Santa Fe County seeks abatement of deteriorated property at 81 County Road 102; heirs request time to clean up

Hearing Officer Singler closed the record after a code-enforcement hearing in which Santa Fe County urged authorization to abate a property at 81 County Road 102, citing photographs and records it said show longstanding public-nuisance conditions.

Robert Hollings, a Santa Fe County code enforcement officer, told the hearing the county’s evidence package (including Exhibit B, a series of photographs) “will show the continuing presence of abandoned vehicles, accumulated debris, and deteriorated structures constituting the public nuisance under 2304” despite prior notices. He said inspectors documented burned or dilapidated mobile homes, inoperable trailers including a semi parked on a noncommercial parcel, stacks of tires, appliances and broken windows and that multiple certified notices and a notice of written order were sent and posted on the property.

Barbara Elizabeth Ortiz, who identified herself as a daughter and heir of the late owner Carol K. Ortiz, said she and her sister live out of state, that the title remained in their mother’s name while they process changes, and that they had reviewed the county’s materials. “We do want to work cooperatively with the county and we do want to bring the property into compliance,” Ortiz said, and she asked the hearing officer for a reasonable compliance period so family members can sort decades of personal property and address the county’s concerns.

A family member who lives on the property, identified only as Curtis in the record, described immediate cleanup efforts. “We’ve gotten rid of seven cars off of the property. We took 176 tires to Lansville. We took two loads of tons of trash to the landfill,” he said, and told the hearing that property taxes had been paid and additional loads of metal and trash had been removed since initial contact with county staff.

The county asked the hearing officer to find the property a public nuisance and to authorize abatement measures under Santa Fe Ordinance 2023-04, including removal of nuisance conditions, recovery of associated cleanup costs and assessment of fines. The county presented records indicating a certified notice of violation was mailed on Feb. 6, 2026, a notice of violation was posted March 5, 2026, and a notice of written order was dated May 1, 2026; the county said some mailed notices were returned as unclaimed or marked ‘‘deceased/unable to forward.’’

Hearing Officer Singler did not rule at the session. She closed the record and said she will issue a written decision within five days.

The hearing record includes the county’s photographic exhibits and public-notice materials; the heirs emphasize that they do not dispute the conditions shown and seek time to remediate before county abatement. The officer’s forthcoming decision will determine whether the county may proceed with abatement and cost recovery under the ordinance.