HOUSE RURAL DEVELOPMENT, LAND GRANTS AND CULTURAL AFFAIRS

COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR

HOUSE MEMORIAL 50

56th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - second session, 2024

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A MEMORIAL

REQUESTING THE CITY OF ALBUQUERQUE TO MAINTAIN THE RESIDENTIAL AND AGRICULTURAL CHARACTER OF THE EL JARAL NEIGHBORHOOD AND ADJACENT SEGMENT OF MONTOYA ROAD NORTHWEST.

 

     WHEREAS, the El Jaral section of the villa del Albuquerque was founded in 1706 for the purpose of farming and agricultural activities as a source of food supplies; and

     WHEREAS, the acequia Madre de Duranes was constructed to provide water to irrigate the farmlands of the community; and

     WHEREAS, since the founding of the villa del Albuquerque, the residents of El Jaral have farmed the area using water from the acequia Madre de Duranes, which is thought to be the oldest currently operating agricultural ditch in North America; and

     WHEREAS, the El Jaral neighborhood is currently used for small homes and family farms and serves as an urban green zone area for the purpose of farming and maintaining livestock within Albuquerque; and

     WHEREAS, many urban centers in the United States have been struggling to establish urban green zones to improve the quality of life for their residents; and

     WHEREAS, it is much less costly to preserve an existing green zone area than to create one out of an already developed urban area; and

     WHEREAS, the El Jaral area is starting to suffer adverse environmental and economic impacts resulting from urban sprawl; and

     WHEREAS, the primary and economically feasible street access into the El Jaral neighborhood is via a one-lane segment of Montoya road northwest; and

     WHEREAS, access to the neighborhood from any other road is logistically unrealistic; and

     WHEREAS, the current design and structure of Montoya road northwest are severely inadequate to meet the needs of expanded development in the El Jaral area; and

     WHEREAS, accommodating needed changes to this segment of Montoya road northwest will impose extensive changes to the existing residences and property lines of existing residences; and

     WHEREAS, zoning changes on Montoya road northwest without fully engaging the community would significantly impact the historical agricultural character of the El Jaral community; and

     WHEREAS, the city of Albuquerque annexed the El Jaral community in 2007, and the area is now part of Albuquerque city council district 2; and

     WHEREAS, after the annexation in 2007, many residents of the El Jaral community submitted a petition to the city of Albuquerque planning department urging the consideration of the history of the El Jaral community when considering the future of the community;

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that the city of Albuquerque be requested to maintain the residential and agricultural character of the El Jaral community and the adjacent segment of Montoya road northwest; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the city of Albuquerque planning department be encouraged to hold a public meeting within the El Jaral community regarding the zoning needs of the area prior to making a decision to change the area's current zoning; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this memorial be transmitted to the mayor of Albuquerque, the councilor for Albuquerque city council district 2 and the city of Albuquerque planning department.

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