The Growth Management Master Plan is a planning document that provides guidance for how the city should develop over the next 20 years. The Plan provides a snapshot of Gallup’s history, existing conditions and trends and then defines the overall vision of Gallup’s future growth based on community aspirations. This vision is accompanied by a realistic action plan for topic areas through specific goals and policies that prioritize community values.

The Growth Management Master Plan is a policy document used to guide future zone changes and recommend implementation and Capital Improvement Project (CIP) funding priorities for City decision-makers and departments. GMMP, Comprehensive or General Plans (as they are also often referred to) are also a federal requirement for city’s to be eligible to receive funding through programs like the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program.

The GMMP includes goals and policies for a variety of topic areas. This update will draw guidance from and potentially expand upon the elements from the previous GMMP outlined below. Each element will be housed in a separate chapter which includes the existing conditions, background and analysis, and goals for the topic.

  • The housing element addresses the number and condition of the existing housing stock, vacancy rates, and owner-occupied housing versus renter-occupied as a percentage of the total housing stock. This element will assess future housing needs based on demographic projections.
  • The land use element outlines current land development conditions, including the distribution and extent of existing land use categories including residential, commercial, industrial, and public uses. This element will assess future land development based on City goals and priorities.
  • The transportation element reviews the usage and volume of the existing roads, pedestrian walkways, transit services, railroads, and trails. The City is currently in the process of updating the Transportation Master Plan that will establish a comprehensive multimodal approach to improve traffic and circulation throughout the City. This update will coordinate and rely on the goals and policies identified within the MTP update. More information on the MTP project can be found at https://bhi.mysocialpinpoint.com/gallup-transportation-master-plan.
  • The urban design element highlights the distinct character of Gallup and set goals and policies intended to enhance and inspire great places.
  • The economic development element provides an analysis of the current economic conditions of the community including workforce characteristics, unemployment rates, places of employment, prominent industries, and per capita income. The city recently completed an update to its Economic Development Plan, which can be reviewed here. This update will coordinate and expand upon the goals and policies identified within the adopted Economic Development Plan.
  • The parks, recreation, and open space element provides an analysis of parks, recreation facilities and open spaces. This element will establish priorities for the improvement of recreation facilities based on community needs.
  • The public facilities element will inventory and assess the water and wastewater facilities, police and fire services, and other buildings and facilities owned and operated by the city. This section will establish priorities for the continued operation of these essential community services.

Growth Management Master Plan’s need regular updating as circumstances change and community goals evolve. The GMMP was originally adopted in 2009 most recently amended in 2016. This 2023 update will revise goals and policies based on current conditions, demographics and community aspirations.

The project team will utilize a variety of data to update the Plan, including previous studies, national trends, local Census information (population, household size, commuting habits, and economic conditions), and public input gathered from meetings and on-line interactions.

How does the Plan become official?

The plan will need to be adopted by the City Council to become official. Once a final draft is reviewed by the public, the project team will present it to the Planning and Zoning Commission who will make a recommendation to the Council. After receiving a official recommendation from the P&Z, the City Council will hold a public hearing to make a final decision.

This project website will provide continued project updates and will include interactive engagement opportunities. For other questions, please email the project team at GallupGMMP2023@dpsdesign.org.

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