Pondering the future of city’s north-side parcel
In September 2020, the city became sole owner of 228 acres west of N.M. 599 near Ridgetop Road. It had been a partial owner since 1930 when former New Mexico Gov. John Dempsey struck a deal with the city whereby his company, Santa Fe Estates, got free city land and agreed to split development profits 50-50 with the city.
The 228 acres is a piece of the original sprawling Santa Fe Estates. The area’s 1996 master plan recorded restrictive covenants in 2003 and was renamed Las Estrellas in 2004. A few tracts were built out before the collapse of 2008, including Thornburg’s campus, but 228 acres remained fallow. That’s going to change.
The city almost dumped it in a fire sale in March 2021, a few short months after securing ownership and 60 days after a quiet request for proposals was offered by the city. Then, over growing public alarm at what felt like an inside deal, the RFP offer was withdrawn hours before the deadline — with no explanation.
I wrote in March 2021 that the city should take a few months to get it right and shine maximum light on any future deals. A few months turned into 34, but it’s still opaque and on an even faster track for a rushed sale.
On Wednesday, a pre-bid Zoom conference will be held for those wishing to respond to an invitation to bid. Those bids will be due Jan. 22. That’s a lightning-fast turnaround. It’s more like a silent auction since nobody could possibly produce any plan details in 18 working days. Unless they already have been spending time and money working something up.
The state has strict procurement confidentiality rules the city follows. When city attorneys cited those rules for keeping secret the details received from midtown requests for expressions of interest, many of the respondents wanted their proposals seen by the public but were threatened with disqualification if they did.
But is an invitation to bid procurement? Procurement typically means buying, not selling. Similar transparency issues are at stake with last Wednesday’s request for qualifications from organizations seeking to develop a potentially free 19-acre city parcel across N.M. 599 intended for maximum affordability.
What did not happen between December 2020 and today was updating covenants for Santa Fe Estates/Las Estrellas. The original obsolete rules are embedded and
will presumably go unchallenged by the highest bidder.
While it’s good to see “guest houses” are allowed on lots, the minimum primary house size is 2,000 square feet of heated space. That’s big and unaffordable. Specifications for guest houses are also subject to somebody’s interpretation — they must be “proportionate” to the main house and within “close proximity.”
The affordable housing rules reference the abandoned Housing Opportunity Program or whatever replaces it. The Santa Fe Homes Program replaced it in 2005 and says three-bedroom, two-bath homes must be at least 1,150 square feet. Requiring 2,000-square-foot affordable homes is a developer nonstarter.
And while either the main house or the guest house can be rented, only to those staying longer than 30 days. The owner of the lot must live in one of the units. Those restrictions are contrary to current citywide accessory dwelling unit ordinances.
The covenants for Las Estrellas are typical for high-end north-side neighborhoods and not intended to encourage affordability. HOA fees are mandated, and undoubtedly more than affordable homes can bear. It’s likely the 80% market-rate homes will be attractive to six-figure salaries wanting faster commutes to Los Alamos.
Maybe then rents will drop in the new apartments where they live now and drive up rents.
Contact Kim Shanahan at kimboshanahan@ gmail.com.