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Residents press town to enforce deed restrictions after Monte Securado employee parking on Simpson Street lot
Summary
Neighbors told the council that a nearby commercial operator is using a residential, deed‑restricted lot on Simpson Street as employee parking and is seeking to pave it. Town staff said an August 30 notice was issued and that staff will pursue the next enforcement steps if the property owner ignores the directive.
Multiple residents from Simpson Street told the Taos City Council at the Sept. 9 workshop that employees of El Monte (referred to in comments as El Monte Securado/Monte Securado) are using a vacant, deed‑restricted lot zoned residential as employee parking. Residents said the property owner has disregarded a prior town letter and is now obtaining an estimate to pave the lot.
Resident Charlene Long said the lot is zoned residential with deed restrictions and that a town letter dated Aug. 30 informing the property owner they could not use the lot for employee parking produced no response. She said the activity — including employee arrivals that drive quickly on the narrow dead‑end street — is creating safety and nuisance problems for a neighborhood where she has lived more than 30 years.
Mayor Maestas told the crowd that management and staff will follow up; interim town management and planning staff discussed that the next enforcement step would be fine enforcement if the letter is ignored, but noted that the town must follow required notice and enforcement steps before assessing fines. Antonio Fernandez (staff) said he had generated email contact and was following up.
No fines were issued at the workshop. Councilors asked staff to pursue the next appropriate enforcement steps, and asked staff to coordinate with planning and code enforcement to ensure deed restrictions and zoning are enforced.
