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Council directs staff to pursue top two farmland easement candidates from commission
Summary
Following presentations by the Farmland Preservation & Agriculture Commission, council instructed staff to actively negotiate conservation easements on the commission's top two ranked parcels and discussed stewardship fees, water-right claims, and bond-fund availability.
Commission members reported four applications for new farmland conservation easements and recommended acquiring parcels in ranked order; two of the applications were 5-acre parcels near Corrales Road and two were smaller parcels visible from the Bosque.
The commission raised stewardship fees quoted by the New Mexico Land Conservancy — $55,000 for a 6-acre indigenous farm hub under contract and $40,000 for 1-acre properties — and recommended the council consider whether the village or the land trust should absorb some document-preparation costs. One commissioner noted the Rio Grande Agricultural Land Trust charges a flat $25,000 stewardship fee, a lower alternative the council might consider.
Councilors focused discussion on water rights, appraisal treatment of irrigated versus nonirrigated parcels, the bond timeline and remaining funds, and the urgency of moving quickly to secure parcels before development. Administrator Melanie reported roughly $1,960,700.71 remaining in the farmland bond fund; the commission recommended acquiring the two top-ranked parcels first. Councilor Burkett moved to actively pursue properties 1 and 2; the motion was seconded and carried.
Council directed staff to start negotiations and report back on appraisal and title work, noted water-right claims on some parcels (including a pre-1907 claim with a state engineer file number), and requested that commissioners and staff continue analysis of stewardship-fee options and possible alternative trusts.
