A Los Alamos housing development that ran into roadblocks three years ago has found a way to come back. Though still in its earliest phases, the project could result in six to 11 new housing units — to the chagrin of nearby residents.
The lot in question occupies 1.5 acres between Main Street and Shaw Street, near the eastern terminus of each. Developer Stephen Ruffino has applied to subdivide the lot into four parcels. One contains an existing home; the remaining three are zoned for duplexes for a total of at least six potential new units.
Seth Steiner, a Shaw Street resident, says he and others worry about the development’s impact on the rural aesthetic of Los Alamos, a small North County town known for its wine tasting, antique stores, and popular eateries. He’s not alone; 15 of his neighbors sent letters to the developer expressing concern. Among their issues with the project is the proposed driveway access onto Shaw. The quiet, private road, popular with walkers, joggers, and cyclists young and old, bottlenecks to one lane for about 250 feet at its eastern end. While Ruffino’s proposal would widen most of that, the easternmost 100 feet aren’t part of his project and would remain narrow.