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Taos County adopts 2025 comprehensive plan with 90-day delay for revisions
Summary
The Taos County Commission voted April 15 to adopt a new comprehensive plan but set its effective date 90 days later to allow staff and commissioners to incorporate additional amendments, after public concerns about land-use maps, neighborhood recognition and agricultural data.
Taos County commissioners on Tuesday adopted the county’s 2025 comprehensive plan but inserted a 90-day delay before the plan takes effect so staff can incorporate further edits and commissioner-sponsored amendments.
Planning manager Rachel Romero told the board the draft has been through a public comment period since March and staff have logged comments and responses. “Since the release of the plan on March 3rd … 27 emails were received,” Romero said, noting staff have added pages addressing topics raised by the public and steering committee. Consultant Jackie Fishman, participating online, said the Taos County Farmlands and conveyances map is already in the document: “The Taos County Farmlands and conveyances map is in the plan. It’s on page 127 in the water resources section,” Fishman said.
Several commissioners and members of the public pressed the planning staff on specific items they asked be adjusted before final adoption. Concerns included the “preferred” future land-use map (which speakers said combined distinct rural residential types), whether USDA irrigation figures and aerial imagery align with the plan’s mapped irrigated acreage, and how neighborhood associations and recently recognized land grants should be treated. Commissioner Beal asked that land-grant boundaries and watershed/irrigation features be represented clearly; county attorney Trujillo proposed adding a clause delaying the plan’s effective date by 90 days to allow time for proposed amendments and procurement tasks. Trujillo read proposed language that “this resolution shall not be effective until 90 days have passed.”
The commission voted to adopt the resolution with the 90-day effective-date amendment, with staff committing to return within the window with recommended modifications and to continue the public-engagement steps that will inform the unified development code and later land-use regulations. The resolution sets the plan as the county’s guiding policy document but does not itself create land-use regulations; the board emphasized that subsequent ordinances implementing the plan will be subject to additional review and public hearing.
