UPDATE - NEXT STEPS

We are receiving lots of inquiries from concerned residents of Area 1 asking how to help. Time is short, but we can make a difference.

Contact Commissioner Vigil: vvigil@co.santa-fe.nm.us , 995-2755.

Contact Councilor Bushee, she is on the Regional Planning Authority and may be our next City Coincilor: pjbushee@santafenm.gov , 955-2345.

Write a letter to the editor at the Santa Fe New Mexican, here is a direct link to submitt a letter.

Tell your friends and neighbors and have them call and write and attend the next meetings. City and County officials will take notice if we assemble large turnouts, there is power in numbers.

The ELUC is scheduled to adopt the new Ordinance on August 13, ELUA on August 27. 30 days later, the City takes control EVEN THOUGH WE WILL NOT BE FORMALLY ANNEXED FOR 2-3 YEARS.

Please mark your calendars now attend the August meetings. There will be public discussion. Another great turn-out would go a long way towards assisting our cause. You can also take a moment now to contact the Committee Members:

ELUA here; ELUC here, County and City here.

Stay tuned, more to come.

THANKS TO ALL FOR ATTENDING - NEXT STEPS

Thanks to everyone for attending tonight's meeting. It was a great show of opposition, but time is short and we need to organize.

Please continue to contact Commissioner Vigil: vvigil@co.santa-fe.nm.us . She indicated that she would be open to further meetings.

BUT TIME IS SHORT. ELUC is scheduled to adopt the new Ordinance on August 13, ELUA on August 27. 30 days later, the City takes control EVEN THOUGH WE WILL NOT BE FORMALLY ANNEXED FOR 2-3 YEARS.

Please mark your calendars to attend the August meetings. Another great turn-out would go a long way towards assisting our cause. If you can not, please take a moment to contact the Committee Members:

ELUA here; ELUC here, County and City here.

Check back regularly for more details and news.

AREA MEETING MONDAY, JULY 27; DETAILS TO COME

We have just learned that Commissioner Virginia Vigil will host a public meeting on the annexation of Area 1 to be held Monday, July 27 at 6 PM at the Nancy Rodriguez Community Center, located at # 1 Prairie Dog Loop across from the Agua Fria Fire Station. More details here.

Keep the August ELUC and ELUA meetings on your calendars. These are critical and we need your attendance.

Check back here for updates.

IMPORTANT MEETINGS AND POSSIBLE NEW TOWN HALL

There are two important meeting possible withing the next two weeks, Stay tuned here for confirmation and details. We have learned there may be a Town Hall covered by the County on July 27, and another important meeting the next day. DETAILS TO COME.

Meanwhile, please mark your schedules for the critically important ELUA and ELUC meetings in August, details and contact in post below.

The Santa Fe New Mexican had this article on other areas being annexed, and this editorial on planning, which followed the previous editorial specifically about changes to our neighborhood.

"The greatest growth is expected inside Santa Fe's newly expanded city limits — the guessing is an additional 28,000 people. Will those folks represent enough revenue to pay for the police and fire protection they need? For the water they'd use — assuming the city system has enough to supply them? What about the 10,000 or more new homes they'd need? The streets along which those homes would lie — and the main roads their cars would travel? How much infrastructural investment will it take to absorb so many more families, to keep things going in a small town turned into a city of 100,000? How closely should the development of subdivisions, shopping centers and business parks be guided? Will our community's strict but mostly sensible land-use rules be eroded, case after case, by one slick sprawl promoter after another? Or will some local-government body sell out Santa Fe wholesale — and with it the streetscapes and lifestyle that have made this town the attractive one it is?"

Be informed. Be involved.

UPDATE

Thanks again to all who turned out at last night's final Community Outreach meeting regarding the City of Santa Fe annexation.

KOAT-TV covered the meeting and aired a brief clip of one of our members voicing concerns, watch the clip here.

REMINDER: The real action will take place at the next ELUC meeting August 13, with the ELUA set to approve the revised Rural Residential Ordinance with increased density allowances on August 27. Both meetings are at 6 Pm at 102 Grant Street, open to the public.

In the recent meetings we have continued to identify questions of concern, including: increased densities to 3 per acre, with distinct possibilities for MUCH HIGHER densities; water and sewer hook-ups, new roads through or near Coyote Ridge Road; Coyote Ridge Road becoming a thoroughfare to the area behind us; other road constructions around us; and others.

Please mark your calendars to attend the August meetings. If you can not, please take a moment to contact the Committee Members:

ELUA here; ELUC here, County and City here.

In the meantime, we continue to pursue other options - feel free to contact me for any information - we have assembled a good library of details. And follow this blog for updates.

ONE MORE COMMUNIY MEETING, THEN ELUC AND ELUA IN AUGUST

Several area residents attend last night's second of 3 "Community Outreach" meeting, the final one is next Monday at 5:30 at the Southside Library.

Basically, although intended for the entire annexation area, only residents from our immediate vicinity attended. The City Staff has become accustomed to our concerns and questions, but basically is just there to provide the City's party line.

The real action will take place at the next ELUC meeting August 13, with the ELUA set to approve the revised Rural Residential Ordinance with increased density allowances on August 27. Both meetings are at 6 Pm at 102 Grant Street, open to the public.

In the recent meetings we have continued to identify questions of concern, including: increased densities to 3 per acre, with distinct possibilities for MUCH HIGHER densities; water and sewer hook-ups, new roads through or near Coyote Ridge Road; Coyote Ridge Road becoming a thoroughfare to the area behind us; other road constructions around us; and others.

Please mark your calendars to attend the August meetings. If you can not, please take a moment to contact the Committee Members: ELUA here; ELUC here, County and City here.

In the meantime, feel free to contact me for any information - we have assembled a good library of details. And follow this blog for updates.

REMINDER - COMMUNITY MEETING MONDAY, JULY 6

We hope everyone had a festive and safe Fourth of July Holiday weekend. Now, time to get back to work.

First up, the second of three "Community Meetings" about the City annexation and pending zoning and density changes. Monday's meeting is at the Southside Library, 6599 Jaguar Drive.

Monday, July 6
Open House: 4 - 5:30 PM
Presentation/Discussion: 5:30-7 PM
Monday, July 13Open House: 4-5:30 PM
Presentation/Discussion: 5:30-7 PM

IF YOU CAN NOT ATTEND, PLEASE WRITE/CALL OR EMAIL THE MEMBERS OF THE ELUA. This commission will meet in August to pass a City Ordinance that will allow INCREASED DENSITIES OF UP TO 5 UNITS PER ACRE, among many other devastating changes to our rural neighborhood.

Here are the members of the ELUA:Rosemary Romero (city)Miguel Chavez (city)Carmichael Dominguez (city)Virginia Vigil (county)Harry Montoya (chair/county)Liz Stefanics (county)Kathy Holian (county)

Contacts:
Santa Fe City Council

Santa Fe County Commissioners

In case you missed it, among the many problems the City is facing (a budget that is not sustainable, cuts in services, etc) last week it was recommended that the City needs to increase sewer fees by 47%; this is just another hidden cost that we will absorb if annexed by the City.)

See you Monday!