Wednesday, December 5, 2007

Peralta takes zoning ordinance back to drawing board

Julia M. Dendinger News-Bulletin Staff Writer; jdendinger@news-bulletin.com

Peralta After nearly three hours of discussion and public input the Peralta Town Council didn't get any closer to passing a comprehensive zoning ordinance for the fledgling municipality at its meeting last Tuesday.

The main sticking point seems to be the configuration of the commercial zone. The proposed zoning map would reduce the size of the commercial zone established by the county in Peralta and concentrate it along N.M. 47 and change much of the area to a residential zone.

The commercial zone, put in place by the county, runs north and south along the highway, but also spreads east and west on side roads such as Valencia, Algodones and Wesley.

The council has heard from a handful of previous and current property owners who purchased their land knowing that it was zoned commercial. Some property owners run home-based businesses, while others are looking to future development of their commercial property.

"What this comes down to is: Which way will be less burdensome on people?" said Councilor Joseph Romero. "Do we leave it commercial and have the people who want to be residential request a zone change, or do we change it to residential and have the people who want to be commercial ask for a change?

"Either way, we're going to make someone unhappy."

Ultimately, the council decided to table the matter. A workshop was held Tuesday night to further discuss the ordinance. The News-Bulletin went to press prior to the meeting. Coverage of the Tuesday workshop will be in Saturday's edition.

In other action, the council approved a basic procurement policy. Town Administrator Mary Andersen said the policy was needed because of upcoming expenses for the town's municipal election in March.

"Right now, I don't have the authority to buy a pencil," she said. "And since this is a policy, the council can change it at any time. You can change this at your next meeting, if you want."

Romero said that he would like to see the procurement policy discussed in detail. In order to expedite business, Romero asked that the policy be amended to specifically name Andersen as the town's central purchasing officer, and that the policy be revisited at a later time.

The amended procurement policy was adopted by the council by a 4-0 vote.

The council also unanimously approved the publication of its intent to adopt a weed ordinance. Andersen reminded the council and the members of the public at the meeting that publication of intent did not equal adoption of the ordinance.

And even though the town has only been in existence for six months, it is gearing up for the next municipal election in March. After drawing lots at the first council meeting in July, it was determined that the council seats held by Christian Garcia and Nancy "Pug" Burge would be up for grabs in the 2008 election, while Councilors Romero and Leon Otero would serve until 2010.

State statute stipulates that the position of mayor and municipal judge will be up for election in the next municipal election. Mayor Edward Archuleta and Municipal Judge Louis Burkhard must run for office again in March of 2008, if they wish to keep their positions.

In order to hold the election, the town must designate a neutral location to hold early voting, Andersen said. "We have to have the locations for election activities before I can bring an election resolution before you," she said. "And we are statutorily required to pass an election resolution by Dec. 11."

The polling location for early voting and voting on the day of the municipal election must be within the municipal boundaries, Archuleta said. Peralta Elementary School and the fire station had both been considered as polling locations, but neither was ideal, the mayor said.

"I think the school is just too busy to allow for people to cast their votes, and the fire station is rather secluded and making a left turn out of there can be dangerous," he said.

Archuleta said the meeting hall at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church was the current front-runner for the location of Peralta municipal election activities. "We have a question in to the Municipal League to make sure that location would be suitable," he said.

Absentee voting in the municipal election will be a matter of setting up a system to accept applications for absentee ballots and mailing out packets. The town is also considering paying two poll workers for the 30 days prior to the election that early voting must be available.

"We are thinking about two people, four hours a day, three days a week," Archuleta said. Councilor Leon Otero asked if the town was required to have the early voting location open for a certain amount of time.

Archuleta said the town would establish the early voting hours via resolution. "We have to publish the hours; the location will be open and make sure it is manned during those times," he said.

The next regular town council meeting will be at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 11, at the Village of Bosque Farms council chambers.

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