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I don't know the circumstances here, but I have a little bit of a problem with people buying their little 1/2 acre plot in a subdivision on the edge of the desert, and thinking they have the right to deny the adjacent land owner the right to subdivide his land into little 1/2 acre plots. There is a lot of this mentality going on in Cruces now. If you want to be far from your neighbor, buy enough land to ensure that you remain that way. Do not infringe on the property rights of your neighbors, and their rights to get the most value from their land. There are county regulations and zoning that prevent improper density in developments, and require proper drainage.
The East Mesa is full of these little plots with trailers, substandard housing, and septic tanks on unplanned roads with no infrastructure. But when a developer comes in and plans a development with infrastructure, paved roads, parks, schools, drainage, etc. everyone cries foul.
Just my $0.02.
I don't know the circumstances here, but I have a little bit of a problem with people buying their little 1/2 acre plot in a subdivision on the edge of the desert, and thinking they have the right to deny the adjacent land owner the right to subdivide his land into little 1/2 acre plots. There is a lot of this mentality going on in Cruces now. If you want to be far from your neighbor, buy enough land to ensure that you remain that way. Do not infringe on the property rights of your neighbors, and their rights to get the most value from their land. There are county regulations and zoning that prevent improper density in developments, and require proper drainage.
The East Mesa is full of these little plots with trailers, substandard housing, and septic tanks on unplanned roads with no infrastructure. But when a developer comes in and plans a development with infrastructure, paved roads, parks, schools, drainage, etc. everyone cries foul.
Just my $0.02.
From an opposing point of view, you make a very persuasive argument, Domino. I'm afraid I am going to have to add to your reputation.
Mike,
Don't get me wrong, I have no desire to live in a cookie cutter subdivision, but if you look around Las Cruces, it's the unplanned growth and the "homesteaders" that are the major contributors to the urban sprawl on the East Mesa. The developers make more efficient use of the land, and are more likely to preserve open spaces. Most subdivisions in the county come with deed restrictions that limit what can be built. Other places in the county, someone can move in with a trailer, a pack of dogs, goats, and chickens next to your multi-million dollar Tuscan villa in the desert.
Actually, we weren't so much opposing the development as we were opposing the policies and procedures by which developments such as these are being allowed to sprout. That is in fact how we prevailed. The developer did an end run on getting the state engineers support by going to Santa Fe. It took the decision making out of the Las Cruces district. This endeavor was fraudulent on its face. If you get the state engineer to say that individual wells are just fine but you make the buyers of this property go to the local office to get well permits, they run the high risk of being denied their well application. So, the developer would be getting in some instances $500,000.00 with no promises of water. Not to mention if you pave over and destroy the watershed, then my "little plot" runs a grave danger of being a "little pond." Dona Ana has no watershed policy or arroyo preservation policy. They have been looking at recommendations on this for two years and made no move towards one. Development has to be based on credible and responsible decision making which utilizes the most current land use strategies available. It cannot be based on developers working the system. Your "unplanned growth" and "homesteaders" are in fact the result of that type of manipulation. Now, don't bother me while I return to my Tuscan Villa in the desert with my dogs.
Mike,
Don't get me wrong, I have no desire to live in a cookie cutter subdivision, but if you look around Las Cruces, it's the unplanned growth and the "homesteaders" that are the major contributors to the urban sprawl on the East Mesa. The developers make more efficient use of the land, and are more likely to preserve open spaces. Most subdivisions in the county come with deed restrictions that limit what can be built. Other places in the county, someone can move in with a trailer, a pack of dogs, goats, and chickens next to your multi-million dollar Tuscan villa in the desert.
PS How do you add to someone's reputation?
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