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TULAROSA, N.M. — The Tularosa Planning and Zoning Commission approved a new subdivision on the village’s east side this week, even as members voiced growing frustration over a monthslong backlog in ordinance updates they say is stalling everything from cell tower rules to code enforcement.
Mesquite Flats Subdivision Approved
The commission unanimously granted preliminary approval to Mesquite Flats, a subdivision proposed by developer Carl Smokal on Ten Sioux Trail. Approval came with a condition: Smokal will be responsible for repairing any damage to existing roads — specifically Sioux Trail and Pecos Road — caused by construction traffic during development.
The project is planned to rely on private wells, septic systems and internally maintained roads rather than village utilities, shifting most infrastructure costs and upkeep away from Tularosa. Commissioners noted that arrangement lowers the burden on the village’s own systems but raises longer-term questions about how road maintenance will be handled and enforced through homeowner agreements once the subdivision is built out.
Privacy Fence Cleared at Rosita Circle
In a smaller item, the commission approved a cedar privacy fence application for a property at 505 Rosita Circle, though final sign-off is pending clarification on the fence’s exact height under village code.
Ordinance Delays Draw Criticism
Much of the meeting’s discussion centered on frustration with the pace of ordinance reform. Commissioners said updates to village code have been held up for months by a backlog at the village attorney’s office, delaying action on several fronts, including:
• Wireless communications: The village currently has no ordinance governing wireless infrastructure, even as new cell tower projects move forward. Commissioners said a draft needs further collaborative work before it can go to legal review and a public hearing.
• Impact fees: The village lacks approved standard operating procedures for impact fees, the mechanism typically used to require developers to help fund the infrastructure costs their projects create. Without that framework, commissioners said the village has little structured way to recover those costs from growth.
• Emergency abatement: A pending abatement action at 303 1st Street remains unresolved, with commissioners noting no recent progress.
Sewer Capacity a Growing Concern
Commissioners also flagged the village’s sewer system as a potential bottleneck for future development, saying additional subdivisions could strain capacity that is already limited. Members called for an independent civil engineering assessment before further large projects are approved, arguing that adding load to the system without professional evaluation risks compounding existing problems.
Calls for Better Communication
The meeting closed with commissioners proposing steps to improve coordination among the commission, the village council, the mayor and legal counsel — including wider use of shared document folders so members can track ordinance drafts and project statuses without waiting on ad hoc updates. Members framed the change as a way to speed up stalled reforms and reduce duplicated work, and additional discussions were scheduled to keep pushing pending ordinance items forward.
This report is based on a summary of the Tularosa Planning and Zoning Commission meeting for Alamogordo Town News with input from Anthony Lucero
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