Mark Severance and his wife Barbara moved to the mountain community of Alto in southern New Mexico in 2018 after Barbara underwent breast cancer treatment. It was meant to be their dream retirement home, a place to heal and start anew. However, their dream quickly turned to a nightmare when a concrete plant was built next door.
The plant, owned by China-based company Shantui Janeoo, is the first large-scale enterprise to produce concrete mixing and conveying machinery in China. However, its noisy and dusty operations are not welcome by the residents of Alto, who are concerned about the environmental and health impacts on their community.
The issue at the heart of this conflict is the lack of zoning regulations in New Mexico. Unlike other states, New Mexico does not have statewide zoning regulations, leaving local jurisdictions to set their own rules. In the case of Alto, there are no zoning regulations in place.
This means that the concrete plant was able to obtain a permit to operate without any input or oversight from the community. The Severances and other residents claim that they were not properly informed about the plant before it was built, and that they were not given an opportunity to voice their concerns.
The lack of zoning also means that there are no restrictions on the types of businesses that can operate in Alto. This has led to a hodgepodge of development, with commercial, residential, and industrial properties all mixed together.
The situation in Alto is not unique. Across New Mexico, there are many communities that lack zoning regulations, leading to conflicts over land use. In some cases, this has led to environmental and health hazards for residents, as businesses operate unchecked.
The issue of zoning has been a contentious one in New Mexico for decades. Proponents of zoning argue that it is necessary to protect communities from unwanted development and to ensure that businesses are held accountable for their impacts on the environment and public health.
Opponents, however, argue that zoning restricts property rights and stifles economic development. They maintain that businesses should be free to operate without undue interference from government regulations.
The conflict in Alto highlights the need for a statewide zoning regulation in New Mexico. Without it, communities are left vulnerable to unwanted development, and business owners are left to navigate a patchwork of regulations that may vary from one jurisdiction to another.
The Severances and other residents of Alto have voiced their concerns about the concrete plant, but so far, little has been done to address their grievances. They are calling on local officials to take action, but without zoning regulations in place, it is unclear what can be done to resolve the issue.
The lack of zoning regulations in New Mexico has far-reaching implications for the state's communities and businesses. Without a uniform set of rules in place, conflicts over land use will continue to arise, leaving residents and business owners uncertain about their rights and responsibilities.
It is time for New Mexico to join the majority of states in the nation and implement statewide zoning regulations. This will provide much-needed guidance and oversight for communities and businesses, ensuring that the state's natural resources and public health are protected for generations to come.