county of taos may soon review eco-village plans

Plans for the construction of a unique village that will encircle a working farm several miles north of the town of Taos may soon be submitted to Taos County by several developers.

To be carved out of currently vacant land on the west side of New Mexico State Road 150, between Gavilian Drive and Camino del Cielo, the proposed Tarleton Ranch Eco-Village could ultimately see the construction of some four hundred new houses.

The project, which has been in the talking stage for months, would see clusters of those homes divided by streetways on the west and east side of the site, surrounding a more than 160-acre farm at the center.

Just to the west of that farm would be a village center featuring a hotel, offices, and commercial space that could include a restaurant, bank, coffeehouse, bakery, and pharmacy.

The village, with an emphasis on walkable and open space, might prove particularly appealing for those who regularly visit the nearby Taos Ski Valley, just over 10 miles to the northeast.

Proponents of the idea also say the village could help to alleviate a growing need for housing in the vicinity of the Town of Taos.

Project developers have met with a group called the Upper Las Colonias Neighborhood, some members of which have expressed concerns about the scale of the village, as well as the likely increase in traffic on the two-lane State Route 150.

It has not yet been announced when the plans for the Tarleton Ranch Eco
 
By Garry Boulard

---