Tarleton Ranch Eco-Village: PUD vs Unplanned Development
Tarleton Ranch Eco-Village: PUD vs Unplanned Development
by Michael Tarleton
Years ago my brother, sister and I decided that we needed to do something with the ranch properties that we own in Upper Las Colonias. I have been on the board of directors of the Upper Las Colonias Neighborhood Association for over 20 years now and have seen many changes take place in our area.
We decided to form a family partnership consisting of the three of us and each of our two children. We decided that if the properties are going to be sold off piece meal by our heirs, at least we could direct how this would be done. That is why we created a Planned Unit Development (PUD) application. We wanted to make sure that the ranch would be developed in a way that would fit in with the Upper Las Colonias Neighborhood. We worked closely with members of the community on how the PUD would be structured. John Halley, the designer, gave numerous workshops and presentations, and met with neighbors tirelessly to explain and listen to concerns about the project over the last seven years. Many of their concerns were accommodated in the planning process.
Restrictions we have in our PUD application include NO big box stores, NO commercial buildings adjoining single family residential, NO wells, NO septic systems, NO change in water rights, NO unpaved roads, NO development within seventy five feet of Highway 150, NO more than one additional entrance off of Highway 150, NO golf course and more.
Current Taos County regulations permit over two times the density of housing and commercial buildings proposed in the PUD application. The PUD helps preserve a less dense neighborhood. In addition, the agricultural land is preserved in perpetuity for the benefit of the neighborhood community. If you look at the surrounding neighborhood, the compatibility of the TREV project is evident. The Upper Las Colonias Neighborhood includes homes, densely-clustered condominiums, mobile home parks, restaurants, offices, a veterinary clinic, a resort, an Ace Hardware store, and various small businesses. These are all compatible with the proposed PUD.
But, the family partnership will not last. The heirs want to sell off the ranch, and if the PUD is not approved the property will be divided up among the nine families and more than twenty heirs to do with it what they want, and that is to sell it off. I also want to emphasize that many of the arguments voiced against the PUD are not factual and are mostly being said to stir up opposition. Supporters realize that the ranch will be developed over the next twenty to thirty years and that the PUD is the proper way to go.
Bear in mind that we are not building anything, we are only selling the land. Anyone wanting to build will most likely do a study to determine the feasibility of their project.within TREV and secondly, will have to meet the requirements of the PUD. The only way the PUD requirements can be changed is by going through the same process we are currently going through with the County to get our PUD approved.
The PUD is NOT a license to build anything and everything. TREV is a well thought out planned unit development that would require County approval for any deviation to the original application. We would like to thank the many members of the community who have supported and encouraged us to pursue our TREV project.