Sunland Park approves new annexation

SUNLAND PARK – Judy Adams describes the view from the rear deck of her Santa Teresa home, purchased in 2011, as “like living in a postcard,” with open space backed by mountain ranges, wildlife and the limestone figure of Christ that tops Mount Cristo Rey in Sunland Park.

Christine Reimers has owned her home outside city limits since 2004, “on what used to be the first hole of the golf course that died,” referring to the long-deserted former Santa Teresa Country Club.

“A lot of the people who live there went there for the unimpeded view of golf course and desert,” she said. “I assumed I would not be looking into somebody else’s house in my backyard ever, because that’s what we were assured of.”

Reimers was one of several residents on Doña Ana County land at the periphery of Sunland Park who addressed the City Council at a special meeting Tuesday night as councilors considered an annexation petition by landowners with plans to transform over 1,200 acres of raw land at the city’s western limits into new commercial and residential development.

Several homeowners recalled advice from brokers, title insurers and community members that their backyard views of wild grasses, foxes, birds and the desert landscape were safe from development.

But the city at the edge of El Paso, Texas, and the U.S.-Mexico border is expanding. On Tuesday, councilors unanimously approved a requested annexation of over 2,625 acres, extending city limits in an irregular line westward to N.M. 136, known as the Pete V. Domenici Highway, the crucial road for freight moving through the Santa Teresa Port of Entry.

The landowners envisioning development within the new territory include Mesilla Bolson Properties LLC, Yvonne Collins and Santa Teresa Country Club LLC.

The new boundary line leaves so-called “doughnut holes” of unincorporated county territory where residents attending Tuesday’s meeting expressed dismay at the prospect of Sunland Park businesses and new housing sprouting up around them.

Community members also raised questions about water and wastewater services, in light of prior failures by the local water utility, Camino Real Regional Utility Authority. The utility is in the process of being absorbed by the city with the county assuming responsibility for service outside Sunland Park, but county officials have complained for months that negotiations between the two governments over CRRUA’s assets and infrastructure have stalled even as the city takes action on developer-led annexation requests.

An attorney representing landowner Christopher Lyons and Paseo Del Norte LLC, which is suing the city and county over a 534-acre annexation approved in October, argued that the deadline for the council to take action on the petition had expired and alleged other legal errors in the proposed ordinance. He also claimed that the signers of the petition did not, in fact, own a majority of the acres in the proposed annexation.

Hector Rangel, the city’s community development director, acknowledged concerns expressed by the county about the irregular boundary line and “doughnut hole” issue, but said property owners, not the city, were driving the annexation requests, as was their right under New Mexico law.

New council to consider zoning

The next two agenda items, approving zoning for the 1,202.28 acres proposed for future development as well as a development agreement with the property owners, were postponed, meaning they will come before a new council – with three newly-elected members – in 2026.

Councilor Alberto Jaramillo was the first on the council to endorse postponing action based on the public comments. He was also one of the only council members facing the public in person, along with Perea and Councilor Jesus Soto, as other councilors participated virtually.

In the Nov. 4 city elections, Armando Mata was elected to the District 2 seat unopposed, while Bertha Salmon and Raul Telles Jr. defeated incumbents Soto and Susan Gomez, respectively, according to official election results. Councilor Mili Sandoval was reelected unopposed in District 1.

The city’s planning and zoning commission had rejected the zoning application in November, as well as the annexation request.

Several speakers criticized the city for taking action at the end of the year and requested community meetings educating the public about what developers were contemplating for the region, and about roads, water and sewers. Postponement also would place decisions about residential and commercial zoning before a council whose three new members are seen as more skeptical or cautious about annexation and growth.

Developer Bill Hagan, representing the property owners seeking the annexation, pointed out that the raw land could be developed whether it was within city limits or not; and that it was currently zoned by the county for low-density residential development as things stood.

“Santa Teresa is a county subdivision. It’s not a community – never has been a community,” Hagan said. He also threw cold water on any lingering hopes that the old country club would be revived, stating flatly, “The golf course will never be rebuilt.”

County: See you in court

The county has rebuffed legal efforts to incorporate Santa Teresa as a municipality since 2015. Meanwhile, private developers holding land in Santa Teresa contiguous with city limits have requested annexation.

Cari Neill, the interim county attorney, reminded the council that county commissioners had directed her office to take any legal action necessary to challenge the annexation, which she said demonstrated bad faith with regard to the CRRUA negotiations.

“The city of Sunland Park is already being sued for the last annexation that you all approved,” she said. “The last time the city was involved in litigation over an annexation, that case lasted over 10 years — it was only recently resolved.”

Algernon D'Ammassa is the Journal's southern New Mexico correspondent. He can be reached at adammassa@abqjournal.com.