Los Ranchos board of trustees must uphold laws

MUCH HAS been written about construction of the Village Center Project in Los Ranchos, but something unique and wonderful happened at the trustee meeting on July 12, 2023. For the first time since the development agreement was signed in 2020, there was an actual hearing before the Board of Trustees.

Granted, it was a limited hearing on the developer’s request to supplement the record for his appeal of the Planning and Zoning Commission’s May 9, 2023, decision, which upheld the Friends of Los Ranchos’ challenge to the administrative approval of site development plans for affordable housing. But Mel Eaves, attorney for the Friends, had 10 minutes to address the trustees. Mayor (Donald T.) Lopez excused himself right before the hearing.

Mr. Eaves used his time to explain the law and ask the trustees if the village attorney had told them that the 2020 development agreement, which she drafted, contained a paragraph that eliminated all public hearings on the project and substituted a two-person administrative approval process. It was clear from the trustees’ expressions that they were surprised by this news and very concerned.

In order to fully understand what had happened, the trustees voted to allow both sides to present additional evidence and witnesses at the full hearing on the developer’s appeal, which is scheduled for July 26, 2023. The trustees will hear arguments on violations of state and local laws, including the Governmental Conduct Act, Open Meetings Act and Affordable Housing Act.

The Planning and Zoning commissioners set an important precedent when they acted as dedicated public servants and upheld the law on May 9th. There is every reason to hope that the trustees will do the same.

LAUREN MARBLE Los Ranchos