How can those who created the Palindrome project fix the problem?

By Gil Benavides

The mayoral race in the Village of Los Ranchos is seemingly a referendum on the 204-unit, three-story apartments at the busy intersection of 4th and Osuna, aka the Palindrome project.

It is hugely unpopular and will create parking and traffic problems in the surrounding neighborhoods. I am the only candidate that has no connection to the Palindrome project, however, much has been assumed by my abstention for the Palindrome appeal at the Board of Trustees meeting.

It is important to note that what was really on trial was the legality of a development agreement signed by Mayor Lopez in 2020, which is an agreement between the village and Palindrome. Given that there are lawsuits filed in District Court challenging the development agreement, it was my opinion to not influence District Court, which is where this issue needs to be decided.

As I knock on doors, I find no one believes that the lawsuits will be successful. My focus is on solving the parking and traffic problems for the residents.

Besides the mayor who signed the development agreement, mayoral candidates Joe Craig and George Radnovich were very much involved in the Palindrome project. In 2016, then-P&Z Commissioner Joe Craig voted to increase density to a minimum of 24 units per acre and to a height of three stories. In 2018, Joe, using his company name “Craig & Company,” toured the 12-acre site along with Palindrome. Joe said at a Palindrome presentation he is in favor of the MOU.

Regarding George Radnovich, in 2018, George contributed to the Palindrome proposal, which clearly indicated three-story apartments bordering Osuna and 4th street. Trustee George Radnovich is both a subcontractor and an agent for Palindrome. In March 2022, agent George delivered the Palindrome development plans to the village for approval. In response to George’s and Joe’s columns published in the Journal, I ask a simple question: How can you fix the problem when you are the problem?

Rather than talk in platitudes, e.g. restore trust, tale of two villages, protect our heritage, let me tell you what I’ve done and what I will do.

I’ll restore trust because I conduct myself in a trustworthy manner. The population is demographically diverse, we know this because we live here; we don’t need a tale.

The successful actions I’ve taken as your public servant are: Called for a moratorium on high density developments and on conservation developments. Called for more officers to patrol our village. At our wineries, called to limit the total number of large events, limit outdoor amplified music, and required an increase in off-street parking.

I advocated and participated in the Citizens Advisory Committee, advocating and voting to add 23 acres of open space to the Agri-Nature Center. This is what I will do: Improve 4th Street all the way to Ortega Road. Improve safety and mitigate traffic by further increasing officers to patrol our village. Structure our agricultural events to directly benefit the Agri-Nature Center. Create a one- and a four-year plan for the village.

As mayor, I will respect our village character.