La Cienega Valley Association

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LCVA News – March 15, 2014

Community – County Meeting Wednesday, March 19

Important Community Meeting with County Staff at 9:00 a.m. this Wednesday, March 19 at the community center. Please try to make this meeting to voice your concerns regarding the following important community issues and concerns.

  • Neighborhood Watch Program
  • Library and library playground plans
  • Entrada la Cienega and Paseo C’de Baca repair and repaving
  • County water loop at end of Paseo C’de Baca
  • Community senior program and meals on wheels
  • Other community matters

La Cieneguilla Lot Splits

This is a reminder that the CDRC decision on the proposed lot splits in La Cieneguilla will be made this Thursday, March 20. As previously reported the February CDRC decision ended with a tie 3-3 vote with one absent member. The member who did not attend the meeting will review the minutes and other submitted information to make his/her decision on the lot splits. There will be no public input, the CDRC will simply vote on the proposal.

The lot split would not be allowed if the La Cieneguilla Homeowner’s Association was still active and able to enforce the previously established covenants for the community. LCVA encourages La Cieneguilla residents to consider re-establishing the association as way to protect their interests. The other factor that is currently unknown is how the County Code, which is in the process of being written, will impact lot splits of this type.

Regardless of the CDRC decision the next step in the process will be a review and decision by the County Commission. LCVA will provide information on the date of the Commission review.

For a number of years our community had an active (and really good) local review board, the La Cienega-La Cieneguilla Development Review Committee that was responsible for reviewing community land use proposals. The County in the process of writing and adopting the Sustainable Land Development Plan, without notice, abolished all communnity review boards based on legal opinions from an outside consultant and County legal staff. This decision has never been challenged but left communities with no local voice on land use matters that have great and lasting impacts on our communities. Those decisions are now made by the CDRC which has no representation from our area.

Proposed La Bajada Mesa Sand and Gravel Mine

A complaint was received for LCVA’s failure to include notice in the LCVA newsletter of the County’s March 20 Development Review Committee hearing on the proposed Sand and Gravel operation. Given the broad media attention in both the newspaper and on TV, it was presumed it didn’t need much more notice. LCVA’s Board did submit a letter opposing the proposed mine.

Newsletter

Speaking of the newsletter, due to the continuing uneven and delayed distribution of the newsletter coupled with the cost to mail it, LCVA’s Board is seriously considering going to an electronic version of the newsletter. It would be posted on the LCVA web site. Hard copies would still be available and mailed to those residents who prefer a paper version or who do not have Internet access. Don’t forget to check out and subscribe to the LCVA web site, it’s pretty cool.

National Monument Opposition

A number of questions have been received about LCVA Board’s opposition to the proposed La Bajada Mesa National Monument which was detailed in a letter to the National Monument proponents. LCVA Board’s position was the result of the National Monument group’s presentation at a community meeting held at the community center on November 7. Notice of the meeting was included in the LCVA October newsletter. Approximately 25 residents attended the meeting which included all eight LCVA Board members.

Contributing to the Board’s opposition to the proposed National Monument were complaints from area ranchers who would be directly and indirectly impacted by the National Monument and had not been contacted or poorly informed regarding Monument’s proposed boundaries. The first 20-30 minutes of the meeting were residents complaining about the lack of contact and information. LCVA was also concerned that the group had solicited support from a variety of sources and organizations before formally approaching the LCVA.

Please remember the last paragraph of the LCVA letter reads as follows: “As a result of this and other concerns, LCVA’s Board voted to oppose the Coalition to Protect the Gateway’s current proposal to create the La Bajada Mesa National Monument, but would remain open to considering a modified and downsized National Monument proposal in the future.”

Endurance Race

On April 26-27 Listening Horse Therapeutic Riding, a non-profit offering their services to active military, veterans, their spouses and children, at risk youth and others facing serious emotional challenges will be holding a fund raiser at the Santa Fe Equestrian Center in La Cieneguilla.

The fundraiser is an American Endurance Ride Conference sanctioned endurance ride of 12, 25 and 50 miles that will take riders into the Caja del Rio with the basecamp at the Equestrian Center. All horses competing in the event go through rigorous vet checks before and during the ride.

For details and registration contact ridecaja2014.weebly.com or if you would like to volunteer to help with the event please contact Laurie at [email protected].

On another note, LCVA has noticed the signs for the New Mexico Center of Therapeutic Riding by the Downs. LCVA has tried to contact this group and welcome them to our community but have not been successful so far. We will keep you posted.

Horses Back At The Downs

Thanks to the hard work and efforts of resident Jasper Vassau, horses are returning to the Downs. LCVA will be sending out details about a variety of equestrian events, but we do know that show jumping and dressage portions of a three-day event (think Olympics) will be held at the Downs in mid-August. The cross country portion of the event will be held at Goose Downs Farm in Galisteo.

The last three-day event held at the Downs in the 1990s attracted riders from 21 states and included an amazing cross country course that wound through the track’s infield. It is LCVA’s understanding the equestrian events, that may include National Reining Horse Association events, will not impact the youth soccer league.

Board Elections

A reminder of the Board and President nominations after the community breakfast on May 3. Board positions up for nominations include Keir Careccio, La Cieneguilla, Paul Murray, Upper La Cienega, Mary Dixon, Lower La Cienega and Carl Dickens, President.

Santa Fe River County Open Space

Lisa Roach is the County’s new Open Space and Trails Planner. In conjunction with her position with the County, Lisa, as you will note from her memo that follows, has been actively involved in working with the Santa Fe River Traditional Communities Collaborative. We have been impressed with her pro-active efforts to develop management plans for County open spaces.

Date: March 13, 2014

To: Carl Dickens,
President, La Cienega Valley Association
Co-Chair, Santa Fe River Traditional Communities Collaborative

From: Lisa Roach, Open Space and Trails Planner
Terry Lease, Facilities, Operations and Maintenance Manager

Re: Maintenance scheduled for Friday, March 14th on Santa Fe County Open Space

The Santa Fe County Open Space and Trails Program will be conducting routine maintenance at the County-owned open space along the Santa Fe River at Calle Debra in La Cieneguilla on Friday, March 14, 2014. In addition to addressing routine maintenance needs of the property, maintenance activities will also serve the purposes of wildfire risk reduction and egress. A small crew of Santa Fe County Public Works and Wildland Fire staff will be performing the following activities:

  • Removal of woody debris
  • Thinning of vegetation
  • Removal of invasive plants

If you have any questions, please contact Lisa Roach, Santa Fe County Open Space and Trails Planner, 992-9857, or Terry Lease, Facilities, Operations and Maintenance Manager, 992-3038.

LCVA Contributions

Finally one resident asked for the address to send donations to the LCVA. That address is:

LCVA
PO Box 23554
Santa Fe, NM 87502