The city’s commissioners and city managers in the last five years have been flirting with commercial development around the river, revealing a value system in conflict with the majority of their constituents’, who want green space preserved and expanded and no housing or commercial development to mar the views and nature trails.
City chambers were filled at the August 14 city commission meeting. The word had spread the city commission was considering selling city land for a housing project. The land in question is the slopes and bottom land around the mesa that some call ‘veterans hill.’
Many people who spoke during public comment compared this city-owned public land to New York City’s Central Park. What would that city be without it? What would T or C be without its centrally located green space, with its mile-long portion of the Healing Waters Trail that connects with two more miles of that same trail within the Hot Springs District?
Many residents who work, live or own businesses downtown said the Healing Waters Trail is a big tourist draw. Even T or C City Commissioner Destiny Mitchell confirmed this. She volunteers at the city’s Geronimo Trail Scenic Byway Visitor Center at 513 N. Broadway, downtown. Visitors ask where to hike and the Healing Waters Trail pamphlet is the most wanted and flies out the door, she said.
And it’s not just tourists and visitors who use the trail. Several people said they moved to T or C because they could access nature steps from their door.
A woman named Sunday said she opened a business and chose to live here because T or C has “million-dollar views for working-class people.”
Mickey Orionada (not sure of spelling) said he has lived in four other countries and eight cities. Truth or Consequences is unique, he said, because of its “charm” and “unobstructed views, which is rare. It almost looks prehistoric. That’s why people are drawn here, because of its quietness and pristineness. You can’t put a dollar value on that.”
Many residents, such as Jennie Ortiz, pointed out that “by preserving this land you increase the overall value of the community.”
Ortiz and Kyle Cunningham had conducted an on-line survey and received 330 responses. Only 12 people said the city should consider selling the land in question.
Of the 21 people who spoke during public comment, only one spoke in favor of the city selling the land and that was Bruce Swingle, the previous city manager from 2021 to 2023, who now works for PreReal Investments, which represents the investor team, a father and son named Burman. They have purchased many homes, lots and businesses in T or C and Elephant Butte. For more information on these purchases and who is behind them, see:
Swingle said the Healing Waters Trails “were purposely carved out” of the city parcel, and they would indeed increase the “value of the property.” The city, when he was city manager, he said, had over 100 properties “that we decided to sell” to return them to the tax rolls. It’s time to also return this city land to the tax rolls, he said, for a residential development that will increase property tax revenue.
The survey map the city commission ordered done (page 225 of the Aug. 14 city packet) shows that “Integrated Environmental Services” owns land between a drainage ditch and Clancy Street, which is at the bottom of the mesa and adjacent to the city land in question. Integrated Environmental Services is one of the many company names the Burmans use to purchase property.
Mayor Rolf Hechler said the city was considering the sale because doctors and nurses working at or considering working at the veteran’s home and Sierra Vista Hospital have trouble finding housing, as do teachers. The sale would include “caveats to improve the trail,” he said. “The housing problem will be solved by development across the river or around the Healing Waters Trail,” Hechler said. Like Swingle, Hechler said new homes means improved property values and increased property tax revenue, “which improves our community.”
Hechler asked those giving public comment to offer “alternatives” to housing development across the river or the Healing Waters Trail area.
Many people said the city’s water and sewer systems are in bad shape and can’t handle spreading across the river or a new housing development. Infill development of the many vacant lots as well as fixing up dilapidated homes is what’s needed, they said.
The city’s 2014 Comprehensive Plan, 2014 Affordable Housing Plan, 2008 Sierra County Economic Development plan all recommend infill development. The plans are on the city’s website. The Affordable Housing Plan recommends infill development/high-density housing of 34 acres the city owns near Ben Archer Health Clinic and shopping on North Date Street.
The Affordable Housing Plan says the city should partner with the T or C Housing Authority to solve its housing issues. They have experience in solving such problems and are the traditional recipients of government grants, such as federal Community Development Block Grants.
Hechler claimed that the city commission “didn’t initiate” the proposed sale of the city land, calling on Assistant City Manager Traci Alvarez to explain “how we got here.”
Alvarez said previous city manager Morris Madrid precipitated the possible sale of the mesa land, and offers to buy it are not limited to PreReal; four other offers have been made.
Madrid ordered a “feasibility” study of development along river front on both sides of the Rio Grande. The city commission approved the study, which included an expensive bridge that would accommodate cars and trucks and carry water, sewer and electric lines to the Brown property across the river. For more information on the “Riverwalk” feasibility study, see:
Hechler said the survey ordered by the city commission was part of its “information gathering” phase, not just a preliminary to selling the property.
The survey separates 76 acres of city land into 10 acres at the top, which is the Veterans Memorial Park, and 66 acres that wraps around the New Mexico State Veterans Home property and includes the slopes and bottom land of the mesa.
Before the city can sell, an ordinance will be drafted and advertised and a public hearing will be held, Alvarez said. “It’s a process,” Hechler said.
The city commission voted unanimously to have the survey “recorded” with the county assessor. Hechler said approving the survey was necessary to document and thus preserve the existence of the Healing Waters Trail.
“I don’t want to sell unless I know what we are selling it for,” Hechler said. The developer will present a “proposal and we will bring it to the people.”
Please find below a survey document sent to the Citizen by Assistant City Manager Traci Alvarez:
Interesting .. I had seen this comment from Destiny Mitchell on facebook in response to concerned citizens asking re city council results this week. Notice the big assurance at the end: most of council against the sale.
We need serious change in our city leadership!
Quote:
The commission voted to adopt the parcel survey conducted on the property behind the veterans home which included the Healing Waters Trails and easements. This action will lead to the inclusion of the healing waters trail into the county assessors official records and help to preserve it’s history and heritage. There have been inquiries for the land to be sold, but it was determined today that neither tract one or tract 2 as designated on the survey map are to be advertised as for sale at this time.
. . .
It was further discussed in the meeting that the 67 acres in tract 1 could potentially be re-parceled off for sale in the future, however, City staff are looking into the legalities of this process at this time. It was determined that most of the land adjacent to the Rio Grande belongs to BOR which means it cannot be sold/developed. There was one public comment today from a party interested in purchasing land behind the veterans home, but the majority of the commission was against the sale of tihs property.
I think today was a step closer to helping us preserve this important ecosystem and recreation area. 🙂
Someone sent me a Destiny Mitchell post that said just the opposite, that she saw no problem with selling the land and having it developed. She said nothing in the meeting in favor or not in favor of selling. City Comm. Merry Jo Fahl claimed she has said three times she doesn’t want to sell, yet, after the motion to register the survey was passed, she then instructed city attorney Jay Rubin to look into the legalities of how to divide up the land in preparation for selling. City Comm. Ingo Hoeppner said he would like to see the trails expanded, but said nothing about selling or not selling. Mayor Pro Tem Amanda Forrister asked Asst. City Manager Traci Alvarez if the city commission can see the offers to buy the land and Alvarez said she will have the offerers come before the commission. In no way did the majority of the commission express no desire to sell.
One option for not having long term rentals is to put a moratorium or cap on short term rentals. There are many short term rentals, and not enough long term rentals. Many other cities are having to put a moratorium on new short term rentals to provide affordable housing for workers that need places to live.