A divided Doña Ana County Board of County Commissioners voted to conditionally approve a rezoning that would allow a winery and related uses on roughly 18.35 acres along Picacho Hills Drive, despite sustained opposition from nearby residents who raised traffic, water quality and notice concerns.

The landowner and applicant said the site is intended for grape production, wine production and on‑site tasting and events. Senior planner Albert Casillas told the board the Planning & Zoning Commission recommended changing the zoning from D‑1L (low‑density limited) to C‑2 with conditions that explicitly prohibit many higher‑impact commercial uses. Applicant representative Steven Green said wine production and the necessary storage and event components were the reasons a commercial zoning was requested rather than a special‑use permit.

Opponents—many of them Picacho Hills residents—said the parcel’s single entrance is already used by 1,500 homes and that farm operations produce intermittent heavy traffic; they urged the commission to require a comprehensive business and marketing plan, a traffic‑impact analysis and water testing before a zoning change. Appellant Roland Miller (presented by Robert Blair) argued rezoning without a concrete business plan risked “spot zoning” and potential resale for other commercial uses.

Supporters from the neighborhood and others testified that agritourism and a winery could bring economic activity and that production would use private wells and not the county’s Dona Ana Water system. County staff said notice requirements were met and that the C‑2 recommendation reflected discussion with the applicant and public input; staff also noted that accessory retail tied directly to winery operations would be allowed under zoning conditions.

After public comment and a closed‑session deliberation authorized under the Open Meetings Act for adjudicatory proceedings, Commissioner Sanchez moved to approve the conditional C‑2 rezoning with a list of exclusions (including crematorium, hotel/motel, RV park, gas station, large and medium retail, cannabis producers, large storage/distribution and similar uses). The motion passed on a roll call that recorded four yes votes and one abstention.

The decision ends the county’s rezoning review step; the applicant will need to clear subsequent administrative requirements—pre‑application reviews, traffic studies, driveway permits from NMDOT if access is moved to Highway 70, and building permits—before construction or events occur.

The county’s staff and commissioners said the conditional approach narrows future uses but leaves administrative safeguards—such as traffic and permitting reviews—before site work or building permits are approved.