Local Leagues in New Mexico

Elephant Butte reservoir

Land Use

This two year study was approved at the May 14-15, 2011 LWVNM Convention in Los Alamos.

In May, 2011, the LWVNM Convention approved a two-year study of land use in New Mexico. Several League members have volunteered to participate on the research committee, but it is not too late to sign up! Committee members will communicate electronically, by teleconference and, occasionally, in meetings in Santa Fe. During the first year we will be gathering information and holding unit meetings to educate League member and the general public about the issues. We will also post resource materials here. In the second year the committee will draft consensus questions and present them at unit meetings around the state.

If you would like to join this effort, please contact Barbara Calef (email).

Questions the Committee Will Investigate

  1. Who controls land use in New Mexico today?
  2. How did we get here? (history including Spanish and Native Americans and Law of the Indies)
  3. How is land use connected to: energy; climate change; transportation; housing; jobs; food (agriculture); water; environmental justice; health (obesity for example); people; waste; the environment/ecology?
  4. How are decisions about land use made? Legislation, administration, etc. at all levels of government?
  5. What alternative approaches are possible?
    • Planning
    • Consistency: tie between planning and regulation
    • Connect land use - water - transportation - natural resources
    • Impact studies as part of the approval process (environmental, health, transportation, water, etc.)
    • Public participation
    • Monitoring
    • What reforms have other states undertaken?
  6. What are the limits to growth?