If District 6 state Sen. Bobby Gonzales successfully carries a bill through the current 60-day session of the Legislature, and it's signed into law, the Village of Taos Ski Valley could find itself within a special watershed district.
Senate Bill 384 proposes an appropriation of $100,000 to "plan, develop and create the Rio Hondo Watershed District." There's no proposed map of the watershed district's boundaries publicly available. But such special districts are defined in state statute as a political subdivision formed within a soil and water conservation district "for the purpose of developing and executing plans and programs relating to any phase of conservation of water, or of water usage, including water-based recreation, flood prevention, flood control, erosion prevention and control of erosion, and floodwater and sediment damages."
Watershed districts, which typically encompass upper watersheds and flood plains, are overseen by a governing body elected by voters within the district, much the same as a soil and water conservation district board of supervisors. They also have authority to establish up to a 5 mill levy, or $5 for every $1,000 of assessed property value.
Rick Bellis, Village of Taos Ski Valley administrator, reported to the village council at its regular meeting Tuesday (Feb. 25) on a meeting about the bill he had with Peter Vigil, Taos Soil and Water Conservation District Manager. Bellis told the village council, with regard to the district, "there is some discussion what the role would be — whether it is advisory, regulatory or simply planning."
"Fate on that has not been decided yet, but there is another bill to relieve some of my non-conservation concerns about it, in that it actually specifies for water districts what the membership is by state statutes," Bellis said. "That would include different segments: the acequias, the water providers, the water users [and] the municipalities so that we would have representation."
In his report, Bellis also noted he met with Taos Ski Valley Inc., Bob Corroon's Taos Land and Cattle Association, Taos Search and Rescue, and other stakeholders regarding "the use, overuse or abuse of public lands, specifically focused on the Williams Lake Trail and the concerns of Taos Pueblo."
"One of the things the Forest Service was expressing are concerns over the overuse of Twining Road and the municipal parking lot," Bellis told the council, indicating one of two proposed ordinances the council ultimately agreed to publish might address such concerns. His report noted, "There were concerns by the stakeholders that many of the claims were simply anecdotal and lacked factual or measurable evidence."
The council moved forward on two newly-proposed ordinances — the first of the year. Ordinance 2025-02 would "prohibit overnight parking or camping on or in municipal property, parks, trails, easements, rights of way and municipal parking lots" with exceptions and would establish penalties for violations. The ordinance would replace multiple "old, outdated, conflicted" ordinances and resolutions and resolutions that "lacked clarity."
The proposed ordinance would prohibit overnight parking on all village property between 10 p.m.–6 a.m. unless someone is "staying at a private residence or commercial residential establishment," doing business or attending an event in the village. It bans fires, camp stoves, smoking and fireworks, as well as "camping, sleeping or living in vehicles of any kind on village property."
Ordinance 2025-01 responds to "event-related conflicts with residents/residences and nuisance and public safety concerns."
Bellis noted the last time the village passed anything similar was in 2010, when the village adopted Ordinance 10-35 regulating outdoor events, which governed noise, sanitation, insurance and the like. The proposed ordinance has parking requirements. It also updates a stipulation that applicants indicate whether alcohol might be sold and who is licensed to do so, with a "controlled substances" provision requiring the permit applicant to identify whether "alcohol, marijuana, etc. will be sold or permitted to be brought or used at the event and any security/control plans related to the above."
Also on Tuesday, the council appointed, at his request, Bellis to the position of code enforcement officer.
"We don't have a planning director or economic development director right now," Bellis said, "so we have a lot of ordinances that don't fit under the state statute authority of the police chief and those of the civil ones," like the building inspector.
"I think it's very wise to do this," Building Official Jalmar Bowden said.
After a brief discussion, the council also agreed to continue the village's tradition of complying with Alice Sturgis' "Standard Code of Parliamentary Procedures."
"Sturgis is in my view easier to use, particularly with small bodies," Village Attorney John Appel said.
"If it's a Taos Ski Valley weird thing, maybe. We've been using Sturgis, let's keep doing it," Mayor Chris Stanek said.
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