planning blueprint for large las cruces neighborhood ok'd

A neighborhood in a fast-growing section of Las Cruces now has its own long-range plan designed to provide guidance for future residential and commercial development.

The document, officially called the Apodaca Blueprint, specifically addresses the growth priorities of a 730-acre combination of houses, commercial sites, and public property some two miles north of downtown Las Cruces.

Reflecting the input received during of a series of community meetings, the blueprint is the product of a joint effort between the City of Law Cruces’ Community Development Department and the Austin-based urban consulting firm Halff and Associates.

From the start, the focus of the plan has centered on future growth in the Apodaca area and what sort of development is the most appropriate for a section of the city that is currently seeing the extensive private redevelopment of the former Las Cruces Country Club golf course.

Reflecting resident desires expressed during those input meetings, the Apodaca Blueprint emphasizes the need for more green space and both walking and bike lanes.

One aspect of the plan, suggesting the possible development of the publicly-owned Villa Mora levee property, allows for mixed-use office-oriented construction, while leaving roughly half of that land open for green space and trails.

The Apodaca Blueprint has now been approved on a 7 to 0 vote by the Las Cruces City Council.

By Garry Boulard

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