The Las Cruces City Council adopted a Resolution approving land use assumptions for proposed updates to the City’s Public Safety Impact Fee (PSIF) at its Monday, June 6, 2022 regular meeting in Council Chambers at City Hall, 700 N. Main St.
The Land Use Assumptions needed to be approved by City Council prior to adoption of the Public Safety Capital Improvement Plan and the Impact Fee Schedule, which will be presented to the Council for formal consideration later in June. The significance of adopting the Land Use Assumptions establishes the City’s current service population, estimates the City’s future service population, and establishes the density rate for resident and nonresidential development. Those benchmarks will determine recommendations on changes to the impact fee schedule, if warranted.
The Land Use Assumptions use Elevate Las Cruces Comprehensive plan growth and land use assumptions. In 2022, Land Use Assumptions estimate a population of 114,074 city residents and 46,898 dwelling units. By 2030, the City’s population is projected to reach 125,497 residents and there could be as many as 51,593 dwelling units.
Public Safety Impact Fees are paid by all new residential and commercial construction. The one-time fee is used to pay for additional public safety amenities and equipment that will be needed by new development.
Additionally at Monday’s meeting, City Council adopted a Resolution approving a Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) agreement between the City and Mesilla Valley Habitat for Humanity for the acquisition of vacant land that would be used to develop affordable housing.
Habitat for Humanity will use as much as $82,500 in CDBG funding for the acquisition of three parcels for the development of owner-occupied affordable housing. The three houses will be built on parcels in the vicinity of north Sonoma Ranch Boulevard, near Engler and Thurman roads.
The three homes to be built will be sold to qualified low-income households utilizing Habitat for Humanity's homeownership program. The CDBG funds will provide for a direct reduction in the sales price of the housing units, offering a more affordable mortgage to the individual households.
The CDBG program provides the City the opportunity to administer a federally funded program in accordance with the goals of the City's Consolidated Plan, a comprehensive planning document that outlines affordable housing and community development needs.
The City will file a Land Use Restriction Agreement against each property to maintain the property's affordability and use as residential owner-occupied housing.
City Council also adopted an Ordinance Monday that approved the sale of 12.74 acres of city-owned land at the Las Cruces Innovation and Industrial Park to Love’s Truck Stop for $474,538. The land is just west of the truck stop, at the intersection of Crawford Boulevard and Robert Larson Boulevard.
The sale aligns with strategic plan goals of the City, and the City’s Economic Development and Elevate Las Cruces plans. Fifty percent of the sales proceeds will go to the City’s Affordable Housing Trust Fund.
A representative for Love’s told City Council the truck stop will be razed and rebuilt on its expanded property. When completed, the expanded truck stop will provide more than 60 jobs, with 75 percent of those expected to be full-time jobs, 25 percent to be part-time jobs. In addition to expanded facilities, a dog park will also be built at the new truck stop.