HOUSE MEMORIAL 50
56th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - second session, 2024
INTRODUCED BY
Miguel P. García and Javier Martínez
A MEMORIAL
REQUESTING THE CITY OF ALBUQUERQUE TO MAINTAIN THE RESIDENTIAL-AGRICULTURAL-2 ZONING DESIGNATION FOR 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 zoned as "residential-agricultural-2" 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, zone changes on Montoya road northwest would significantly impact the historical agricultural character of the El Jaral 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-agricultural-2 zoning designation for the El Jaral community and the adjacent segment of Montoya road northwest; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this memorial be transmitted to the Albuquerque city council and the mayor of Albuquerque.
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