City Council moved the Rancho Santa Teresa development forward after county commissioners raised possible legal action and Sunland Park’s own Planning and Zoning Commission rejected the annexation

Damien Willis, Organ Mountain News

SUNLAND PARK - Sunland Park has approved the annexation of about 362 acres for the proposed Rancho Santa Teresa development, moving forward despite warnings from Doña Ana County about development near its international jetport and a recommendation against the annexation from the city’s own Planning and Zoning Commission.

The City Council approved the annexation Tuesday, less than a week after Doña Ana County commissioners formally objected to the proposal and added language to a letter saying the county could consider legal options to preserve a buffer around the Doña Ana County International Jetport.

The land sits along Sunland Park’s northwestern boundary near Pete Domenici Highway. About 307 acres are envisioned for future mixed-use development known as Rancho Santa Teresa, Units 9-12.

CGDP3 LLC owns the property covered by the annexation request.

The council’s decision came after the Sunland Park Planning and Zoning Commission considered the annexation Monday. Only three commissioners were present, and all three voted against the request, according to city staff.

City planning staff nevertheless recommended approval to the City Council.

The council ultimately approved the annexation after a lengthy discussion that included questions about public-notice requirements.

County had warned of possible legal action

Tuesday’s vote puts Sunland Park on a potential collision course with Doña Ana County over development around the jetport.

County commissioners voted Aug. 25 to send Sunland Park an amended letter raising concerns about residential development near existing industrial operations, future expansion of Pete Domenici Highway and the county’s ongoing jetport master-planning process.

Interim County Attorney Alonzo Maestas added language stating that the county “will consider its legal recourse” to preserve an appropriate buffer around the airport and protect public safety and efficient airport operations.

County officials discussed whether state law could allow the county to use eminent domain to protect land near the airport, although commissioners stopped short of directing staff to pursue condemnation.

Acting County Manager Stephen Lopez noted during that discussion that the jetport runway points toward the property proposed for annexation.

County staff also told commissioners that plans submitted with the annexation envision medium- to high-density housing along with commercial and industrial development.

Once the property is annexed, however, Sunland Park controls the zoning.

“The county does not have a lot of, I guess, sway or authority to prevent the annexation from occurring,” Doña Ana County Community Development Director Christina Ainsworth told commissioners last week. “It’s going to be ultimately up to the city.”

Sunland Park has now made that decision.

Zoning decision postponed

Annexation does not mean the proposed development has received all of its land-use approvals.

The City Council postponed a related request to rezone about 307.4 acres from existing Doña Ana County zoning to a mix of residential-commercial planned-unit development and commercial zoning.

That item will return to the Planning and Zoning Commission on Sept. 23 before coming back to the City Council on Oct. 6.

Sunland Park Mayor Javier Perea said he wanted the Planning and Zoning Commission to consider the merits of the zoning proposal separately. City staff said commissioners had effectively declined to fully consider the zoning request after voting against the annexation.

The council also approved a development agreement Tuesday between the city, Camino Real Regional Utility Authority, CGDP3 LLC and GBL Properties LLC.

The agreement establishes a framework for the roughly 307-acre development and anticipates future consideration of a public improvement district and tax increment development district to help finance infrastructure.

Bill Hagan, representing the development group, told councilors the annexation was pursued with the expectation that Sunland Park would promptly consider those financing mechanisms along with the zoning requests.

“We’ve never done the TID district before,” Hagan said.

New road could connect to NM 136

The proposed tax increment development district could help finance a significant new transportation connection through the growing Santa Teresa-Sunland Park area.

Hagan said the proposed “2040 Road” would run across the development and other property before connecting with a new interchange on NM 136.

The road is intended to provide another north-south connection between McNutt Road and NM 136 and eventually connect through Rancho Santa Teresa Units 5-8 toward Memorial Pines.

Development documents also contemplate bringing Rancho Santa Teresa Units 5-8 into the tax increment development district later and include a proposed cost-sharing arrangement between the developer and Sunland Park for Airport Road.

The road and financing plans remain subject to additional approvals.

Water, wastewater questions remain

Doña Ana County commissioners also raised questions last week about whether sufficient water, wastewater and other infrastructure exists to serve the development.

Ainsworth said those details were not included in the annexation materials the county reviewed and would be handled through Sunland Park’s development process.

The project would require service from the Camino Real Regional Utility Authority and could require additional infrastructure if existing systems are insufficient.

Commissioner Susana Chaparro questioned why the county was being asked to comment on annexation without those answers.

“If I understood correctly, the proposal is to annex this land, but we don’t know if there’s sufficient water, if there’s sufficient wastewater, what the infrastructure will be,” Chaparro said at the Aug. 25 meeting.

Those questions now move into the next phase.

With the annexation approved and the development agreement in place, attention shifts to the Sept. 23 Planning and Zoning Commission meeting, the Oct. 6 City Council zoning decision — and whether Doña Ana County follows through on its warning that it may consider legal action to protect the jetport.

Damien Willis is founder and editor of Organ Mountain News. If you have a personal story to share or a lead we should follow up on, reach out at OrganMountainNews@gmail.com or connect with him on X at @damienwillis.