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Santa Fe County staff backs ADU and loft variance for Schaefer property; hearing officer will issue recommendation
Summary
County staff recommended approval of a conditional use permit for a 1,240 sq ft accessory dwelling unit and a variance to permit a loft sleeping area that would otherwise be considered a second story. Applicant Grayson Schaefer said the ADU is for immediate family and architectural constraints required a detached design. The hearing officer will issue a recommendation within 15 business days and the cases go to the Planning Commission June 18, 2026.
Santa Fe County staff recommended approval May 16 of a conditional use permit and a limited variance to allow a loft sleeping area for an accessory dwelling unit (ADU) on a 7.36‑acre property owned by the Grayson Schaefer Revocable Trust.
Dominic Cisnetto, Building and Development Supervisor, presented staff’s review and said the applicant seeks a 1,240 gross‑square‑foot ADU for immediate family use and a variance to allow a loft area used as sleeping quarters that would otherwise be interpreted as creating a second story under SLDC section 10.4.2.3.2. Cisnetto said reviews from Santa Fe County Fire Prevention, the New Mexico Environment Department and county staff found the proposal is consistent with applicable SLDC provisions and recommended approval subject to the conditions listed in the staff report.
Cisnetto told the hearing that notice requirements were satisfied after a second neighborhood meeting and that no registered organizations or neighbors had formally objected. He also noted the ADU will not be used for short‑term rentals and that the 1,240 sq ft plan is under the ADU square‑foot limit described in county code.
Applicant Grayson Schaefer testified the main house’s hip roof prevented an attached addition and that the ADU design—a detached unit with built‑in bunks and a loft accessed by a ladder—responded to architectural constraints and a need for space for two children and an expected newborn. Schaefer said the loft is partial to one bunk room, not a full second‑story footprint, and that the roofline and site visibility will be unchanged.
Hartstein accepted the staff and applicant record, confirmed Schaefer would accept the staff conditions, and opened the matter for public comment. No one indicated opposition. Cisnetto noted the Santa Fe County Planning Commission will hold a public hearing on these cases June 18, 2026; Hartstein said he will issue a written recommendation addressing both applications within 15 business days.
No final decision was issued at the hearing; the officer’s written recommendation and any Planning Commission action will determine the next steps.
