Metropolitan Redevelopment Area - White Rock

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Los Alamos County has designated part of White Rock Town Center as a Metropolitan Redevelopment Area (MRA) to tackle issues like inadequate housing, planning challenges, and aging infrastructure. To address these concerns, the county created the White Rock Town Center Master Plan in 2021. This plan assesses current conditions and provides a vision for transforming the area into a vibrant hub with homes, shops, and offices in three and four-story buildings, along with excellent pedestrian spaces. It also outlines strategies to attract private investment.

Tools and Strategies

The Metropolitan Redevelopment (MR) Plan provides access to various tools to revitalize White Rock, including:

  • Tax abatement

  • Land acquisition or assemblage

  • Financial incentives

These tools aim to address the identified issuse and achieve the goals of the White Rock Town Center Master Plan. The MR Plan complies with the New Mexico Metropolitan Redevelopment Code, which allows cities and counties to address development barriers, often through public-private partnerships. All actions are designed to improve the area and realize the Master Plan's vision.

Moving Forward

The MRA designation in White Rock enables public resources to support private redevelopment projects, sparking new investment. This designation is the first step toward a comprehensive redevelopment plan informed by community input and economic analysis. Next steps include creating a MRA Board that will review potential projects and make recommendations to county council on whether the County will be a partner in a project.

Project Journey

  • Initial Assessment: Los Alamos MainStreet requested a complimentary assessment from New Mexico MainStreet consultants, resulting in the White Rock Designation Report.
  • Community Engagement: Since late 2018, Los Alamos MainStreet has engaged with local businesses and property owners about the benefits of the MRA zone.
  • Master Planning: The County, with consultants Dekker/Perich/Sabatini (DPS), initiated Downtown Master Plans and Development Code Updates for White Rock and Los Alamos.
  • Approval: The final White Rock MRA was approved in October 2022.

Get Involved

For more information, contact 

Additional Resources

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