The Las Cruces City Council will meet via video conference at 1 p.m. Monday, June 21, 2021, for a regularly scheduled meeting.
City Council will consider adoption of a Resolution approving an affordable housing grant agreement between the City and Tierra Del Sol Housing Corp. for development of infrastructure of the proposed Skylark subdivision, at 5401 Central Road, in City Council District 5.
The City recognizes the need to provide a diverse range of affordable, clean, and safe housing options through private and public partnerships. Tierra del Sol, a nonprofit affordable housing developer and qualified grantee will design and construct an affordable housing development with an initial concept design of approximately 19 single-family lots.
Also included in the subdivision will be a two-acre public park that will be designed and constructed by the City’s Parks & Recreation Department in conjunction with the Public Works Department. An additional roadway will be built as well.
City staff is recommending a partnership be formed between the City and Tierra del Sol to allocate as much as $100,000 to be used for costs of financing infrastructure necessary to support the proposed subdivision. This project will be funded through the Affordable Housing Trust Fund in accordance with the Affordable Housing General Oversight Ordinance.
The funding would be used for planning, design, engineering, construction, acquisition, or installation of infrastructure improvements. Such action is supported by various adopted City Council plans including the City's Affordable Housing Plan, the 2021 to 2025 Consolidated Plan, Elevate Las Cruces, Strategic Plan, and Economic Development Department Strategic Plan.
Additionally, at Monday’s meeting, City Council will also consider adoption of a Resolution approving a $1,155,000 real estate purchase agreement of a 4.8277-acre parcel, at 1101 W. Amador Ave. The property is adjacent to the Mesilla Valley Community of Hope campus, to the north and west. Longtime Las Cruces residents might recall the vacant property was informally known years ago as Compress Field.
The Resolution authorizes the City to purchase the parcel from Brewer Oil Co. In accordance with City and state regulations, the property was appraised by two local appraisers in April 2021. Recent sales of land adjacent to the Community of Hope campus have been at $5.50 per square foot, confirming the negotiated purchase price is in alignment with current fair market values.
City staff evaluated the property and has determined the site to be the preferred location for future expansion of the Community of Hope campus. The property is the only remaining parcel of vacant land available for development near the Community Of Hope.
Other Resolutions or Ordinances on the agenda for Council discussion and consideration include:
Resolution No. 21-186, which would approve a winegrower liquor license application for FARMesilla, a limited liability company at 1840 Avenida de Mesilla. A public hearing will be conducted before City Council considers the application.
Resolution No. 21-189, which would repeal Resolution 21-136, Las Cruces International Airport Rates and Fees for the 2022 to 2024 City fiscal years and replace the previous Resolution with a revised rates and fees schedule for the airport, effective July 1, 2021.
Ordinance No. 2976, which would amend Ordinance 187, as amended by Ordinance 241, for the dedication of a Municipal Local Option Gross Receipts Tax.
Ordinance 2977, which would amend Ordinance 1394, for the dedication of Municipal Local Option Gross Receipts Tax.
There are 10 items on the Consent Agenda for Monday’s Council meeting. A Council member could have any Consent Agenda item removed for discussion or consideration. Consent Agenda items include:
- Resolution No. 21-178, calling for municipal elections, on Tuesday, Nov. 2, 2021, for City Council members for Districts 3, 5 and 6.
- Resolution No. 21-179, authorizing a change order to the professional services agreement between the City and Jarmie & Rogers, P.C., formerly known as Jarmie & Associates, for legal services not to exceed $180,000.
- Resolution No. 21-180, authorizing the City to accept various budget adjustments for various City departments through an amendment to the City’s adopted Fiscal Year 2020-2021 budget and, as applicable, the Fiscal Year 2020-2021 Capital Improvement Plan for June 2021.
- Resolution No. 21-181, authorizing the City to accept various grant awards for various City departments through an amendment to the City’s adopted Fiscal Year 2021 budget and, as applicable, the Fiscal Year 2021 Capital Improvement Plan for June 2021.
- Resolution No. 21-182, to accept various grants from the New Mexico Department of Transportation, 2021 legislative capital outlay, for the Las Cruces median improvements, roadways or drainage improvements on the City’s East Mesa, and the extension of east Madrid Avenue, and to make such projects a priority for the City.
- Resolution No. 21-183, which would approve an agreement between the City and Mesilla Valley Community of Hope for the Mano y Mano Day Labor Program.
- Resolution No. 21-184, which would approve an exception to the HOME Rehabilitation Handbook for the residence at 1178 Wingate St.
- Resolution No. 21-185, which would adopt the Las Cruces Museum System Short-Range Plan and Master Plan Study.
- Ordinance No. 2974, an Ordinance amending Chapter 8, Article II Campaign Code, Section 8-36(C)(6) of the Las Cruces Municipal Code 1978, as amended, to align with New Mexico State Statute (NMSA) Section 1-19-34(B) regarding anonymous contributions.
- Ordinance No. 2975, an Ordinance to authorize the conveyance of a City-owned vacant parcel know as Lot Number 123, of the Los Enamorados subdivision (also know as 4702 Diamante Court), to Mesilla Valley Habitat for Humanity for the development of affordable housing as authorized under the state of New Mexico’s Affordable Housing Act, NMSA 1978, Chapter 104, in conjunction with the City’s Affordable Housing General Oversight Ordinance.
The agenda for Monday’s City Council meeting is available online at: https://lascruces.civicweb.net/Portal/MeetingInformation.aspx?Org=Cal&Id=214.
Monday’s Council meeting will be televised live on CLC-TV, Comcast Cable channel 20. The meeting will also be available online at clctv.com and at YouTube.com/clctv20.