LAS CRUCES CITY COUNCIL

JULY 24, 2006

The meeting was called to order promptly at 1:00 with all the City Councilors present. This was a land use meeting and all the items on the agenda were related to the city's land use policies and procedures. None of them were on the consent agenda. They were all open for discussion. The room was packed with observers who were there to speak on the first three items to be discussed. They were all relating to a large tract of land at the edge of the city limits but outside the border. The developer, Ken Thurston, wanted the tract to be annexed into the city so that he could increase the density of houses and make them more "affordable". Many current neighbors spoke against this idea, partly because of traffic problems, partly because it would so drastically change the current rural nature of the area. The City Councilors spoke to the fact that annexation would give them more control over the quality of the subdivision. Councilor Connor mentioned the idea that if the tract remained in the county, the homes might well have septic systems which she felt were detrimental to the growth of the County. Discussion went on for well over an hour. Finally, the decision was made to table all three ordinances having to do with the subdivision and give the developer more time to work with the neighbors.

 Other items on the agenda were not so controversial and passed unanimously.

Marnie Leverett

LWV of Greater Las Cruces