By Dr. James “Jim” Kadlecek
“….the fruits of the earth belong to us all, and the earth itself to nobody.” – Jean-Jacque Rousseau, the Social Contract
We who choose to live in
We tend to use the word “forefathers” with a degree of respect. That’s appropriate, because it is from those who came before us that we inherit all the good things we enjoy. It is probably fortunate that we tend to remember the good and push the bad into the hazy area of the forgotten.
But what about learning from past mistakes? Certainly there is merit in admitting that not everything done by our forefathers was wise and trying to avoid making the same errors in judgment. Then there is the fact that conditions change, and what was accepted in the past may not be prudent now or in the future.
I’m talking about the growth of population and the economy.
Our forefathers pretty much allowed landowners to do whatever they wanted with their property. Property rights were superior to human rights. Some people still hold to that antiquated concept. The result was that, here in Southern New Mexico, little settlements popped up all around, usually on portions of farmland that were unproductive acreage.
Farmworkers who had no other choice settled on this land. They erected adobe homes or clapboard houses out of scraps. There was no zoning; there were no building permits or inspections to assure the safety of the residents. There was no sanitary sewer, no paved streets and often only a shared water well. Living conditions were “third-world” at best.
The “developers” of these colonias sold pieces of land at high rates of interest, went away with their profits and left the residents and the public to deal with the problems. Thirty-Four of these “colonias” exist in Doña Ana County today, and we are still paying to improve these areas as we extend water and sewer service, improve roads and bridges, and try to improve housing and living conditions for the residents.
Who’s to blame?
Who’s to blame for this?
Well, we are. Or, more accurately, our forefathers, and the county government that did not have the vision or political will to exercise control over land use in the public interest. I’m told it was the 1980s that some wise residents recognized what needed to be done and got the state Legislature to approve subdivision regulations.
It’s a lesson to keep in mind as we debate annexations, subdivisions, utility extensions, zoning, school and park locations, streets and highways and all the other impacts of growth.
I hear people saying, “You can’t stop the growth of
And it should be.
Why? If for no other reason, it is in our best economic interest to live in a community that is physically well organized. One that is convenient for citizens. One that has been planned to make the best use of the land and limited water resources. One that allows for the most efficient delivery of utilities. One that provides safe and sanitary affordable housing for all income groups.
Such a well-organized community is also appealing to the best employers, those that pay decent wages and benefits. We will not make progress in the battle against poverty and low wages until we fully understand the connection between a quality (educational, social and environmental) community and quality jobs provided by good employers.
Master plan is in the works
The city and county are starting to work on Master Plan 2040, which will try to anticipate and prepare for growth. When it’s done, I anticipate that it will deal with the issues I have mentioned here. If the plan is respected by future public officials, it will no doubt have a positive impact on the physical development of the city-county.
Another aspect of growth impact that needs to be dealt with is changing certain existing uses of property. What was once a good and logical use of land may not be the case anymore.
An excellent example is the location of a number of dairies along Interstate 10 between Anthony and
Bottom line, the dairies need to plan on moving.
Facilities such as agricultural-chemical-supply operations that now find themselves with families living nearby are in a similar situation. These residents have legitimate environmental and health concerns. Businesses such as these will also find it wise to consider moving to more suitable locations.
The next 10-20 years in
And, of course, these are not only land-use issues. These are issues that have to do with budgets, taxes and expenditures of public money. As we expand physically, we increase the need for more public services. Costs for public safety, roads and highways, schools, parks and recreation, etc. will increase. As we prepare and implement our Master Plan, we would be wise to include a strong financial element to prepare for the funding of these services.
As best we can, we need to anticipate changes in lifestyles and technology, and not be shy in using government authority to control patterns of growth so that the next generation doesn’t have to pay for the sins and omissions of its forefathers.
Kadlecek has lived in