LAS CRUCES CITY COUNCIL

MARCH 27, 2006

 This was a City Council meeting devoted to land use planning. All members of City Council were present. Before the business part of the meeting, City Lobbyist Ray Davenport gave a report on the success of our local legislators in the last Legislative session. $22 million was allocated for our City of which $18 million will go for an aquatic center and another million will go for street improvements. Money was also forthcoming for utility work, for water well improvements and for the fire department. Klaus Wittern, a frequent attendee at City Council meetings, donated a check for $2000 for the aquatic center. He was thanked by all the Councilors.

 The first order of business was an ordinance amending various sections of the Las Cruces Municipal Code dealing with non-residential zoning and with parking requirements. Christine Ochs explained that this is necessary in order to avoid problems they are having adjusting to the new zoning codes. It is a matter of having the municipal code match the zoning code as it stands now. The motion passed unanimously.

Other ordinances, all of which were unanimously passed, included many code adjustments and clarifying language in the code.

 Finally, there was an appeal heard requesting a 10 foot variance for a backyard set-back requirement on Golf Club Road in Sonoma Ranch. The non-conforming structure, a back porch, is already built. The Board of Adjustment, now defunct, had denied the request. This time the request was passed by the City Council, after amendments were made to assure that the porch would never be walled in or altered in the future.

 Marnie Leverett

LWV of Greater Las Cruces