Unified Action – April 2007 – East Mesa Annexation Needs Citizen Input
East Mesa Annexation Needs Citizen Input
Sponsored by Quality Growth Alliance
Contact person: Stephen Fischmann
The Issue
Providing true citizen participation in the master plan for the annexation of 10 square miles of the East Mesa (Vistas at Presidio)
The City of Las Cruces, with virtually no public awareness, is in the process of annexing almost 10 square miles on the east side of town, with a projected 35,000 new houses, and complete with a master plan that is virtually unknown to anyone beyond a small circle of insiders. Annexation and master planning are good things, because they prevent urban sprawl, but stakeholders (like the public schools, water users, open space advocates, and anyone else who lives in the city) need to fully understand what the developers have in mind, and need to have input in the final product. This has been repeatedly denied.
What we are asking
1. E-mail or call Las Cruces Mayor Bill Mattiace and the City Council members and urge them to take the following actions:
a. Vote yes on annexation BUT put the Vistas at Presidio land into a holding zone (Zone H).
b. Postpone consideration of the master plan for the annexation for two months.
c. Begin a public participation process conducted by City staff and involving stakeholder groups and the general population.
2. If possible, attend the Las Cruces City Council meeting scheduled for 5 p.m. Monday, April 23, 2007, in council chambers at City Hall. Councilors have a difficult time voting against a large crowd standing in front of them.
Contact information for the City Council and the Mayor
1. To send a single message to the entire council and the mayor use CityCouncil@las-cruces.org.
2. You may call or e-mail individual council members as follows:
| District 1 | Jose Frietz | 541-2066 | 556-1620 | josef@las-cruces.org |
| District 2 | Dolores Connor | 541-2066 | 541-2066 | dconnor@las-cruces.org |
| District 3 | Dolores Archuleta | 541-2066 | 642-1680 | darchuleta@las-cruces.org |
| District 4 | Steve Trowbridge | 541-2066 | 526-4039 | strowbridge@las-cruces.org |
| District 5 | Gil Jones | 541-2066 | 202-0770 | gjones@las-cruces.org |
| District 6 | Ken Miyagishima | 541-2066 | 571-2440 | miyagi@zianet.com |
| Mayor | Bill Mattiace | 541-2067 | mayor@las-cruces.org |
Why We Need to Participate in the Master Plan for the Annexation
It’s our right as citizens. It’s our responsibility as citizens–to have a true voice in determining the nature of our community.