Mikaela Renz-Whitmore
Master of Community and Regional Planning, 2006

What tasks and responsibilities are involved in your work? 

I am the Long Range Manager for the City of Albuquerque in the planning department. I help do long range planning and conduct long range planning assessments with the community. Currently we have been in the process of redesigning and reconceptualizing community planning approach in Albuquerque. We are also in charge of updating IDO (zoning code) annually. Third, we are in charge of IDO proposed updates that we present to the city council for approval and adoption. We coordinate with the city’s Office of Neighborhood Coordination and a group called Common Ground ABQ funded by McCune Foundation. Those entities are designing civic skills workshop we put together to provide training that the community wants, focusing on skills building and doing outreach to underserved communities of color. These skill workshops will be starting soon. 

1. Long range planning
2. Propose updates for IDO
3. Provide skill training workshops for community

What projects are you currently working on?

All three of those things. In addition, in 2017 we updated the comprehensive plan and completely reworked the city’s zoning code and land use and zoning framework. We changed everyone’s zoning and shrinked it down from 1,200 zones that city was struggling to enforce to about 19 zones and 21 overlays. There wasn’t a perfect zone for every property that fit into the current 19 so we’re finishing up a year-long process allowing property owners to change their zoning for free to a zone more appropriate for property’s use. We’ve just hit a thousand properties for zone conversions. That’s been a lot of work but it really should help the city have a better understanding of land use on the ground and better match to zoning.

What makes your work personally rewarding and how has it impacted you and your community?

I grew up in Albuquerque and have chosen to stay, live, work, and plan here. I want to help other communities plan and help Albuquerque be the best it can be. I get to spend all day long thinking about how Albuquerque is wonderful, what makes it unique, how to protect what we have, and enhance it to make it better. I get to help communities understand the power they have and help them leverage their skills, assets, resources to improve their community in the way they want. That is the best job in the world.

How has the CRP program prepared you for your career?

I thought the CRP program did a wonderful job of explaining different roles of planners and learn of the  choices they make. Professors made us think more about the larger systems problems arise from. The program helped me think more about advocating and think from an equity frame. It also helped me think about our role in facilitating and negotiating. The program helped me appreciate all the tools planners have, the problems planners face, and how power dynamics play out in space.

Any additional comments?

Planning is not about the money. This work is fascinating and constantly unfolding and you will never be bored. Not for a single day. You have to have the value set that makes that worth it. There's never an end to it. We’re always working on improving access, removing barriers for communities that have been underserved and underrepresented. Undoing institutional racism and all the ways we treat people unfairly, it’s generational and overwhelming. It’s a marathon not a sprint. But it’s important to stay motivated through the process.