Los Alamos County · issues
Civic issues
Topics getting the most attention in Los Alamos County public meetings, ranked by how frequently they come up.
WWII Heritage City designation
Design Local, the county's consultants, will present a Historic Preservation Master Plan that could guide how Los Alamos protects and celebrates its historic sites for years to come. This is a first look — no decisions are being made yet.
Anti-harassment training rollout
A new mandatory anti-harassment training was rolled out — all employees take it every two years, supervisors annually.
Canyon Road median redesign
The county is weighing design options for the Canyon Median, landscaping many residents drive past daily. Superintendent Wendy Parker presented options but no decision was made yet.
Bear-resistant cart shortage and wildlife conflict
A resident reported bears destroying trash can lids and asked for more funding for bear-proof carts; the manager said more carts arrive October 14.
Construction dust and tree protection on private development
Councilor Cull raised complaints about dust from the North Mesa construction site during a drought. Staff said code requires dust mitigation on larger projects but doesn't specify methods like barrier fencing, and the tree mitigation policy currently applies only to county projects — a countywide version may come next year.
Temporary sign regulations amendment
Council is revising the temporary sign code after court limits on restricting sign content; options would open more right-of-way locations during election season, and public input will be sought.
Los Alamos Airport site plan changes (hangar demolition and road relocation)
The airport hangar redevelopment — demolishing 13 hangars, moving Airport Road, and building new aprons and taxi lanes — won't be decided until December 9.
Myrtle Street Pickleball Court
The Board heard where the Myrtle Street pickleball court project stands. Pickleball players in town are watching this one closely.
IPRA/eDiscovery Software Modernization
The county pulled over 4.2 million records and spent over $800,000 on outside IPRA help in three years. A new five-year, $3.4 million AI-assisted contract with CDS aims to speed up records requests, cut outside consultant costs, and reduce legal risk — with human review still required before release.
Voter Convenience Center Relocation
Because the Betty Ehart Senior Center is closing for renovations, Election Day voting for Precincts 17-23 moves next door to Mesa Public Library for the November 3 general election — subject to District Court approval.
Library software migration
The library's system migration is going well, with staff training set for the week after Labor Day and go-live still scheduled for September 3.
Youth programming gap for sixth graders
A parent flagged that sixth graders, kept on elementary campuses but considered middle schoolers, can't access middle-school library programs like anime and manga clubs.