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Mesilla historic preservation staff proposes a local cultural and historic register to protect buildings and expand incentives
Summary
Historic Preservation Specialist Liana Aguirre proposed creating a Town of Mesilla Cultural and Historic Register that would let the town nominate properties (including ones not on the National Register) and offer incentives such as local tax reductions, permit waivers and design-review protections; the commission heard steps for nomination and notice requirements.
Liana Aguirre, Mesilla’s Historic Preservation Specialist, told the Planning, Zoning and Historical Appropriateness Commission on Jan. 20 that she intends “to nominate buildings to our own register, which I'm calling the Town of Mesilla Cultural and Historic Register,” and outlined how the town could accept nominations and provide incentives to preserve locally significant places.
Aguirre said the local register can operate independently of the Certified Local Government (CLG) program while also providing “added notice.” She told commissioners the town could offer incentives beyond the federal tax credits available through the National Register, including potential local property tax reductions, waivers of certain uses or special-use permits, and other incentives aimed at properties outside the existing historic district.
The designation process Aguirre described starts with a completed application (paper or an online Microsoft Form accessed by QR code) that includes photographs, a historical narrative and supporting documentation. After staff review, property owners receive 14 days’ notice before a public hearing, and the commission then issues a determination. Aguirre said that under the proposed local process the town may designate historically significant properties even if the owner does not consent; owners would retain the right to comment and to appeal to the governing board.
Aguirre framed the effort as a way to document Mesilla’s agricultural and built-history assets before stories and records vanish. She cited the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 and local municipal code procedures (Chapter 18.33) as frameworks that guide nomination criteria and public-notice requirements. She also encouraged commissioners to use Secretary of the Interior standards and noted CLG funding streams and grant programs such as Main Street initiatives as potential funding sources.
Commissioners asked practical questions about scope and precedent. Aguirre said the office will prioritize properties already on the National Register for fuller local narratives and told the commission she is available to help applicants. “This is a long process. We want to streamline it as much as possible,” she said.
Next steps: staff will make hard-copy forms available at Town Hall, accept nominations via the online form, and pursue adoption of local procedures that mirror state requirements for documentation and hearings. Aguirre said she will pursue fuller narratives for nationally listed properties and recommended building a local preservation fund to support nominations and restoration work.
The work session portion of the meeting closed after the presentation; commissioners and staff returned to regular business and asked staff to follow up on process details, SHPO involvement and potential funding pathways.
