Wednesday, July 23, 2008

Filming a Racket, N. Valley Residents Say

By Juan-Carlos Rodriguez
Journal Staff Writer
      Hollywood has run afoul of yet another North Valley community, but this time the movie business has the city on its side.
    The TV series "Crash" is filming in a small gated community off Campbell NW, and a few residents have begun to complain about traffic and noise. Trucks and other equipment also park in a vacant lot on Campbell on shooting days.
    City Councilor Debbie O'Malley said she has received complaints from some residents and said she sees some problems. O'Malley says the filming is a commercial enterprise in a residential home and is therefore a violation of the city's zoning ordinance — a position that puts her at odds with the city administration.
    "My feeling is we really need to look at the zoning ordinance and have some kind of guidelines or conditions for people to use property like this," O'Malley said. "Because we're just asking for trouble ... Having a set right next to you for months on end, that's a problem."
    The city's Film Office director, Ann Lerner, said "Crash" was not required to get a permit because all the filming is taking place on a private road. She said permits are only required when a city street or facility will be affected.
    "The production company is being very sensitive," Lerner said.
    The conflict echoes another recent one in Los Ranchos de Albuquerque, where the village Board of Trustees voted not to allow filming at a home. The board said the filming was a commercial activity and therefore could not be allowed under the village's current zoning ordinance.
    One couple who lives in the gated community, Bill and Susan Rhodes, have complained about the traffic, noise, smell and general disruption the shooting has caused.
    "It basically ruined our quality of life," Rhodes said.
    But the series' producer and the city administration say those claims are unfounded.
    Lionsgate, the production company making the series, began using the site June 1 and has a contract until Oct. 13, according to "Crash" producer J.B. Moranville. The house that is being used for filming is not used every day, or even every week, Moranville said. Two other properties are being used as staging areas.
    "That isn't my main set," Moranville said, adding that there are only five homes in the community and the Rhodeses are the only ones complaining. He said the film company approached other members of the gated community who did not oppose the shooting.
    The owner of two of the locations, and possibly another homeowner, are being compensated, he said.
    Moranville said when shooting is done, he will have spent about $25 million in the city.
    Albuquerque Planning Department director Richard Dineen said filming in a residence does not violate any zoning ordinances — nor does he consider it a commercial activity. In addition, the street on which the filming is taking place, Alejandro NW, is actually a private street owned by the gated community.
    "There's nothing wrong with this use there, it's on private property," Dineen said. "I have not found any facts that support Councilor O'Malley's assertion that this is a zoning code violation ... I would define it as a temporary use."
    The Alvarado Gardens Neighborhood Association, which is made up of residents in the area around Campbell including the gated community, met on Monday to discuss the filming, according to board member Bill Wagner. He said the neighborhood association is concerned about the permitting process for filmers.
    "The concern is they went right around us," Wagner said.
    He said the production company did go around the neighborhood asking people to sign a form acknowledging the filming would take place, but never talked to the neighborhood association. Wagner said the association will pursue more information about the process and this specific case.
    "We want to be friendly to the movie industry but not at the cost of making our neighborhood an industrial site," Wagner said.
   

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