Mostly sunny. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High 81F. Winds ENE at 10 to 15 mph..
Partly cloudy skies. Low around 50F. Winds ESE at 10 to 15 mph.
Updated: August 30, 2022 @ 9:30 am
Angie Fernandez comments about affordable housing during the Town and County joint meeting on Aug. 25, 2022.
Bethany Coambs comments on the proposed Live-able Environment Ordinance during the Town and County joint meeting on Aug. 25, 2022.
A resident from Taos mesa comments on building codes during the Town and County joint meeting on Aug. 25, 2022.
Taos County Chairwoman and Commissioner Darlene Vigil (left) and Town of Taos Mayor Pascual Maestas discuss issues during a joint town and county meeting Tuesday (Aug. 25).
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Angie Fernandez comments about affordable housing during the Town and County joint meeting on Aug. 25, 2022.
Bethany Coambs comments on the proposed Live-able Environment Ordinance during the Town and County joint meeting on Aug. 25, 2022.
A resident from Taos mesa comments on building codes during the Town and County joint meeting on Aug. 25, 2022.
Taos County Chairwoman and Commissioner Darlene Vigil (left) and Town of Taos Mayor Pascual Maestas discuss issues during a joint town and county meeting Tuesday (Aug. 25).
At a joint meeting Thursday evening (Aug. 25), The Town of Taos Council and Taos County Board of Commissioners heard comments from Taos Mesa residents opposed to the proposed Livable Environment Ordinance, plans to reopen the Los Cordovas transfer station for recycling and discussed the ongoing issue of short-term rentals operating illegally in the county.
Mesa residents decry county codes
During the public comment period of the meeting, residents from Carson, Two Peaks and other inhabited areas on the west side of the Rio Grande Gorge said the Livable Environment Ordinance would prohibit the building of off-grid housing units in the area, which is known globally for this sustainable style of construction.
The county commission had discussed The Livable Environment Ordinance on July 5. Taos Mayor Pascual Maestas suggested at Thursday’s meeting that concerns about the ordinance would be best addressed during a future county commission meeting since the town has no control over county ordinances.
Multiple members of the public suggested a change in the building code, and possibly a moratorium on code enforcement until the problem of affordable housing is solved.
“Sometimes there’s a time for code, and then sometimes there’s a time to be like, ‘Well, this makes sense,’” said Angie Fernandez during the public comment period. “I would also like us to re-examine affordable housing, not as it is, but tiny homes and the value of tiny homes.”
“Right now, it’s costing the average person $100,000 to comply with county codes, and that’s what I’ve witnessed with my own eyes,” said Dustin Freyta. “If you don’t have $100,000, there’s no way to comply — and for us to be forced into debt, poverty, homelessness or criminality, is a human rights abuse.”
Taos resident and lawyer Brady Coleman asked the commission to take consideration of the dire housing situation. “We’re in the middle of the worst housing crisis,” Coleman said. “I’ve lived here for over a half century, and nothing has come close to what’s going on right now.”
The idea of an “owner-builder opt-out ordinance” was also brought up by multiple members of the public, who suggested that landowners who choose to build on their property not be subject to code inspections. Resident Bethany Coambs referenced a similar ordinance that was passed in Cochise County, Arizona.
Short-term rentals
While the Town of Taos has limited the number of short-term rentals within town limits to 120, Senior Planner Dinah Gonzales said there were approximately 138 total rentals currently, with many not complying with the ordinance.
“[The program] shows that we have 138 short term rentals in the town of Taos, according to our records, but we have 76 with permits in compliance… That means that 62 are not in compliance,” Gonzales said.
She said short-term rental owners have also found a loophole in the ordinance: “We have a provision in there that anything less than 30 days [is illegal]. So a lot of people started renting 31 days and more,” she explained.
“We’re taking this very seriously,” said Mayor Maestas. “I asked the commission to consider partnering with us, or splitting this cost with us so we can have access to the entire county, because we’re only getting the snapshot of the town of Taos.”
There was no quorum for the county commission at Thursday’s meeting, with only two of the five members of the commission present (Darlene Vigil and AnJanette Brush) — and thus could not make any decision on the issue.
Vigil still questioned if it would be possible to allow a “locals only” approach when it came to allowing property owners to rent their houses short-term, but town council member Nathaniel Evans responded that it was not legally possible. “We aren’t able to limit it to locals. We tried to do that, but we were advised by our lawyer that it’s illegal and violates the interstate commerce law,” Evans responded.
Recycling soon available at transfer station
Taos County Manager Brent Jaramillo said the Los Cordovas transfer station in Ranchos de Taos (184 Los Cordovas Road) is set to begin taking cardboard, aluminum and mixed paper products beginning Tuesday (Aug. 30).
“The county is looking to open the Los Cordovas transfer station next Tuesday and next Thursday, accepting cardboard, aluminum and mixed paper,” said Jaramillo during the meeting.
“We’re also still working on messaging. And there’s still some other internal items that we need to work out,” he added.
Jaramillo emphasized the importance of clean cardboard and said it was important to educate the public on exactly which kinds of cardboard are allowed (no pizza or grease-stained boxes, tape needs to be removed, etc.). For now, the transfer station will also accept cardboard that has been damaged by water.
“We’re still committed to the recycling center opening in January 2023 — but as a short-term solution for our town residents, having the option to recycle articles at the transfer station,” added Maestas.
The town and county also discussed appointments to the Joint Recycling Advisory Board, which will consist of 11 members to help guide policy decisions regarding the future of recycling.
While the county could not appoint members due to the lack of a quorum, each member of the town council and the mayor made appointments. Herbert Foster, Miles Bonny, Terry Timme and Amy Mesa were all appointed to be members of the new board.
A total of seven positions remain to be filled, including two positions for youth under the age of 18.
Property transfers
The town and county also discussed two pending property transfers: the detox building, from the town to the county, and Filemon Sanchez Park, from the county to the town.
Jaramillo said the county has put out a request for proposal for detox services. “There’s still some other things that need to happen ahead of that which is getting the appraisal because we need to determine the fair market value of the building,” he said, noting the last appraisal was done in 2016. “We are eagerly looking forward to formally receiving the property.”
Regarding Filemon Sanchez Park, Jaramillo said “the county commission directed staff, and we will begin working on the process of transferring over county property… to the town of Taos.” He admitted there “hasn’t been too much movement from the county side” on the issue because they remain focused on the detox transfer.
“We’re turning it over to the lawyers. They’re working through all the red tape,” responded Maestas of the detox transfer.
He added that the town did submit a grant application to bring in money for Filemon Sanchez Park. “I think we’re expecting to hear back in two weeks,” he said.
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The ¨ẅe cannot do anything about this”attitude in local government is ridiculous. So many things can be done. Tax the short term rentals, and use the money for an affordable housing pool. It is done in other places, violates no laws and passes on at least some of the cost of the impact directly to the visitors. No one will blink an eye at a 5% tax. Use the money to create a local housing authority, or fund a Non Profit that can administer the funds. Build rentals and restricted sale housing for residents. This is done in other mountain communities all over the west,and it is not rocket science. Who stands in the way? Local lodging owners who worry they cannot compete with Airbnb and Vrbo. Meanwhile the lodging tax disappears into the town and countyś general funds. The tourist, the visitors to the community who come, enjoy and leave are not the enemy, they are the source of the funding the town and county needs.
Craft ordinances that favor locals are not legal? First, only one opinion. second, other communities (Aspen comes to mind) have managed to do this within the confines of the law.
There is no task force, no committee, no dedicated entity to counsel and advise the local governments on the most pressing, most important challenge Taos faces. Like I said, ridiculous.
We are GRATEFUL to be in Taos as we watched the housing market explode in the town we had to leave in MT…. I would just like to share… it is REALLY important the city and county work together on this. The people with air&bs, and renting short term to tourists and people coming to town, NEED to comply with the statutes set. I know some Tasoēnos do not like to comply with much, but in order to not have all the housing taken from people who are living here some things have to followed and agreed upon. The place we left in Montana priced us out and rentals were so high, and there are so many vacation rentals and air&bs we had to leave. BE CAREFUL because the culture will go away if people from out of town and out of state are renting places they “own” just for the investment. I think all of us want Taos to honor and serve the land and the cultures that live here, and preserve open space and have a safe and clean parks, schools, and environment for our children and grandchildren. TRY not to argue, and TRY to agree. There is no time to lose. We watched it happen and had no choice. Thank you.
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