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Record of Proceedings

Las Cruces Planning and Zoning Commission Meeting – June 23, 2026

Planning & Zoning — Tuesday, June 23, 2026
BodyLas Cruces, New Mexico
SessionPlanning & Zoning
DateTuesday, June 23, 2026
StatusFILED
Video Record
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Transcript — Verbatim
2:26

You're live.

2:34

There you go.

2:35

Oh, the red.

2:36

There you go.

2:37

Good evening.

2:38

I will now call to order the June twenty-third, twenty twenty-six planning and zoning commission at six PM.

2:43

I am Chair Crystal McCasslin.

2:45

First on our agenda is the conflict of interest.

2:47

Does any member of the commission or any member of staff have any known conflict with any item on the agenda today?

2:56

Great.

2:57

Seeing none, we're gonna move on to public participation.

3:02

Next public participation at this time, I would like to invite anyone from the public to come up and speak on anything that is not on the agenda under new business.

3:11

Or if you want to speak on any item under the consent agenda, please do so now.

3:22

Seeing none, I will end the public participation, and we have the acceptance of the agenda.

3:53

Um all documents as presented.

3:58

Thank you.

4:04

Thank you, Chair.

4:06

Uh uh Commissioner Smith.

4:08

Yes.

4:09

Commissioner Thurston.

4:11

Yes.

4:12

Commissioner Kaiser.

4:13

Yes.

4:14

Commissioner Costa.

4:15

Yes.

4:16

And Chair.

4:17

Yes.

4:19

All right.

4:20

Thanks so much.

4:21

So moving on to new business.

4:25

We have item seven point one.

4:27

Can I have a motion to approve item seven point one?

4:30

Adam Chair, so moved.

4:32

Thank you.

4:33

Second.

4:34

Thank you.

4:35

Do you want to call the vote?

4:38

Oh, I'll do presentation then open for pres for public participation.

4:42

Yeah, yeah.

4:43

I'm ready.

4:43

I'm ready.

4:44

It's already tonight.

4:46

Yes, ma'am.

4:48

Adam of Troy community development for the record.

4:51

Uh sorry, one case we have before you tonight is the zoning map amendment.

4:54

We used to call these zone changes.

4:56

Uh for the property located at twelve forty South Valley Drive.

5:00

The scope of discussion we'll have today for this proposed zoning amendment uh would be limited to the actual zoning uh map amendment.

5:07

Uh P and Z's role essentially for this is your recommending body of a uh uh to the city council.

5:12

So whatever recommendation you have, that's what recommendation will move forward to city council for their final consideration and adoption of this as an ordinance or law, basically.

5:21

Uh discussion needs to focus basically on land use, zoning compatibility, uh density transitions, uh connectivity, kind of consistency, just overall uh fitting in with the area where the proposed zoning map amendment is being proposed in that area.

5:36

So the subject property is located on the southwest corner of Valley Drive and Aspen Avenue and encompasses uh just under an acre, about 0.987 acres in size.

5:45

It is currently zone NH1S, neighborhood one suburban.

5:48

Uh there is an existing shopping slash business center on the property.

5:52

Uh that shopping business center was uh developed, I believe in 2011.

5:56

Uh so it's been it was developed under our previous zoning code, the 2001 zoning code, and it was previously zoned C2 commercial medium intensity, which is our middle of the ring type of intensity commercial zoning back then.

6:10

As you can see here, there is the subject property highlighted in pink.

6:13

Uh as you can see, it's nothing, no other type of role zoning exists in the area minus NH1S, which is the residential area to the north, and those two big commercial corridors along Valley Drive, and a Venny limits here, that everything zone CRS, which is commercial retail.

6:29

So that is the proposal for this for this property is a zoning map amendment to CRS, which is our commercial retail suburban, which would match the existing zonings found around uh the area.

6:41

Uh the CRS zoning designation is more consistent with the C2, the previously existing C2 zoning designation for previous zoning code, and actually the existing NH1S zoning designation actually does not permit a shopping/slash business center on the property.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Engineering And Infrastructure█████████████████████████████████████████████51%
Procedural█████████████████████████████████37%
Public Engagement███████████12%
Summary of Proceedings

Las Cruces Planning and Zoning Commission Meeting – June 23, 2026

The Las Cruces Planning and Zoning Commission met on Tuesday, June 23, 2026, at 6:00 PM, chaired by Crystal McCasslin. The sole new business item was a proposed zoning map amendment for 1240 South Valley Drive. The commission unanimously recommended approval to the City Council. Additional discussion covered park impact fee-in-lieu questions and staff announcements.

Consent Calendar

  • The commission unanimously accepted the agenda as presented (recorded vote: Smith, Thurston, Kaiser, Costa, and Chair – all yes).

Public Comments & Testimony

  • No members of the public spoke during the public participation period.

Discussion Items

  • Zoning Map Amendment – 1240 South Valley Drive (Case No. 2-26-Z05037): Adam of Troy Community Development presented the staff recommendation. The 0.987-acre property, located at the southwest corner of Valley Drive and Aspen Avenue, is currently zoned NH1S (Neighborhood 1 Suburban). The existing shopping/business center was developed in 2011 under the previous 2001 zoning code as C2 (commercial medium intensity). Under the new development code, NH1S does not permit the existing shopping center or the on-site wireless communication structure, making the property non-conforming. The proposed zoning map amendment to CRS (Commercial Retail Suburban) would match the surrounding commercial zoning along Valley Drive and Avenue de Mesilla, correct the identified zoning map error, and align with the regional commercial place type in the comprehensive plan. Staff found no health, life, or safety issues, and all reviewing agencies supported the amendment. Notice was sent to properties within 500 feet; staff received one phone call requesting additional information.
  • Commissioner Kaiser asked whether the applicant paid processing fees, given the city-initiated correction. Staff responded that the city initiated the amendment and the applicant was not required to pay.

Key Outcomes

  • The commission voted unanimously (5–0) to recommend approval of the zoning map amendment to CRS for 1240 South Valley Drive (Case No. 2-26-Z05037), forwarding the recommendation to the City Council for final adoption.
  • A commissioner asked for clarification on how park impact fee (PIF) funds and the fee-in-lieu mechanism work, specifically where the money goes and what it can be used for. Staff said they would contact the director to provide an answer.
  • Staff announced that about a dozen minor subdivision applications had been submitted in the past week, with more cases expected in the coming months.
  • Commissioner Thurston asked about signature lines on plats; staff explained state statute requires the wording to include chair and vice chair, regardless of who signs.
  • The meeting adjourned at 6:11 PM.

Meeting Transcript

You're live. There you go. Oh, the red. There you go. Good evening. I will now call to order the June twenty-third, twenty twenty-six planning and zoning commission at six PM. I am Chair Crystal McCasslin. First on our agenda is the conflict of interest. Does any member of the commission or any member of staff have any known conflict with any item on the agenda today? Great. Seeing none, we're gonna move on to public participation. Next public participation at this time, I would like to invite anyone from the public to come up and speak on anything that is not on the agenda under new business. Or if you want to speak on any item under the consent agenda, please do so now. Seeing none, I will end the public participation, and we have the acceptance of the agenda. Um all documents as presented. Thank you. Thank you, Chair. Uh uh Commissioner Smith. Yes. Commissioner Thurston. Yes. Commissioner Kaiser. Yes. Commissioner Costa. Yes. And Chair. Yes. All right. Thanks so much. So moving on to new business. We have item seven point one. Can I have a motion to approve item seven point one? Adam Chair, so moved. Thank you. Second. Thank you. Do you want to call the vote? Oh, I'll do presentation then open for pres for public participation. Yeah, yeah. I'm ready. I'm ready. It's already tonight. Yes, ma'am. Adam of Troy community development for the record. Uh sorry, one case we have before you tonight is the zoning map amendment. We used to call these zone changes. Uh for the property located at twelve forty South Valley Drive. The scope of discussion we'll have today for this proposed zoning amendment uh would be limited to the actual zoning uh map amendment. Uh P and Z's role essentially for this is your recommending body of a uh uh to the city council. So whatever recommendation you have, that's what recommendation will move forward to city council for their final consideration and adoption of this as an ordinance or law, basically.

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