Be sure to pay your 2025 Membership Dues Today!
Welcome to The North Albuquerque Acres Community Association
NAACA: 11003 Anaheim Ave. NE Alb., NM 87122
Be sure to pay your 2025 Membership Dues Today!
NAACA: 11003 Anaheim Ave. NE Alb., NM 87122
The Mission of the NAACA is to serve North Albuquerque Acres residents by working to preserve and enhance the unique, low density, rural lifestyle of the NAA community.
The NAACA is run by NAA volunteers. We are always looking for more neighbors to help us protect our sector plan /zoning and enhance the quality of life in our community. Suggestions are always welcome!
Hello NAA Neighbors and Property Owners,
Please note, our Newsletter will be on hiatus…instead, we encourage our membership to continue checking our website for the latest community information/news and events as we make the effort to keep it current.
Speaking of current, please be sure to pay your 2025 membership dues! The $25 is easily paid securely online via our website, or we still accept checks. We communicate solely via email and e-marketing; soon, only our current members will receive our direct e-communication! Don’t be left out!
At our last community meeting on 4/23/25, our two neighborhood Electrical/Energy Engineers, Jack Cadogan and David Baughman, presented their researched PNM information showing 2 of the 3 substations that serve NAA and surrounding neighborhoods are exceeding current capacity. This has been validated by a national electrical consultant firm (and our own neighborhood electrical engineers). To keep from having brown outs or (worse) blackouts, another substation is inevitably needed to serve in our area. Because of the technical way distribution lines work, a NAA location is ideally efficient.
After an extensive review and weighting of numerous possible locations, 4 one acre lots were chosen by PNM as the proposed site for the 2.5-acre Electrical substation: Site 9, directly west of the fire station along the Paseo Del Norte Frontage Road/Sandia Vista Equestrian Park Road. This location is zoned SDRO and was the least intrusive location within NAA and provides a good location to feed into feeder lines going into the neighborhood.
Since that meeting, Jack, Dave and I have had numerous meetings with PNM. The results of those meetings include the following:
· We requested that the transmission lines are to run Eastward Paseo del Norte and Southward along State highway 556-Tramway to tie in at San Antonio. This will prevent the transmission lines/towers from running close to churches, preschools, and day care centers, which they would (for example) if the transmission lines were to run Westward Paseo Del Norte and Southward Eubank. DOT has agreed to this transmission-line-direction-caveat, and PNM has verified it.
· We request the electrical substation A-frame (which will stand approximately 65 feet above ground), potentially be eliminated by running the high voltage cable drops from the new transmission tower on PDN into the substation by buried cable instead of overhead conductors. If this extra cost is found to be an impact, it would need to be paid as an assessment to the neighborhood at large, (or at least explore other options of lowering the A-frame height). PNM is reviewing this.
· We request that no cell tower is sublet and installed at this electrical substation. PNM is reviewing this.
We discussed getting feedback from neighbors who live on the north side of San Bernardino regarding landscaping and how to make the proposed substation look more aesthetic. A meeting is planned for 6/4/25 and those neighbors have been notified.
PNM plans to file with the County for an “exception” to our SDRO zoning for an electrical substation in late June 2025. The exception will be site specific and not affect our existing Sector Plan. Our Sector Plan will require two levels of approval: first, the Planning Commission will have to recommend/approve the “special use” permit, then the County Commission will have to review and vote on the approval. The hearings will not begin until August 2025. If approved, it will take approximately 2 years to build the substation.
I will keep you posted as we continue to move through this process with PNM and the county. If you have questions, please email me at president@naaca.info.
Take Care,
David Neale President, NAACA
Dear NAA Neighbors and Property Owners,
Wednesday (April 23, 2025), we held a meeting for our NAA neighbors to update our community on the PNM-proposed NAA substation. We had about 100 of our neighbors attend including State Senator-Nicole Tobiassen. Last fall, when we first learned about PNM re-visiting placement of a substation in NAA, our Board Directed Independent Volunteer Community Advising Team of fellow NAA neighbors: Jack Cadogan, (Professional Engineer with 30+ years of experience in electrical power generation and distribution), and David Baughman, (MSEE with 30+ years of experience in complex systems definition, development, test and evaluation) and myself have been busy exchanging email, attending meetings with PNM, and doing research. Our Advising Engineering Team acted as conduit for technical communications between PNM and NAACA. They performed independent technical reviews of: PNM’s justification for a NAA substation, ensured all alternatives were considered, reviewed PNM’s site selection process to ensure fairness and reasonability.
The information obtained from PNM was presented in a PowerPoint presentation to our neighbors and is now available to view on our website (click link below).
To date, PNM is favoring site 9 in NAA which is located south of the Paseo Del Norte along the frontage road and west of the Bernalillo County fire station. The nearest home (A1 zoned) to this site is 600 feet away. PNM states they will include 4 acres for their 2.25-acre substation “footprint” in an application to the County for a SUP “special use permit” around June 2025. These lots are SDRO and are zoned for: limited commercial: e.g. office, institutional, clinic, or residential. Our NAA sector Plan is at the highest tier and protects our unique rural characteristic by requiring any SUP to be first reviewed by the BernCo Planning Committee and then, their recommendation is heard and approved/denied by the BernCo Board of Commissioners on a case-by-case basis (since they are “site-specific”).
There is a CAVEAT for this substation (for NAACA to not oppose PNM): the NAACA requires PNM to run the transmission lines down State Highway 556-Tramway and not Eubank. For transparency purposes, we have requested to review their application before submission.
Jack, Dave and I will be meeting with PNM again in early May to provide a list of requests provided by our neighbors (from the community meeting) regarding the substation and finding out the results of the meeting between PNM and DOT regarding transmission lines down State Highway 556-Tramway. We will update our website as additional information becomes available.
If you have any questions, please email me. President@NAACA.info
Take Care,
David Neale President, NAACA
Dear NAA Neighbors and Property Owners,
Our Community is anxiously awaiting any news regarding PNM's pursuit of a NAA substation. Our NAACA Board and Neighborhood Engineering Advisors have not stopped working to gain information from PNM and sharing with our community.
The NAACA Board and our Neighborhood Engineering Advisors , invite our membership to attend an important meeting 4/23/25 at the Sandia Presbyterian Church, in the Main Sanctuary at 6pm regarding updated information concerning the PNM NAA substation. Our neighborhood engineers will provide a PowerPoint presentation including site preference, load/peak demands, substations, and transmission lines. There will be time for question and answers following their presentation. The NAACA Board will then provide its recommendation.
Note: PNM will not be attending this informational meeting.
I hope to see you then.
Best Regards,
David Neale, President NAACA
Dear NAA Neighbors and Property Owners,
Response from PNM has taken over five weeks.
Below (Latest News) are the compiled questions we submitted to PNM from our December 2024 Community meeting and from our neighborhood engineers with (in blue) PNM’s cursory and non-answers.
We will keep you updated to the next actions PNM takes regarding location of the substation and if they request an exception to A-1 or SDRO zoning in NAA.
Best Regards,
David Neale, President NAACA
Dear NAA Neighbors and Property Owners,
Hello!
It’s been a long time since our 11/20/24 neighborhood meeting regarding PNM’s proposed substation in North Albuquerque Acres. Our Association submitted questions from our neighborhood meeting on 12/9/24 and questions from our neighborhood engineers on 12/18/24 to PNM. Both sets of questions were acknowledged and we were told to expect response by 1/6/25. To date, PNM has not responded to any of the questions. I have sent two emails to Mr. Sherrick Roanhorse at PNM on 1/6/25 and on 1/20/25 requesting a date when they will give us answers, but he responds to the delay by asking for more time without commitment to a set date. I have spoken with our Association's Attorney for legal advice on any leverage to attain answer to these questions by a specific date and unfortunately there is none. We will have to remain patient but vigilant. As far as vigilant is concern, I have sent a “request for information” to the County asking if there has been any documentation regarding PNM requesting any exception to A-1 and SDRO zoning in NAA by PNM during the last 2 months. As neighbors, you can be vigilant and help out by sending an email to Sherrick Roanhorse, Senior Government Affairs Manager PNM at Sherrick.roanhorse@pnmresources.com and ask him when will we get answers to our Community questions?
To keep this process moving forward and act in good faith, PNM needs to provide a timely response. As soon as we receive answers from PNM, I will inform our neighbors, and we will outline our next action steps. Thank you for your patience. Take care.
Best Regards,
David Neale, President NAACA
Dear NAA Neighbors and Property Owners,
After our community meeting with PNM (12/3/24), we have learned PNM is in the "information gathering" phase of the NAA Substation Project. PNM stated they have not yet selected a lot in NAA. PNM’s next step is to start reviewing, weighing and scoring possible build sites to come up with a preferred site. From the meeting with PNM, our neighborhood engineers as well as our neighbors who attended the meeting have generated questions that have been submitted to PNM for their response. NAACA Board members and neighbors are skeptical regarding PNM stating NAA is where the load problem is. NAACA did present alternatives recommending PNM upgrade and expand their existing substations and consider two additional possible build sites outside of NAA. Once we receive PNM’s response, we will post them on our website. I informed PNM we want to work with them to help them achieve their energy goals but NAACA will protect our Sector Plan and our A-1 zoning.
Clink link for meeting minutes.
Regards,
David Neale, President
Dear Neighbors and Property Owners,
PNM has agreed to come to a NAA Community Association meeting and answer questions about the proposed substation in our NAA neighborhood. It is short notice, but we are working out the details. Please join us Tuesday, December 3 @ 6pm - Sandia Presbyterian Church: Sunrise Chapel.
See "Events" for details.
North Albuquerque Acres Community Association (NAACA) is a 501-(c) (4) non-profit. All Board Members are volunteers. NAACA is not an HOA. We do not have rules and we do not demand dues payment but we do follow Bernalillo County ordinances. We have no enforcement or monetary fining authority. Our main goals are to protect our rural lifestyle, our tier 3 Sector Plan and our A-1 zoning. Our neighborhood is located in the Unincorporated County of Bernalillo. Our North Albuquerque Acres (NAA) neighborhood boundary lines on the north side are Elena Dr., on the east side Tennyson St., on the southeast corner are San Antonio Dr. where it then zig-zags to the northeast corner of Louisiana Blvd. where it meets Elena Dr. (A copy of the NAA County map is listed on our website at NAACA. info) Often times our neighbors are not clear regarding the NAA boundary lines and claim to live in NAA but they live in the city.
We ask that our NAA Community join us in protecting our sector plan.
I hope to see you at the NAACA-PNM Substation Meeting 12/3 @ 6pm: Sandia Presbyterian Church!
Regards,
David Neale, President
Dear NAA neighbors and Property Owners,
PNM has sent out notification postcards, and mass phone campaigns (we want to make sure our membership is aware) of the upcoming PNM Open House where residents can learn more about a proposed new substation.
**Click button below for map of proposed substation sites.
Saturday, November 16, 1000AM-1200PM, Holiday Park Community Center, 11710 Comanche NE, ABQ, NM 87111
and
Tuesday, November 19, 600PM- 800PM, CNM Workforce Training Center, 5600 Eagle Rock Ave. NE, ABQ,NM 87113
I urge you to attend at least one of these PNM Open Houses to get informed and involved.
**We have access to a venue (and dates) and have requested PNM to come to a meeting inside NAA with the ability to have our specific questions answered. We await their response.
This is the same issue we fought PNM on 3 years ago when PNM wanted to place a substation in NAA on a SDRO zoned lot; that would violate our zoning and Sector Plan. We will need all of our neighbors help, support and assistance, once again.
***Opinion and Order (below)
***Decision from BernCo Commission (below)
***Letter from State Rep. Bill Rehm (below)
Keep checking our website under "Latest News" for the latest updates to this issue.
Most importantly, please attend the upcoming NAACA Annual Meeting on 11/20/24 at 600PM at Sandia Presbyterian Church, 10704 Paseo del Norte.
I look forward to seeing you at the Annual Meeting!
David Neale, President
Why your NAACA membership is so important:● You are part of our large Community Association. There is strength in numbers when we need to protect our Sector Plan.● The NAACA Board researches issues affecting our community such as: Sector Plan Protection, Zoning, Drainage issues (AMAFCA), Road Conditions.● NAACA works closely with City, County and State offices and officials when necessary to protect our neighborhood and our neighbors. We represent our members before our elected representatives such as: during hearings at the Bernalillo County Commission, Zoning and Planning, etc.● Outreach keeps our community environmentally cohesive and safe such as: petitioning government for Capital improvement funds for roads and infrastructure.● NAACA keeps neighbors informed such as: new construction, changes etc.● NAACA sponsors community engaging events such as: Spring Clean-up, and soon a pancake feed or ice cream social (Covid allowing).Annual dues is still only $25 for NAACA membership. Along with the benefits mentioned above, you receive our bi-annual newsletters.
June 2, 2025
After an extensive review and weighting of numerous possible locations, 4 one acre lots were chosen by PNM as the proposed site for the 2.5-acre Electrical substation: Site 9, directly west of the fire station along the Paseo Del Norte Frontage Road/Sandia Vista Equestrian Park Road. This location is zoned SDRO and was the least intrusive location within NAA and provides a good location to feed into feeder lines going into the neighborhood.
Since that meeting, Jack, Dave and I have had numerous meetings with PNM. The results of those meetings include the following:
· We requested that the transmission lines are to run Eastward Paseo del Norte and Southward along State highway 556-Tramway to tie in at San Antonio. This will prevent the transmission lines/towers from running close to churches, preschools, and day care centers, which they would (for example) if the transmission lines were to run Westward Paseo Del Norte and Southward Eubank. DOT has agreed to this transmission-line-direction-caveat, and PNM has verified it.
· We request the electrical substation A-frame (which will stand approximately 65 feet above ground), potentially be eliminated by running the high voltage cable drops from the new transmission tower on PDN into the substation by buried cable instead of overhead conductors. If this extra cost is found to be an impact, it would need to be paid as an assessment to the neighborhood at large, (or at least explore other options of lowering the A-frame height). PNM is reviewing this.
· We request that no cell tower is sublet and installed at this electrical substation. PNM is reviewing this.
We discussed getting feedback from neighbors who live on the north side of San Bernardino regarding landscaping and how to make the proposed substation look more aesthetic. A meeting is planned for 6/4/25 and those neighbors have been notified.
PNM plans to file with the County for an “exception” to our SDRO zoning for an electrical substation in late June 2025. The exception will be site specific and not affect our existing Sector Plan. Our Sector Plan will require two levels of approval: first, the Planning Commission will have to recommend/approve the “special use” permit, then the County Commission will have to review and vote on the approval. The hearings will not begin until August 2025. If approved, it will take approximately 2 years to build the substation.
April 23, 2025
Wednesday (April 23, 2025), we held a meeting for our NAA neighbors to update our community on the PNM-proposed NAA substation. We had about 100 of our neighbors attend including State Senator-Nicole Tobiassen. Last fall, when we first learned about PNM re-visiting placement of a substation in NAA, our Board Directed Independent Volunteer Community Advising Team of fellow NAA neighbors: Jack Cadogan, (Professional Engineer with 30+ years of experience in electrical power generation and distribution), and David Baughman, (MSEE with 30+ years of experience in complex systems definition, development, test and evaluation) and myself have been busy exchanging email, attending meetings with PNM, and doing research. Our Advising Engineering Team acted as conduit for technical communications between PNM and NAACA. They performed independent technical reviews of: PNM’s justification for a NAA substation, ensured all alternatives were considered, reviewed PNM’s site selection process to ensure fairness and reasonability.
The information obtained from PNM was presented in a PowerPoint presentation to our neighbors and is now available to view on our website (Under Resources/Information or click link above in latest "President's Message").
April 11, 2025
The NAACA Board and our Neighborhood Engineering Advisors , invite our membership to attend an important meeting 4/23/25 at the Sandia Presbyterian Church, in the Main Sanctuary at 6pm regarding updated information concerning the PNM-NAA substation. Our neighborhood engineers will provide a PowerPoint presentation including site preference, load/peak demands, substations, and transmission lines. There will be time for question and answers following their presentation. The NAACA Board will then provide its recommendation. Note: PNM will not be attending this informational meeting.
February 15, 2025
After waiting for these answers for 5+ weeks, we are disappointed in PNM’s short, cursory responses to our engineers’ and community's questions. PNM never answered any of the questions... stating “you will have input through the County Commission process” or “see the study in the County application”. We we had asked for transparency, clarity and an opportunity of cooperation in working with our community and Neighborhood Association.
Click the links below to PNM's Responses to
our Community Engineers' Questions and to the Community's Questions
**Please Note: Legal Fund Contribution Link Below
December 9, 2024
A NAACA-PNM Meeting was held 12/3 and our NAA Community Engineering Advisors were able to ask many technical questions for PNM's Engineers and their Site-consultant to answer. This has raised more questions/comments from our Advisors and Attendees that we will be submitting to PNM. PNM also states they are updating their website to answer questions as well. https://www.pnm.com/naa
We intend to keep communications open.
Please Click button under "President's Message" or visit our "Resources" page for the Meeting Minutes.
December 3, 2024
PNM has agreed to a NAA community meeting.
The Board of NAACA invites our community to attend this meeting regarding a proposed NAA placed substation. NAACA engineering advisors will be pre-submitting a list of questions for PNM's panel to answer. PNM will also answer some questions asked/written at their recent open house.
November 16, 2024
PNM's 2024 Proposed Substation Sites
*Map Above
**We have access to a venue (and dates) and have requested PNM to come to a meeting inside NAA with the ability to have our specific questions answered. We await their response.
August 29, 2024 UPDATE
PNM is at it again.
I received a call yesterday from Sherrick Roanhorse, Senior Government Affairs Manager with PNM stating PNM is once again planning to build an electric substation/distribution infrastructure in the Northeast Heights part of the city. PNM is targeting our NAA neighborhood (which is county).
One of our Board Members was approached by PNM to sell their vacant (A1) residential lot to PNM. We can assume other nearby NAA neighbors with empty (A1) lots have also been contacted (or soon will be contacted as well).
If PNM buys NAA residential lots (Zoned A1) and /or attempts to build a commercial substation on those lots (or even on SDRO zoned lots) , the NAACA and neighborhood will, once again, fight to protect our sector plan.
I will keep our neighbors posted on any new developments on this issue.
I encourage all of you to attend PNM's informational meeting.
Saturday, 11/16 10-12pm @ Holiday Park Comm Ctr.
Tuesday, 11/19 6-8pm @ CNM Workforce Training Ctr
Link to PNM's quest:
***Please review Opinion and Order from the 2nd Judicial District Court from PNM's appeal 3/2022 (below)
September 28, 2022 UPDATE
A few of our Board Members and neighbors met with PNM"s Government and Community Relations Staff. They wanted to get feedback about what went wrong between PNM and the NAA neighbors as well as with PNM's appointed “Community Working Group” (in regards to the proposed Palomas Substation). PNM took notes and suggestions but did not divulge any significant information on revisiting Palomas substation location plan. The NAACA made it clear that we were not backing down from protecting the NAA sector plan!! We will keep our members informed when we are provided with any new significant information.
March 16,2022: UPDATE
The Honorable Denise Barela Shepard from the 2nd Judicial District Court has sent out her ORDER/OPINION and has DENIED PNM's appeal!!!
We await and will report what PNM's next move is after this loss!
March 7, 2022: Update
The Lawsuit is still pending in the 2nd Judicial District Court assigned to the Honorable Denise Barela Shepard. It is a "total record review" from the County Commission Hearing and all the thousands of letters, petitions, and live testimony will be reviewed. No date set. We will update as we hear news.
July 16, 2021: PNM has filed suit against BernCo (Commission's decision) with the Second Judicial District Court. No dates have been set. We will update information as we receive it.
June 15, 2021: The Board of Bernalillo County Commissioners denied PNM's appeal to allow a NAA sector plan amendment or a special use permit for a four acre electric substation on SW corner of Browning/PDN.
*** Decision from the Board of County Commissioners can be read below.
*** Letter to PNM from Representative Bill Rehm is also below.
March 16, 2022: The Honorable Denise Barela Shepard -
Opinion and Order denies PNM's appeal!
June 17, 2021 -
Denied PNM's appeal!
BernCo started seeding the park.
The have cautioned off the area so the seed can germinate into the ground.
Please avoid any foot traffic or pet activity while the seed grows.
Bernalillo County Land Management will do all in its power to get the field ready as soon as possible and ready for play.
Thanks for your help!
Raul Muñoz Jr.
PARKS RECREATION AND OPEN SPACE
LAND MANAGEMENT SECTION MANAGER
Office: 505.219.1181
Cell: 505.934.4725
Email: ramunoz@bernco.gov
2400 Broadway Blvd SE Albuquerque, NM 87102.
To report NAA road maintenance issues please contact the following email address contactcenter@bernco.gov
If your unhappy with the conditions of our roads in NAA and to request additional funding to improve our roads. please email :our
State Representative, Nicole Chavez at nicole.chavez@nmlegis.gov
Capitol phone: 505-986-4214
Home phone: 505-585-4630
PO Box 53271 Alb., NM
and Nicole Tobiassen, State Senator at nicole.tobiassen@nmlegis.gov
Capitol phone: 505- 986-4278
Home phone: 505-600-1170
8100 Wyoming Blvd NE Ste M4-#786, Albuquerque NM 87133-1963
Session Secretary Email:SD21.secr@nmlegis.gov
Information and List of frequently used numbers you may call to help dispose of unwanted items/trash and for reportage.