pressure on floodplain lots, lack of AMAFCA enforcement ability, increasing number of redevelopment of existing lots, and identification of AMAFCA easements and flowpaths of AMAFCA drainage
AB19 Board Presentation re: NAA Easements
AB20 Board Presentation re: NAA Easements
AB21 AMAFCA staff updates the AMAFCA Board of Directors of the concerns regarding a potential change in flood risk in the NDB area; AMAFCA Board of Directors directs staff to pursue an agreement with Bernalillo County for the area
AB22 Board Presentation re: Bernalillo County Cost Share
AB23 AMAFCA staff updates the AMAFCA Board of Directors of the concerns regarding a potential change in flood risk in the NDB area; AMAFCA Board of Directors approve agreement with Bernalillo County for the area
AB24 Board Presentation re: NAA Easement
AB25 AMAFCA staff updates the AMAFCA Board of Directors of the concerns regarding a potential change in flood risk in the area and ongoing survey & hydraulic analysis
AB26 AMAFCA staff updates the AMAFCA Board of Directors of the concerns regarding a potential change in flood risk in the area and ongoing survey & hydraulic analysis
AB27 Board Presentation re: NAA Easements/QC. Discussion included specific example of encroachment into AMAFCA easement and flowpath that required remedy
Other Relevant Presentations/Policies
RP1 Association of State Floodplain Management/New Mexico Floodplain Managers Association Arid Regions Conference – Presentation by AMAFCA Staff
RP2 American Public Works Association New Mexico Chapter Fall Conference – Presentation by AMAFCA Staff
RP3 AMAFCA Staff presentation to Board re: update to existing AMAFCA Drainage Policy to bring up to current standard of practice
RP4 AMAFCA Staff follow-up presentation to Board re: update to existing AMAFCA Drainage Policy to bring up to current standard of practice
RP5 AMAFCA Staff follow-up presentation to Board re: draft of new AMAFCA Drainage Policy to bring up to current standard of practice
RP6 Drainage Policy is put out for public comment; AMAFCA Board approves new Drainage Policy by Resolution 2020-11
RP7 AMAFCA Staff presentation to Board re: proposal for Agency & Area-wide Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Floodplain Removal Partnership
RP8 AMAFCA Staff follow-up presentation to Board re: draft Agency & Area-wide FEMA Floodplain Removal Partnership
RP9 AMAFCA Staff follow-up presentation to Board re: draft Agency & Area-wide FEMA Floodplain Removal Partnership
North Domingo Baca (NDB) Tributary Work
NDB1 AMAFCA received paper copy of G&D off of Signal Ave. for review
NDB2 AMAFCA sent comments on G&D off of Signal Ave. via email
NDB3 AMAFCA received paper copy of additional hydraulic analysis for proposed G&D off of Signal Ave.
NDB4 AMAFCA sent comments on G&D off of Signal Ave. & additional hydraulic analysis via email
NDB5 AMAFCA sent Bernalillo County signed Approval Sheet for G&D off of Signal Ave. & additional hydraulic analysis via email
NDB6 AMAFCA notified by Owner’s Agent of second look at site
NDB7 AMAFCA received paper copy of G&D off of Signal Ave. with modification for review
NDB8 AMAFCA notified Bernalillo County that AMAFCA would not approve the G&D off of Signal Ave. with modification via email
NDB9 AMAFCA sent comments on G&D off of Signal Ave. with modification to Owner’s Engineer via email
NDB10 AMAFCA sent comments on G&D off of Signal Ave. with modification to Owner’s Engineer via email
NDB11 AMAFCA and Bernalillo County had an in-person meeting with Owner’s Engineer to discuss G&D off of Signal Ave. with modification
NDB12 AMAFCA issued notification to Owner’s Engineer & Agent that AMAFCA would not approve the G&D off of Signal Ave. with modification via email
NDB13 AMAFCA notified Bernalillo County that AMAFCA had not received the Grant of Drainage Easement documentation for the approved G&D & additional hydraulic analysis (no modification), and Bernalillo County shall not release the Certificate of Occupancy
NDB14 AMAFCA and Bernalillo County had an in-person meeting with Owner’s Engineer & Agent to discuss Grant of Drainage Easement and temporary Certificate of Occupancy; AMAFCA delivered digital Grant of Easement documents to Owner’s Engineer for owner signature via email; AMAFCA received signed and notarized documents and required fee for Grant of Drainage Easement documents and notified Bernalillo County that the owner had met the requirements for release of temporary Certificate of Occupancy
NDB15 AMAFCA received paper copy of G&D off of Signal Ave. with modification for review Owner’s Engineer
NDB16 AMAFCA Board of Directors Accepts the Grant of Easement
NDB17 Grant of Easement document is recorded with the Bernalillo County Clerk.
NDB18 AMAFCA staff conducts site inspection off of Signal Ave.
NDB19 AMAFCA notifies Bernalillo County via letter and via email of potential violations
NDB20 AMAFCA notifies the property owners between Signal and Wilshire via letter that an AMAFCA contracted surveyor will be conducting a field and topographic survey of the subject area
NDB21 AMAFCA issues Notice to Proceed to Surveyor
NDB22 AMAFCA receives the topographic information from the surveyor for Signal Ave.; AMAFCA issues Notice to Proceed to Hydraulic Engineer for Signal Ave.
NDB23 AMAFCA notifies property owners in the North Domingo Baca Tributary Arroyo Watersheds that an AMAFCA contracted surveyor will be conducting a field and topographic survey
NDB24 AMAFCA issues Notice to Proceed to Surveyor for additional survey information in the North Domingo Baca Tributary Arroyo Watersheds
NDB25 AMAFCA begins notifying property owners off of Signal Ave. via letter that encroachments into the AMAFCA Drainage Easement have been identified and that the encroachments must be removed and arroyo restored to the approved G&D or permitted
NDB26 AMAFCA receives the topographic information from the surveyor for the North Domingo Baca Tributary Arroyo Watersheds; AMAFCA provides final topo to Hydraulic Engineer; AMAFCA issues NTP to hydraulic engineers for hydraulic analysis
NDB27 AMAFCA begins notifying property owners in the North Domingo Baca Tributary Arroyo Watersheds via letter that encroachments into the AMAFCA Drainage Easement have been identified and that the encroachments must be removed and arroyo restored to the approved G&D or permitted
NDB28 AMAFCA sends 2nd notification to property owners in the North Domingo Baca Tributary Arroyo Watersheds via certified letter who did not respond to first letter; AMAFCA receives final hydraulic analysis for Existing Conditions in the North Domingo Baca Tributary Arroyo Watersheds
NDB29 Responded to Owner’s Engineer with requirements for consideration of the G&D off of Signal Ave. with modification
La Cueva Arroyo Work
LCA1 Development request along the La Cueva Arroyo initiates discussion on development and flood risk between AMAFCA and Bernalillo County
LCA2 Bernalillo County proposed joint funding agreement with AMAFCA for La Cueva Facility Plan
LCA3 Board Presentation on Feasibility Scope of La Cueva Facility Plan
LCA4 Board Presentation re: La Cueva Arroyo. Discussion included following on to work in the NDB Watershed and similar cost share with Bernalillo County
LCA5 Board Presentation re: La Cueva Arroyo. Discussion included following on to work in the NDB Watershed and Board Approved cost share with Bernalillo County
Download Information
The information described above is available for download here (~140mb).