On Tuesday, the Las Cruces City Council voted to pass the controversial ordinance Realize Las Cruces.
By a vote of 6-1, the Las Cruces City Council voted to pass Ordinance 3090, otherwise known as Realize Las Cruces, which updates the policies and actions identified through the Elevate Las Cruces plan. The update focuses on amending the existing zoning regulations, zoning map, subdivision regulations, sign regulations, and design standards. It also focuses on streamlining and simplifying development procedures, which were last updated in 2001. It would allow for the reduction or removal of minimum lot standards, increased land area zoned for multi-unit housing, and two-unit and multi-unit structures in all residential areas without any special use review.
District 2 city councilor Bill Mattiace, the only councilor who voted against the ordinance, at one point sparred with Community Development Deputy Director Chris Faivre, on whether or not the property value of a home would go up if a hypothetical walkable café was built next door to it.
“If you’re asking me personally if I think the value of my home would go up because there was a walkable café, I do,” said Faivre, responding to Mattiace’s query.
“And you’re talking about a walkable café right next to your home,” Mattiace said. “Right next door.”
“There’s going to be restrictions that probably would not allow that to happen,” Faivre answered.
“And that’s where I can’t vote yes on this, because you’re talking about ‘probably’. But it could happen,” said Mattiace, to cheers from some in the audience.
Before the council voted, nearly 70 people gave public comments to the council about the ordinance—most in favor of it, but many against it, such as Edward Howell, who turned to the packed city hall chambers to make his point.
“How many of you are against this plan as it’s presented today? Raise your hands,” Howell asked the audience, as many raised their hands. “Okay. How many of you would be inclined to vote against someone, who’s on the council, who has approved this bill going forward—vote against them?” Again, many hands were raised. Howell then turned back to address the council. “So maybe that will help you as you start to think about this, because there are many people who don’t like this plan. And those people, not only are they homeowners, they’re voters.”
NMSU faculty member Dr. Christopher Brown, who was also a member of the technical advisory committee who worked to develop Realize Las Cruces, implored the council to pass it.
“If we want a town where we want our kids to have a chance—just a chance—at buying the American dream that so many of us in this room enjoy, we must solve this housing crisis,” Brown told the council. “As someone else before you said, if you support this, I’ll vote for you, I’ll campaign for you and everything you do.”
After nearly two hours of public comments, the council voted 6-1 to pass it. The next city council meeting is scheduled for Monday, March 3rd.
