Urban Planning

GIS can help planners visualize an area’s current and historic conditions to draw comparisons between the anticipated results of proposed development plans, identify opportunities for improved resource use, or where to build new infrastructure and future growth.

Community Mapping

The GIS (Geographic Information System) is used as a powerful tool to visually represent and analyze a community's assets, needs, and issues by layering different types of data onto a map, allowing for identification of patterns, disparities, and areas requiring focused attention, ultimately aiding in informed decision-making and community development initiatives.

StoryMaps

ArcGIS StoryMaps is a web-based tool that allows planners to combine maps and other content to share dynamic presentations and briefings, deliver public information, and support advocacy and outreach.  StoryMaps can be used to create interactive stories using geographic information system (GIS) data, multimedia, and content to create awareness, inspire, and circulate it across social platforms.

Resource Management

Planners utilize Geographic Information Systems (GIS) technology to visually represent and analyze spatial data related to natural resources, for monitoring, planning, decision-making and management of water sources, wildlife habitats, and land use.

Community Emergency Response Team (C.E.R.T)

At present time there is no C.E.R.T for Santa Fe County.

The Local Emergency Planning Committee is a federally mandated body established under the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA) of 1986. It is tasked with ensuring that local emergency response plans are in place for hazardous materials incidents and that these plans address community concerns and risks

Event Calendar

Application Status: Complete

Summary: 
Rancho Viejo Solar, LLC sumitted an application for a Conditional Use Permit (CUP) for the Rancho Viejo Solar project proposed for a privately-owned site in Santa Fe County, NM. The project will cover 680 acres and include a solar facility, a 1-acre collector substation, a 3-acre battery energy storage system (BESS), a 2.3-mile generation tie-in line, a 2.1-mile access road, a 26.3-foot diameter water storage tank, and a 1,400-square-foot operations building. Located about 3 miles south of Santa Fe and 4.2 miles east of La Cienega, the project aims to generate 96 megawatts (MW) of power, with 48 MW coming from the BESS for storage and delivery of renewable solar energy across New Mexico.

Public Meetings and Hearings (dates subject to change with notice):
**Public Q&A re. Conditional Use Permitting Process and Permissible Use Criteria: October 22, 2024, 5pm
**Public Q&A re. Hazard Mitigation Assessment and Emergency Response Plan: November 6, 2024, 5pm
Public Hearing with SLDC Hearing Officer – December 4, 2024 9:30 am  - Location - Santa Fe Community Convention Center (201 W. Marcy St, Santa Fe, NM)
Planning Commission – February 3, 2024, 1:30 pm - Location - Santa Fe Community Convention Center (201 W. Marcy St, Santa Fe, NM)
**Virtual Meetings - Link to be provided in final notice

October 22, 2024 -CUP Community Meeting Questions and Answers: CUP Community Meeting Questions

Staff Contacts:

Dominic Sisneros - Building and Development Supervisor
Email: djsisneros@santafecountynm.gov
 

Jordan Yutzy - Building and Development Manager
Email: Jyutzy@santafecountynm.gov

Mailing Address:
100 Catron St. (Second Floor)
Santa Fe, NM 87501

AES/Rancho Viejo Solar Project CUP Application Materials*

• RanchoViejo CUP Development Permit
• Warranty Deed Rancho Viejo Solar
• Approved Survey Plat
• Proof Of Taxes
• Assigned 911 Address RanchoViejoSolar
• NMDOT Access Permit C-2023-015_RanchoViejo
• Notarized Letter Of Consent
• Neighborhood Meeting Report
• Written Report CUP Rancho Viejo
• Site Development Plan CUP
• NMED Septic Permit Request
• Water Availability Letter RanchoViejo
• TAC Letter EIR AppxA
• Site Threashold Analysis RanchoViejo
• Appraisal Review Memo - Hippauf Dry & Connelly 
• EIR Rancho Viejo Solar
• Kirkland Appraisal Study
• Pre-Incident Plan EIR AppxB
• Noise Report EIR AppxC
• Geotech Report EIR AppxD
• Decommissioning Plan EIR AppxE
• Revegetation Plan EIR AppxF
• First Responder EIR AppxG
• Preliminary HMA redacted EIR AppxH
• Aquatic Resources
• Biological Survey Report
• Visual Impact
• Adequate Public Facilities
• EIR Third Party Review
• Concurrence Letter Log#118484
• Concurrence Letter Log#118830
• Concurrence Letter Log#119282
• Concurrence Letter Log#122238
• Pole Structures_Engineer Letter_20240913
• GSS Letter #2 to Dennis Kurtz_
• Incorrect Information in SWCA Noise Technical Report Rancho Viejo Solar Project
• 10-11-2024 Fire Review of AES CUP Application

"*Some studies from the withdrawn application are still current and included in the list above."

Public letters

• Letters of Support 
• Letter of opposition

Parties of Standing

• Request To Conduct Preliminary Hearing 
• Order on Request For Standing
• Clean Energy Coalition for Santa Fe County Witness and Exhibit List
• San Marcos Association Witness and Exhibit list

The Transfer of Development Rights (TDR) Marketplace is where buyers and sellers can connect to negotiate the sale of TDR Certificates. The price of a TDR Certificate is entirely between the buyer and the seller. If there are no recorded TDR Certificates for sale in the TDR Market, then a buyer can pay a Transfer Development Charge in exchange for TDR Certificates. Contact the TDR Administrator if you have questions about the TDR Marketplace or Transfer Development Charge.

NOTE: The buyer must have all TDR Certificates signed by the Land Use Administrator, then notarized and recorded by the County Clerk to be redeemed.

TDR Exchange

Participation in the TDR Marketplace is entirely optional. Sellers are not required to post TDR Certificates to the Exchange. Buyers and sellers are free to connect with each other outside of the TDR Marketplace.

TDR FILE #

Each property is assigned a unique TDR File number.

# OF CERTIFICATES

Indicates the number of TDR Certificates that are currently for sale or will be for sale after they are approved by the Board of County Commissioners (BCC) and recorded by the County Clerk.

STATUS

• ELIGIBLE indicates that a landowner has applied for TDR Certificates. The property meets at least one of the eligibility criteria identified in the Sustainable Land Development Code (SLDC); however, the property has not yet been QUALIFIED.
• QUALIFIED indicates that the property owner and the Santa Fe County Land Use Administrator signed the Qualification Report.
• CERTIFIED indicates that the TDR Certificates have been approved by the BCC but have not yet been recorded by the County Clerk.
• RECORDED indicates that the BCC approved the TDR Certificates and have been recorded by the County Clerk and are available for sale.

The number of TDR Certificates may change pending a final application by the property owner and approval by the Land Use Administrator and the BCC.

DATE RECORDED

Indicates the date that the TDR Certificates were recorded by the County Clerk. TBD = to be determined.

CONNECT WITH THE OWNER

Click "EMAIL" to email the TDR Administrator who will connect you with the owner.

CERTIFICATES

Click the link to see the recorded TDR Certificates that are for sale.

N/A

Indicates that the information is not yet available.

~

CONTACT INFO

Please get in touch with the TDR Administrator at mfoster@santafecountynm.gov if you have any questions.

The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulates the discharge of stormwater pollution as part of the Clean Water Act. Under these regulations, Santa Fe County is required to obtain permits to allow discharges to the Santa Fe River. There are several discharges that are NOT allowable under this permit, one of which is referred to as an illicit discharge.

What is an illicit discharge? 

An illicit discharge is the discharge of pollutants or non-stormwater materials into the storm sewer system via overland flow, direct dumping, or illicit connections. Illicit connections are pipes or other direct connections that illegally or unknowingly release pollutants or non-stormwater materials into a storm sewer system.

In Santa Fe County the storm sewer system collects stormwater runoff and carries it, untreated, to the Santa Fe River. The result is untreated discharges that contribute high levels of pollutants (including heavy metals, toxic chemicals, oil and grease, solvents, nutrients, viruses, and bacteria) are carried to a receiving water body, in this case the Santa Fe River.

In urban areas, the storm drainage system consists of drains, arroyos, and underground pipes. Storm drains are generally located in streets and parking lots. In rural areas the storm drainage system may be in the form of ditches that carry the stormwater along a roadside or piece of property. These drainage systems are meant to carry only stormwater. Putting oil, antifreeze, detergents, or anything else that is not stormwater into the storm drain system is the same as dumping it directly into the river.

How do I report an illicit discharge?

Please utilize the "Click here to Submit Your Request" box below to notify Santa Fe County Public Works Department of any illicit discharges in your area within County juristiction.

Once you click on the link, you can use the system by typing in the name of the County road or by using the interactive map to select the area where the illicit discharge is located.  When you are submitting your request, be as specific as possible when providing descriptive information. A login is required to track the work orders that have been submitted.

Once you have submitted a request, you can view the status of your request, see if anyone else has submitted a similar request or see if there are any other requests in your area.

The number of requests does not increase the response time in which a request will be processed.

For more information, please call 505-986-6219  or send an email to publicworks@santafecountynm.gov 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ's)

Click on questions to view answers

Why am I asked to create a user login before I submit a request?

How long will it take Santa Fe County to process my request?

My address will not come up in the system, how do I submit a request?

I received an "Unable to Fulfill" notification on my request, what does this mean?

Behavioral Health Leadership Council
Notice of Regular Meeting

The Behavioral Health Leadership Council will hold a regularly scheduled meeting in the Plaza Conference Room at 240 Grant Avenue. Members of the public can participate virtually via Webex.

The agenda will be posted at least seventy-two (72) hours before the meeting on the County’s online meeting platform and a PDF copy will be provided at the bottom of this webpage.

Santa Fe County makes every practical effort to ensure that auxiliary aids or services are available for meetings and programs. Individuals who would like to request auxiliary aids or services should contact the Santa Fe County Community Services Office at 505-992-9827 in advance of the meeting to discuss specific needs (e.g., interpreters for the hearing impaired or readers for the sight impaired).

Meeting Dates/Locations/Times

September 12, 2024                        Plaza conference room                             10-11:30 am
November 14, 2024                         TBD                                                               10-11:30 am
January 9, 2025                                 Plaza conference room                              10-11:30 am
March 13, 2025                                 Plaza conference room                              10-11:30 am
May 8, 2025                                        Plaza conference room                             10-11:30 am
July 10, 2025                                       Plaza conference room                            10-11:30 am
September 11, 2025                        TBD                                                                     10-11:30 am
November 13, 2025                         TBD                                                                     10-11:30 am

Event Calendar

As early voting begins, Santa Fe County wants to educate residents about three important general obligation bond questions that will appear on the November 5, 2024, general election ballot. If approved by voters, these general obligation bonds would provide needed funding for critical and backbone infrastructure with a negligible impact on property taxes. 

“Elections matter for many reasons,” County Manager Gregory S. Shaffer said.  “Not least of all because voters get to decide whether to invest in our community through general obligation bonds.”   

The County’s three general obligation bond questions are as follows:  

1. Shall Santa Fe County issue up to $4,900,000 in general obligation bonds payable from general (ad valorem) taxes to acquire, construct, design, equip, and improve roads within the County?  

2. Shall Santa Fe County issue up to $12,500,000 in general obligation bonds payable from general (ad valorem) taxes to acquire real property and necessary water rights for, and to construct, design, equip, rehabilitate, and improve water and wastewater projects within the County?  

3. Shall Santa Fe County issue up to $16,125,000 in general obligation bonds payable from general (ad valorem) taxes to acquire, design, construct, improve, equip, and restore open space, trails, and parks within the County? 

If approved, the general obligations bonds will have a negligible effect on property taxes. “The County structures its general obligations bonds to maintain materially stable property tax rates,” Shaffer explained.  “From 2017 to 2023, the County’s general obligation bond debt rate has ranged from 2.123 to 2.129 mills.”

If approved by the voters, the general obligation bonds are anticipated to fund various critical infrastructure and community enhancement projects, as follows:

County Road Projects

CR 51 Ojo de la Vaca Low Water Crossing - Install box culverts at low water crossing for citizen and motorist safety. 

CR 109 N Drainage and Surface Improvements - Design and construct road, drainage and address safety issues on deteriorating roadway. 

Water and Wastewater Projects 

County Water Reclamation Facility Expansion – Increase the flow to, treatment capacity of, and/or ability to reuse treated effluent at Santa Fe County’s Water Reclamation Facility located at the State Penitentiary off of NM 14. These improvements will support affordable housing and other planned growth in the County’s designated growth area. 

Chupadero Water Line Replacement & Fire Hydrant Installation – To replace old water lines under Camino Chupadero before the road is reconstructed, while adding fire suppression, and other underground utilities. 

Open Space and Trails 

Santa Fe River Greenway Trail, Segment 4 (Caja del Oro to Cottonwood Dr.) –Design and acquire real property for next segment of the Santa Fe River Greenway Trail. 

Santa Fe Rail Trail, Segment 7 (NM 285 toward Lamy) – Design and construct trail under NM Highway 285 from Segment 6 Trailhead on West side of 285 toward the town of Lamy. 

Romero Park, Phase 3 – Design and construction a multi-sport field with lighting and additional pickle ball courts. 

Rio en Medio Open Space Restoration and Flood Prevention – Severely damaged by multiple flooding events in the summer of 2022, the 121.3 acres of open space requires significant restoration. Project restore the floodplain in the Rio en Medio Open Space area to remediate the flood damage and mitigate the impact of any future potential flooding events to downstream communities. 

For more information on the general election and the bond questions, visit the Santa Fe County Clerk's webpage.
 

On April 30, 2024, the Board of Commissioners of Santa Fe County approved Resolution No. 2024-062, which adopted the County’s Home Rehabilitation and Energy Efficiency (“HREE”) Program Regulations pdf #1. The HREE Program provides one-time grants up to $50,000 for qualified household for designated home rehabilitation projects and energy efficiency upgrades explicitly identified in the regulations.

In order to qualify for HREE assistance, as household must:

1. Have an annual household income at or below 100% of the area median income for Santa Fe County; (See income limitations)
2. Provide proof of ownership of the home for which they are applying for HREE assistance;
3. Provide proof of residency that they are currently  and
4. Provide verification that the home is located in the unincorporated areas of Santa Fe County.

The grant funds can be used for various home improvements related to the building envelope of a qualified home, including new roofs, stucco, and windows. Additionally, the HREE Program covers hazard mitigation projects, such as mold, lead and asbestos remediation, as well as testing and remediation of groundwater contaminants for qualifying households with domestic wells.

The County is currently accepting for the first Phase of the HREE program, which includes:

1. Projects related to the buildings envelope (i.e. roofs, stucco, windows and doors),
2. Mold, asbestos and lead based paint remediation, and
3. Domestic well testing and remediation.

The County anticipates accepting application for energy efficiency upgrades by the end of 2024.

A program flyer containing additional program details can be found here.

Interested parties can apply to the HREE Program online at the following link: https://portal.neighborlysoftware.com/santafecountynm/Participant 

For more information, please contact Donna Dean at (505) 992-3040 or dbradley@santafecountynm.gov.

Developer Assistance Program – Notice of Funding Opportunity

NOFO NO. 2024-DAP-1/RH[JJB1] 

Santa Fe County (County) is issuing a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for affordable housing loans issued pursuant to the County’s Developer Assistance Program for affordable rental housing projects that serve households at or below 80% of Area Median Income for the Santa Fe Metropolitan Statistical Area.  All applications submitted pursuant to this NOFO shall be valid for sixty (60) days subject to action by the County. The County reserves the right to reject any and all applications in part or in whole. A completed application shall be submitted in a sealed container indicating the application title and number along with the Applicant's name and address clearly marked on the outside of the container. All applications must be received by 5:00PM on September 13, 2024, at the Santa Fe County Community Development Department, located at the Santa Fe County Administrative Complex (240 Grant Avenue, Second Floor, Santa Fe, NM  87501), and shall be submitted to the attention of the Office of Affordable Housing. Applications may also submitted via email to debenavidez@santafecountynm.gov.

By submitting application for this NOFO each Applicant is certifying that it is a qualified applicant and its application complies with the requirements stated within the NOFO request.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY: All qualified Applicants will receive consideration of funding award without regard to race, color, religion, sex or national origin, ancestry, age, physical and mental handicap, serious medical condition, disability, spousal affiliation, sexual orientation or gender identity.

Request related to this NOFO can be made by contacting Denise Benavidez, Community Development Deputy Director, 240 Grant Avenue Santa Fe, NM 87501, or by telephone (505) 986-6264, or by email at debenavidez@santafecountynm.gov or on our website at https://www.santafecountynm.gov/housing-services/affordable-housing/developer-assistance-program.

County Responses to Applicant Questions

Developer Assistance Program Summary 

Between July and October of 2023, the Board of Commissioners of Santa Fe County passed a series of ordinances and resolutions, which allow the County to provide housing assistance grants and loans for the creation of affordable housing within the community, in accordance with the New Mexico Affordable Housing Act. These governing ordinances and resolutions include:

• Santa Fe County Ordinance No. 2023-05 (An Ordinance Allowing Santa Fe County to Provide Housing Assistance Grants and Loans Pursuant to the New Mexico Affordable Housing Act)
• Santa Fe County Resolution No. 2023-083 (A Resolution Adopting the County’s 2023 Affordable Housing Plan)
• Santa Fe County Resolution No. 2023-106 (A Resolution Establishing the County’s Developer Assistance Program)

The Developer Assistance Program (“DAP”) has been created to allow the County to provide critical resources to aid in the creation of affordable housing projects that address community housing needs, which have been identified in the County’s 2023 Affordable Housing Plan. Projects in this context, entails the creation of multi-unit housing developments that provide 30% or more of the total units available to households of low to moderate income, as defined by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and the New Mexico Mortgage Finance Authority. Grants or loans provided through the DAP can be used:

1. For the acquisition of land, existing buildings or other real property for the purpose of developing affordable housing;
2. For the development or construction of an affordable housing project;
3. For converting an existing building into affordable housing;
4. To rehabilitate a building whose primary purpose is to provide affordable housing;
5. To preserve a current affordable housing project; and
6. To finance or support infrastructure improvements necessary to effectuate affordable housing.

In addition, DAP also allows the County to make donations of existing buildings, land or other real property owned by the County, to private or non-profit developers for the creation of affordable housing.

The Developer Assistance Program does not have an open application process. Pursuant to the New Mexico Affordable Housing Act Rules and program regulations, the County is required to submit a Request for Applications (RFA) for all awards issued pursuant to the DAP program. As such, maximum award amounts, loan terms, program terms and conditions, and application scoring criteria will be made available upon the issuance of each RFA.

Open RFAs will be posted on this webpage.