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Thursday, January 25, 2007

Developer Told to Rework Plans

By Beth Hahn
Mountain View Telegraph
    Moriarty city councilors asked a local developer to take his plans for a 250-unit housing and apartment development back to the drawing board.
    Tom Williamson, who said he owns several rental properties and a hotel in Moriarty, presented plans for 100 apartment units in duplexes and four-plexes as well as about 150 single-family homes during Tuesday's council meeting.
    The proposed development would be located between Martinez and Amelia roads in the north and south, and N.M. 41 and Eighth Street in the east and west.
    Williamson owns the currently vacant property.
    Moriarty residents who live in homes near the proposed development voiced concern about the concentration of residents, the number of rental units in the development and whether the presence of the four-plexes and duplexes— which Williamson plans to rent only— would drive their property values down.
    Several residents told the council that they do not want another apartment complex similar to the Depot Apartments, which are located at the southern end of Eighth Street in Moriarty. Those apartments, they said, tend to be a magnet for domestic violence and drug activity.
    "We've had our share of drug problems in our area; why would we want to bring more?" said Emiterio Peña, who lives on the edge of the property near N.M. 41 and Martinez Road.
    Most residents, including Matthew Eisner, agreed that Moriarty does need more homes and that housing development could boost the local economy and provide more children for the school district.
    "I don't have a problem with development," he said. "It's just that I don't see a need for over 100 apartment units out here."
    Williamson said he designed the development to get the most return for his money and to be able to pay for sewer and waterline extensions as well as other city subdivision requirements, including paved streets and curbs and gutters.
    Mayor Adan Encinias said that a few years ago, the city paid for a housing study that found a need for rental units and single-family housing.
    Other concerns expressed by residents and city councilor Larry Irvin included a potential problem with a zone-change request by Williamson.
    Although the property is currently zoned R-1 for single-family homes, Williamson requested part of the property where the duplexes and four-plexes would be located be zoned R-3, which allows for more dense development— and mobile homes.
    Williamson stressed that he would not move mobile homes to the property, but Irvin and others said that if he ever sold the land, there is no guarantee that the new owner would not move 100 single-wide mobile homes onto the land.
    Encinias and city councilor Steve Anaya said there were too many unanswered questions and concerns raised by residents to allow the development to move forward.
    Williamson agreed to re-draw his plans and present the changes to Moriarty's Planning and Zoning Commission on Feb. 20.
    In other business, the council:
   

Approved a name change to the DWI Memorial of Perpetual Tears and authorized the memorial's board of directors to seek national status.
    The memorial had been named "The New Mexico DWI Memorial of Perpetual Tears Park," which representative Sonja Britton said was a cumbersome title.
    "We want it to be called the Memorial of Perpetual Tears," she said.
    Britton also said that national status could help gain additional funding and recognition for the memorial, which is located east of N.M. 41 and north of Interstate 40 in Moriarty.
   

Approved building modifications to city property that is being leased to the Sierra Blanca Brewery.
    The modifications will help the company, which brews and bottles beer and apple cider, increase production and use renewable energy including solar power in order to take advantage of grant funds.
   

Approved a resolution supporting EMW Gas' exploration of a regional water pipeline.
    EMW representatives made a presentation prior to a December council meeting, but city councilors took no official action until Tuesday.