[{"_1":2,"_111":-5,"_112":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6321561,"mediaKeyId","2349958-0f94275c93588b0efb19959e34ba6308","parentId",2349958,"title","Las Cruces council adopts 'Realize Las Cruces' zoning rewrite, sets 8‑month transition","audioSeconds",4335,"startMs",3690000,"endMs",8025000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2349958-0f94275c93588b0efb19959e34ba6308&start=3690&end=8025","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2349958-0f94275c93588b0efb19959e34ba6308/thumbnail_3690000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6321561/Las-Cruces/Doña-Ana-County/New-Mexico/Las-Cruces-council-adopts-Realize-Las-Cruces-zoning-rewrite-sets-8month-transition","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6321561-81b928d6aea39031f4aa956eb6baa409/orig.mp4?Expires=1771148395&Signature=LrkU1xqVxr3CjEEIcQMnQ5pZFhDG9lSWI3MqL2Gb5H8d1VxEzDhOMGify4rgXsGhvCG4X~gcAP2ZdISyYPRUxI5QN9SeqFIY4KA1XzZkfgG0vQx387e2r5OniK-3Yf7lc5uOEwzgbxvBuk4EeBy8Xur2MV99cK-7T6WACjkDGTKqM2wcD90rwArpi85rtdChUGrGEiR2x3x9PTPjnYDIhHjmJfWi744OMpS1TTWpa7PjIyTfgfoX5sjFPHxPBtQFsvlreSyyUJtRzCQB4NyJ4qzgi5vxm-sXNSNgfK0evF4pXiR~uuIhRkE6kT7WgJfzoRqN6itG0HClRW1Aea7OFQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Las Cruces, NM","date","2025-02-19T00:58:19Z","article","The Las Cruces City Council on Feb. 18 adopted Ordinance No. 3090 — the “Realize Las Cruces” development code update — by a 6–1 vote, aiming to increase housing options, streamline land‑use review, and move technical design standards into a separate manual.

City staff and the council said the code rewrite aligns the city's land‑use rules with the comprehensive plan, allow higher residential intensities in new neighborhoods, and aims to make permitting more predictable for builders and residents.

Realize revises zoning districts into three neighborhood types (NH‑1, NH‑2, NH‑3), reworks permitted uses and setbacks, and moves engineering‑level standards into a technical manual that staff can update more quickly. Community Development Director Chris Favor told the council the rewrite will “increase density allowances for residential development and that will allow greater flexibility for developers.”

Councilors and staff framed the changes as mainly affecting future development. Economic development staff said the ordinance allows small, low‑impact retail uses in some residential zones — for example, neighborhood groceries under 3,000 square feet or small cafes without drive‑throughs — and expands rights for accessory dwelling units where lot size and setbacks allow. Sarah Gonzalez, economic development staff, explained the package also creates a two‑step implementation during an eight‑month transition in which applicants may opt for the old code or the new code; after transition, the draft calls for existing structures to be brought into compliance within two years in specific situations.

Supporters said Realize is an attempt to address a local shortage of housing by allowing more types of housing — duplexes, townhomes, accessory units and limited mixed use — near services and transit. Dozens of residents and advocacy groups urged passage during a lengthy public comment period, saying the rewrite will create walkable neighborhoods and more affordable housing choices. The League of Women Voters of Southern New Mexico and several housing and social service speakers urged the council to pass the code.

Opponents, including many homeowners and neighborhood groups, argued the rewrite would change existing single‑family neighborhoods, reduce privacy and safety, and lower property values. Public commenters pressed for protections for existing homeowners such as a neighborhood petition threshold before a nonresidential use opens nearby. Council discussion repeatedly returned to those concerns. Councilmember Bill Matisse cast the lone no vote, saying he could not support changes that might allow commercial uses near existing single‑family homes.

Councilmembers and staff stressed safeguards: cannabis dispensaries are not permitted in NH‑1 and NH‑2 and would require a special use permit in NH‑3; gas stations must be on higher‑classification roads; parking, ponding and setback requirements remain in place and will continue to be enforced; and development review and public‑works review will consider traffic, pedestrian and bicycle safety. Staff also highlighted that new design standards will be placed in a technical manual so they can be updated more quickly than municipal code.

The ordinance passed on a roll call vote: McClure, Graham, Kran, Flores, Bencomo and Mayor Eric Enriquez voted yes; Matisse voted no.

The council established an eight‑month transition period during which applicants can choose to be processed under the old or new code; staff said they will return to council within the transition window to recommend any needed changes based on observed implementation issues.

Why it matters: City staff and supporters say the rewrite addresses a shortage of housing types and helps Las Cruces compete for state housing dollars tied to zoning and land‑use criteria. Opponents said the map‑ and use‑level changes risk altering long‑established neighborhoods and urged stronger grandfathering or petition requirements.

What happens next: With adoption, the council also approved the associated technical manual (separately adopted by resolution) that contains engineering and design standards. Staff said they will hold district meetings, post pamphlets, and run public outreach during the eight‑month transition so residents and design professionals can prepare.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Las Cruces Council Meeting - February 18 , 2025","oneSentenceSummary","The Las Cruces City Council on Feb. 18 adopted Ordinance No. 3090 — the “Realize Las Cruces” development code update — by a 6–1 vote, aiming to increase housing options, streamline land‑use review, and move technical design standards into an amendable manual.","taxTitle","Las Cruces, Doña Ana County, New Mexico","taxId",2725,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6321549,"Residents urge Las Cruces to hold council briefing on Lead and Copper Rule; utilities schedule town hall",7235,2775000,10010000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2349958-0f94275c93588b0efb19959e34ba6308&start=2775&end=10010","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2349958-0f94275c93588b0efb19959e34ba6308/thumbnail_2775000.jpg","/articles/6321549/Las-Cruces/Doña-Ana-County/New-Mexico/Residents-urge-Las-Cruces-to-hold-council-briefing-on-Lead-and-Copper-Rule-utilities-schedule-town-hall","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6321549-44512cca813fc8e4eb2655b2bc75eafd/orig.mp4?Expires=1771148395&Signature=d42njTc0A~tQs2CZLniE9u3sjuL6JVlX1gYOfMrySvN0a1UGSynF1RQeq86mJhIPopdFOhjP7h8y9~Q6LridLUrIJmxsZYZuRSuwltYS~rhgRAtVeZb8~cPG2DEB8CGwM90uayfVzA80kCXFoQ-PG0JJLuXDoBSwsRMesGpT1r0WNL8cf1e~Uo05TBjrMZY5y8In~ViFUDb2V1bDTN7oZKfnSBGEGkoOFL95WeuHZt4phWcvF8G3ixTV1sNYc7FUDufEZBdtf7MH2djQ1Tl7AZWnkg1xAFpFj4sCCKWkXhwV-FRsupvEwifSQ1YToDozEFH9apDMNlf3QrbsYQjM2Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Multiple residents and local advocates used the Feb. 18 public‑comment period to press City Hall for more transparent public engagement about the Environmental Protection Agency’s updated Lead and Copper Rule and to demand equal access to information in Spanish.

Lynn Morrow, addressing the council, said a town hall format that limits the number of participating councilors risks violating the New Mexico Open Meetings Act and urged the council to hold a properly noticed special council meeting for an expert briefing so all seven council members can participate and the meeting would be on the public record.

Liz Rodriguez Johnson and other Spanish‑speaking commenters noted an initial utility mailing about the rule was sent in English only; they said Spanish translations arrived only after repeated requests and asked the city to do a fuller outreach campaign in Spanish and other accessible formats. Eddie Thomas, a resident, urged the city to begin replacing aging pipes in older neighborhoods and requested transparent reporting about pipe materials.

City staff responded later in the meeting: the city manager said utility staff will host a town hall on March 4 to brief the public and that invitations and explanatory materials have been included in utility bills in both English and Spanish. Utility staff also said they had prepared a how‑to video and other multilingual resources and will include subject‑matter experts at the March event; staff added the rule’s full implementation will take multiple years and that council work sessions and updates will be scheduled as the city refines its response.

Why it matters: The Lead and Copper Rule can require water systems to inventory and, in some cases, replace lead service lines; residents called for full council engagement and bilingual outreach so that Spanish‑speaking households can understand potential impacts on health and on city budgets.","Several residents urged the City Council to hold a full council briefing — rather than a town hall — about EPA’s revised Lead and Copper Rule and asked that utility notices be distributed in Spanish. City staff later said the utility department will host a March 4 town hall and has sent notices in English and Spanish.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6321553,"City honors Casa de Peregrinos; Audrey Nelson Community Development Achievement Award recognizes food‑security project",396,1156000,1552000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2349958-0f94275c93588b0efb19959e34ba6308&start=1156&end=1552","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2349958-0f94275c93588b0efb19959e34ba6308/thumbnail_1156000.jpg","/articles/6321553/Las-Cruces/Doña-Ana-County/New-Mexico/City-honors-Casa-de-Peregrinos-Audrey-Nelson-Community-Development-Achievement-Award-recognizes-foodsecurity-project","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6321553-22e34c92f934715e36fd00419fac73c1/orig.mp4?Expires=1771148395&Signature=MGOwyzfY4Dg41EI9QmqIN2v7-RdRQtQTQX5TBX0R3sUobrg5bX0yk~9Ue1G7Co0mk5SVDteGRpeZXSgpNydR~HhYKxtmgerC0sAMweFH0UmkwMJGdgJSqfEHq2KK2~878QSCxvDou9Y~6BmTZ0mSc8JvoHsdPaqSrhTm2l8uMQeAJL5KkmeS4h-dG0lSvDYIutPZ0ytFu~wn4BFPGliEhCkZxtX1v3YtbVSOhoEOfkJIXiXbr0JimSBexKM7ZwrCrr~MAJ4pawG74QjXSvdYs6UV1s6xGf-LfhYpb9kgaYgKq~USexAVAI~fMDG4Qn3Y6acexYz5OsQT2I66it4osQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","City officials and representatives of Casa de Peregrinos accepted the 2025 Audrey Nelson Community Development Achievement Award on Feb. 18, recognizing the organization’s food‑distribution expansion and the city’s role in funding and partnership.

Housing and Neighborhood Services staff said the award, presented by the National Community Development Association, recognized innovative use of Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds in a multi‑partner project. Staff said the city supported construction of a new 13,000‑square‑foot facility that opened in August 2023 and tripled Casa de Peregrinos’ space, enabling drive‑up distribution, a demonstration kitchen and shared community spaces.

Sonia Jamila, board chair of Casa de Peregrinos, thanked the city, Dona Ana County and state legislators for support. Staff and board remarks repeated project figures presented by the city: the organization previously operated from a roughly 4,000‑square‑foot facility, distributed more than 4.7 million pounds of food annually by 2020, and the expanded facility has served 14% more clients with nearly 1,000,000 additional pounds of food distributed in the most recent year. City staff said the project included $3,900,000 from the New Mexico State Legislature and $3,750,000 including $350,000 in Community Development Block Grant funds (figures shown in staff materials).

The mayor and council recognized the collaboration among Casa de Peregrinos, city neighborhood services, public works and the Community of Hope campus partners. Casa de Peregrinos’ board and volunteers described the facility as a “lifeline” for residents and credited the expanded space with reducing food waste and expanding access to nutrition education.

Why it matters: The award highlights a locally executed project that combined state capital outlay and federal CDBG funds with municipal partnership to expand emergency food infrastructure in Dona Ana County.","City officials and Casa de Peregrinos leaders accepted the 2025 Audrey Nelson Community Development Achievement Award on Feb. 18 for the organization's expanded facility, funded in part by Community Development Block Grant dollars and state capital outlay.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6321557,"Votes at a glance: Las Cruces council approves technical manual, school finance sign‑off and budget adjustments",661,8047000,8708000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2349958-0f94275c93588b0efb19959e34ba6308&start=8047&end=8708","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2349958-0f94275c93588b0efb19959e34ba6308/thumbnail_8047000.jpg","/articles/6321557/Las-Cruces/Doña-Ana-County/New-Mexico/Votes-at-a-glance-Las-Cruces-council-approves-technical-manual-school-finance-signoff-and-budget-adjustments","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6321557-176386fd8a9da4de4275285e2de6b2d9/orig.mp4?Expires=1771148395&Signature=dIMANMNJAdjW0mS8dJ8tpX~zxAxKdVKnvDzaPl1FX~SMTb8fFqFCbbTCLRoUQXpYIxu6ejk-MrudqTidra9Ol-lP9usQ2Dgzb3tj36U1QGFmB5gO~ISxmzKtnNqXcxabQnJhjP7YYJzaOin-AVKWXI1huuzWibEO-CszhC9T7hnMGmikr6ige0eSZCXGeugB-SWnLSYim~aWLDLnmJwW9E8mrQibfdDQ1F-VrPhlHqMXAM70sUB1KJAEOhsqns1TaX2i3jGC6Yo2n~-rYzrvEZpyTrjomHmtXIFil1ffiNcZOmTF1nXRTRWQ-2yaHpRumBeJtHmihkh45hHnWVwTew__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Las Cruces City Council approved multiple items during the Feb. 18 meeting, voting unanimously on several resolutions and confirming a board appointment.

Key actions and outcomes

- Technical manual (Resolution 25‑097): Council approved a technical manual containing engineering and design standards that will accompany the new municipal development code. The manual moves detailed standards (drainage, erosion control, street and roadway design, low‑impact development, fences and slope protection) out of ordinance text so staff can update those standards more rapidly. The resolution passed on a roll‑call vote: all councilors present voted yes.

- Explore Academy bond approval (Resolution 25‑098): The council granted local approval required under the financing authority’s rules for Explore Academy’s request that the Public Finance Authority of Wisconsin issue tax‑exempt revenue bonds (up to $33 million) for two school sites. City staff noted the city will not be obligated to repay the bonds; the city’s action is a local approval required by the conduit issuer. The resolution passed unanimously.

- Mid‑year budget adjustments (Resolution 25‑099): Council approved a set of budget updates across general fund departments, the airport, utilities and other funds. Highlights included a requested increase in Fire Department spending (to cover a delayed invoice related to AMR services), grant matches at the airport, and reallocation and revenue recognition for transit and legal bond activity. The adjustments passed by unanimous roll call.

- Board appointment: The council appointed Erin Boyd to the Mesilla Valley Public Housing Authority board and read into the record Councilor Cassie McClure’s appointment to the New Mexico Municipal League board of directors.

Why these matter

The technical manual finalizes the mechanics by which the new development code will be administered and updated. The Explore Academy action permits the school to pursue market financing using a national conduit issuer; city staff emphasized the school — not the city — will bear repayment responsibility. The budget adjustments fund ongoing operations and reflect timing and grant‑match needs across departments.

Provenance: staff presentations and roll‑call votes recorded in the Feb. 18 council meeting transcript.","At its Feb. 18 meeting the Las Cruces City Council approved several resolutions: the technical manual tied to the Realize Las Cruces code, authorization related to tax‑exempt bond financing requested by Explore Academy, and a package of mid‑year budget adjustments. The council also confirmed a board appointment.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Las Cruces council adopts 'Realize Las Cruces' zoning rewrite, sets 8‑month transition

Residents urge Las Cruces to hold council briefing on Lead and Copper Rule; utilities schedule town hall

City honors Casa de Peregrinos; Audrey Nelson Community Development Achievement Award recognizes food‑security project

Votes at a glance: Las Cruces council approves technical manual, school finance sign‑off and budget adjustments