News and Articles

Santa Fe County Commissioner Harry Montoya sponsored a resolution today supporting an amendment to the New Mexico Subdivision Act to require notice to Native American Tribes and Pueblos, including them among the entities from whom an opinion is requested when County Commissions consider approving preliminary plats of newly proposed or merged subdivisions.
 
“We must respect the Native American Tribes, Nations, and Pueblos in and around Santa Fe County,” said Commissioner Montoya “We share a mutual concern for the human and environmental interests of Tribes, Nations, and Pueblos regarding subdivision development, they are an integral part of the process.”
 
The Governor of the State of New Mexico and the State’s counties, municipalities, political subdivisions recognize and respect the sovereignty of all of New Mexico’s Tribes, Nations, and Pueblos, and their respective tribal governments.  The State’s twenty-two Tribes, Nations, and Pueblos recognize and respect the sovereignty of the State of New Mexico and of its counties, municipalities, and political subdivisions.
 
The responsible development of real estate is codified in State statute to consider the essential human and environmental interests that may be impacted by the development of a newly proposed or merged subdivision.  The current version of the New Mexico Subdivision Act currently requires boards of county commissioners to request opinions from State agencies such as the Office of the State Engineer, Department of the Environment, Department of Transportation, Office of Soil Conservation, and other entities as determined may be necessary, when considering the impact of such development.
 
The New Mexico Subdivisions Act does not similarly require a board of county commissioners to request opinions from any Tribe, Nation, or Pueblo when considering approval of preliminary plats for newly proposed or merged subdivisions.  Santa Fe County joins several other New Mexico counties who have promulgated local subdivision regulations that do include Tribes, Nations, and Pueblos as among those entities from whom an opinion is be requested.