Mesilla Park, NM 88047

New Mexico State University, Board of Regents

Metropolitan Planning Organization, Policy Committee

RE: Potential southern extension of Sonoma Ranch Blvd.

The Citizens’ Task Force for Open Space Preservation would like to express three concerns about the proposed extension of Sonoma Ranch Boulevard south of Dripping Springs Road. Our concerns relate to protecting the open space values of Tortugas Mountain and the major arroyos crossed by the proposed roadway.

1. Tortugas Mountain has significant value as both a cultural and recreational resource which must be considered. Adequate buffers around the base of the mountain should be provided to protect these values; a major arterial at the mountain’s base is not compatible with the cultural and recreational opportunities currently enjoyed by numerous users.

2. Similarly, any roadway or commercial/residential development proposed for lands abutting Tortugas Mountain needs to include adequate public access to the site. Public access points need to be planned and provided for as part of the area’s infrastructure development.

3. As a north-south arterial, the southern extension of Sonoma Ranch Boulevard will cross at least two large arroyos: the Tortugas Arroyo and Fillmore Arroyo. Both of these arroyos have been designated as trail corridors in the Metropolitan Planning Organization’s arroyo and drain trail plan, and they will provide critical east-west links for the southernmost portion of this plan. We support the MPO trail plan because of the connectivity it will provide between open space areas on the mesas and in the river valley, and we support the ETZ and City’s comprehensive plan visions which state that major arroyos should be preserved as open space corridors to provide aesthetic, recreational, and storm-water drainage functions. Any major roadway that is going to cross these arroyos must be designed to allow for continuous trail corridors and to preserve the natural vegetation and drainage patterns within the arroyo system.

We hope that you will consider these points as you move forward in your decision-making processes. Given our concerns, as well as the concerns raised by many others, we would encourage you to consider initiating a comprehensive planning process for this entire area which would allow for consideration of a whole suite of issues such as preservation of and access to open space and trail corridors, transportation needs for potential future growth, and preservation of natural storm water drainage systems.

Sincerely,

John Bunn

Spokesperson

Citizens’ Task Force for

Open Space Preservation