Update March 2009

Just to update everyone on the Rio Arriba Task Force. No meeting have been scheduled sense October 2008. We have a new "Planning Board" and at sometime according to Gabe Boyle of RA County Planning and Zoning there have been some setbacks with the leaving of Chris Palmer. A new person will take over at some time in the future but no dates have been set.

RA County continues to work on Gas and Oil issues and it seems to be taking most of the County Resources as far as Planning ans Zoning issues are concerned. Will keep all posted on any new updates. ADMIN-

Land And Water

Goal 2: Protect and restore irrigated agricultural lands for livestock and agricultural production purposes and encourage/promote managed development on dry land.

"Dry Land Development" = "Conservation Development.

Conservation Sub-Divisions, Conservation Argicultural Development, "CONSERVATION"

What are the benefits/drawbacks?
More Info!

Comprehensive Plan Task Force Meeting Agenda

Task Force,
Outlined below are the topics which the Planning and Zoning Department find to be of high priority for discussion for this evenings Task Force Meeting. I wanted to send you this priority list before the meeting to somewhat outline our high priority concerns for the meeting tonight.

I look forward to introducing myself, listening to points of view of all members and interested people for the implementation of the Comprehensive Plan as well as discussing the topics listed below.

I look forward to seeing you tonight from 4 to 6 PM at the Rural Events Center on Hwy. #554.

Sincerely yours,

Christopher Palmer

Comprehensive Plan Task Force Meeting Agenda
July 23, 2008, Rural Events Center, Rio Arriba County
Topics of Discussion

V. Land and Water

Goal 1: Strengthen the connection between the land and water, and protect the water rights within the region.

Strategy.1: Map the acequias with priority dates of water rights and Mutual Domestic Water Associations and delineate the watersheds that serve them. Encourage the acequia and mutual domestic areas with serious water supply or water rights issues to work with the County and OSE in establishing Critical Management Areas and Stream Corridor Areas.

Goal 2: Protect and restore irrigated agricultural lands for livestock and agricultural production purposes and encourage/promote managed development on dry land.

Strategy 7: Identify, map and protect significant agricultural and grazing lands, prioritize lands for conservation, and work with non-profit conservation organizations to utilize conservation easements, grass banks, purchase of development rights (PDR), etc, where appropriate.

Strategy 9: Amend the Irrigated Agricultural Land Protection Ordinance to improve its effectiveness in conserving agricultural lands within subdivisions.

Strategy 10: Create an irrigated agricultural land overlay zone in the Design and Development Regulation ordinance so it applies to all irrigated lands.

Strategy 14: All new subdivisions should have community/shared wells and treated liquid waste systems, demonstrate a 100 year water adequacy plan and assure water rights to meet full demand at build out, including water for fire-fighting and facilities for storage, distribution and delivery for fire flows.

Strategy 17: Place limits on new domestic well uses as a condition of approval of any development through amendments to the Subdivision Regulations and Design and Development Regulation ordinance, such as shared wells, limiting amount of water to 1 ac/yr and metering each service connection.

Strategy 18: Promote and demonstrate domestic water conservation efforts, such as the use of drip irrigation, gray-water, water harvesting, low-flow fixtures, xeriscape landscaping through education programs and in the Subdivision Regulations and Design and Development Regulation ordinance.

Goal 3: Protect and restore the open spaces and natural resources such as the rivers, riparian areas, cienegas, floodplains, wildlife habitats, forests and grasslands.

Strategy 22: Protect riparian areas, wetlands, springs and watercourses through conservation easements, and establishing a 300’ wide riparian habitat corridor residential/commercial building setback from watercourses with flows greater than 1,000 cfs in a 100 year event (agricultural buildings are exempt from this setback).

Strategy 24: Protect and enhance riparian areas, springs, wetlands and river and stream corridors by promoting and implementing riparian restoration, re-vegetation, fencing enclosure projects and by minimizing the use of toxic herbicides in critical watershed areas.

Goal 5: Protect the region’s water supply and quality by creating opportunities for water recharge and storage.

Strategy 32: Establish Critical Management Areas and Stream Corridor Areas within the County in collaboration with the Office of the State Engineer and provide for their protection in the Subdivision Regulations and Design and Development Regulation ordinance.

Strategy 35: Pursue funding for water and wastewater maintenance and development projects from state and federal sources such as the State Water Trust Board, State Legislature, and NM Finance Authority.

VIII. Community Facilities/Infrastructure

Goal 1: Incrementally improve electrical

distribution and availability by promoting the use
of renewable energy and reduction of greenhouse gases.

Goal 2: Develop appropriate water and wastewater
technology standards in new developments.

Goal 3: Limit the proliferation of individual
septic systems and wells.

Goal 4: Promote reuse and multiple uses of existing
community facilities, and develop new
parks and recreational facilities to meet community needs.

Goal 5: Promote local usage of natural resources
for energy production, road and
construction materials when compatible
with neighborhoods and the environment.
Goal 6: Expand the animal control capabilities to
ensure adequate protection of people and animals.
Goal 7: Improve solid waste services and facilities
and promote recycling to beautify the County.
Goal 8: Provide adequate and accessible total

health care facilities and promote the County’s
Health Commons and primary care facilities.

Goal 9: Work in collaboration with the Acequia
commissions to improve and maintain acequia access easements.

IX. Transportation

Goal 1: Improve and maintain the County roads’

level of service and condition.

Goal 2: Encourage multi-modal transportation uses,
such as bike lanes and transit services.

Goal 3: Expand access and availability of the
public transit system for all ages.

Goal 4: Improve safety of the roadway system.
Goal 5: Improve and maintain public access

to traditional and communal lands.

X. Hazard Mitigation

Goal 1: Reduce potential loss of life and damage to existing community assets, including structures, critical facilities and infrastructure from all natural and human-caused hazards such as wildfires, flooding, drought, severe weather, earthquakes and contaminants.

Goal 2: Promote disaster-resistant future development by limiting development in high hazard areas.

Goal 3: Promote education of hazard mitigation as a public value in recognition of its importance to the health, safety and welfare of the population.

Goal 4: Enforce and improve fire protection infrastructure for the urban wildland interface.

Goal 5: Upgrade and enhance the County’s emergency response system to ensure that all areas have adequate police, fire and emergency services.

Rio Arriba County Office of Emergency Management

VII. Housing ( Existing Conditions )

Housing Characteristics

Rio Arriba County is unique in that a very large percentage (81.6%) of homes are owned and occupied in comparison to the average for the State of New Mexico (70%). Overall, only 18.4% of Rio Arriba County’s housing units are rented as opposed to 30% of New Mexico housing units overall. These figures reinforce the County’s family-orientation and the historic
ties that residents maintain to the area.
Goal 1: Promote site-built, higher residential density and infill developments in areas where adequate infrastructure exists or will be provided.

Goal 2: Provide incentives and education for affordable home ownership.
Rio Arriba is also notable for its high percentage of mobile homes. At 37% of all homes, the County has almost twice as many mobile homes, per capita, as the state. As neither the City of Española nor Rio Arriba County have adopted affordable housing ordinances, manufactured and mobile housing units currently serve as affordable housing alternatives for the region.
Goal 3: Provide incentives for the rehabilitation
of existing site-built residential structures.

Like many rural areas of the state, Rio Arriba County’s housing stock is old. Eleven percent of housing units were built before 1939, compared to 5.9% of housing units built during that period in New Mexico. In addition to having structural rehabilitation needs, older housing is also at higher risk for lead-based paint.

Goal 4: Encourage the use of sustainable development practices.
The County has more housing units that lack complete plumbing and kitchen facilities and telephone service than the state, and more residents use wood or bottled, tank or propane gas for their household heating needs.
Goal 5: Encourage a diversity of housing opportunities.
With a slightly larger household size than the state of 2.71 persons, Rio Arriba County actually experiences less overcrowding than New Mexico as a whole. Median home values for Rio Arriba are only slightly less than those for New Mexico, at $107,500 vs. $108,100.

Strategies

Making Conncetions

( How to Email,Link and Comment )

Not to hard to share!

Rio Arriba County Comprehensive Plan

Rio Arriba County Comprehensive Plan Adopted January 24, 2008
Click on the above Web-Link for the complete text.