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I'm curious about the fire restrictions/requirements that you have placed on you. Can you tell us more about what is required of you, such as fire barriers, structures, etc.? And do you believe it will do any good in your case?
Recently the Village of Ruidoso has passed a new ordinance that requires us to thin out our land/trees. I met with a Village inspector who inspected our lot in June and tagged about 20 trees that need to be removed to reduce the chance of a forest fire. We have until July 2010 to comply. The entire Village is now under such an ordinance. I will see if I can find you the specific ordinance, but in the meantime if you contact the Village of Ruidoso I am sure they can provide the ordinance for you.
Any thing we can do to lessen the chance of a forest fire is a good thing, but being required to do so is another thing. I don't think it should be mandatory, but I will comply.
Thanks, JDTH. I think it's wise to have trees cut back from close to the house. Here 40 feet is recommended to lessen the risk of ignition from a wind-driven tree top fire that can be like a blow-torch over your roof. I would like to see the government offer real incentives to home owners who want to make the roof and sides of a home more fire-resistant to withstand such a situation. A fire barrier under a metal roof is best. And, wood trim is a no-no. Vinyl siding is a disaster waiting to happen. I recently saw a home that had a barrier, but the low shrubs next to the house caught the siding on fire. Poof! Wood shingles are made more vulnerable from debris that gets under them and between them. Probably the most fire resistant structure is the tried-and-true adobe.
It has been quite a shock living here, and we can't seem to get used to it , We are not to keen about the high plains, we are having a very hard time adjusting to wind and dust, and lack of any body of water (even just a creek would be nice!)
I moved from Northern Indiana about 5 years ago, so I know what you mean. I live in Alamogordo, and I just can't get used to high desert. I mean I'm used to tress, flowers, grass everywhere. I really miss Lake Michigan. Lake Michigan is part of the Great Lakes. Lake Michigan is like a small Ocean.
I wish we had some water here also. But next Spring I'm moving up to Ruidoso, I love the area, and the cool Summer's, plus the Hiking possibilities.........
Thanks for the info JDTH. I'll review the links. This will give me a good indication of what can be expected of landowners in other New Mexico communities with similar problems.
We were in Ruidoso last week and had a lovely time. I met an interesting person who volunteered at Fort Stanton ; she told me that she & her husband had moved to Ruidoso from Long Island, NY and that she just loved living there. My husband and I are 60. I'm wondering if there is a trend of growth now in the Ruidoso area with baby boomers coming in to buy or rent.
parilee, coming from California as you are, I bet you're in a state of shock living in Portales/NE NM. It's a whole different world. I am a liberal & live in the area you mentioned. I would pursue checking out Albuquerque. You'll find more jobs and more liberal environment.
This doesn't apply ONLY to Ruidoso or even NM - but anyone who has the leisure of contemplating a move somewhere would be well advised to go there and rent for as long as feasible before jumping off with both feet.
This is especially true of the Ruidoso area. It's unique economy and culture are definitely not for everyone - especially those who are moving from places like California, Forida or the East Coast.
My husband and I are 60. I'm wondering if there is a trend of growth now in the Ruidoso area with baby boomers coming in to buy or rent.
Definitely a large number or retirees living in Ruidoso - either full time or part time. Some retirees live here in summer and retain their house elsewhere for winter living. There are two Senior Centers paid for by tax dollars - one is maintained by the village of Ruidoso and the other (most active) one is maintained by Ruidoso Downs. But anyone in the area can take advantage of either facility. Ruidoso has an excellent public library for a town its size, a good regional hospital for "most" routine problems. Lack of medical specialists is the biggest problem. With a nearby ski area, one would think that it would be an ideal situation for an orthopedic specialist.
Luckily for those seniors who need assisted living, the Mescalero tribe owns a very nice care facility that is open to everyone - not only tribal members, and is only a 20 minute drive from Ruidoso for spouses still living independently.
As for the tree thinning program, that is a VILLAGE program that is not yet mandated in the county. In the village, if you don't do the tree thinning as prescribed, your property can have a lien placed against it and the village will do the thinning for you. It's an important program because of the dense growth on many of the lots in town that once had Ruidoso noted as one of the most potentially inflammable habitats in the SW. People tend to love their trees and resist cutting them down themselves, therefore the mandated program.
There are still a few homes in the area that had the house or porch built around a large tree rather than cutting it down. And that is in spite of the fact that tall pine trees are constantly shedding one thing or another, making a constant mess to deal with.
I get the impression that a tree-house is out of the question. Eventually trees won't be the major problem. Homes built a few feet apart are an even bigger problem. Especially, where fire departments are insufficient to stop a fire at the first home that ignites. But, we won't see a push to prevent that. People who are considering buying in New Mexico wooded areas need to do their homework. Getting rid of trees can be very expensive. Unfortunately sellers of land will still tout that the land being offered is heavily wooded. When, I first saw the land that I was considering, I was glad that I'll need to do very little clearing. The guy I bought from had not tried to mislead me. In communities where mandatory clearing becomes the law, the person who has the wherewithal to clear his/her own land, will have a new opportunity to buy land cheap.
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