Welcome to The City of Elephant Butte

City of Elephant Butte 103 Water Street P.O. Box 1080 Elephant Butte, NM 87935
Newsletter Date: Spring 2009	Volume 1, Number 1
In This Issue  Our City Newsletter - Introduction  Your City Council  Sewer System Update  Comprehensive Plan Update  Code Enforcement  Project Update  Future Newsletters  Events  City of Elephant Butte Facts Contact Us City Hall: 575-744-4892 Fax: 575-744-4493	Our City Newsletter - Introduction The City has tried several ways to share information with our property owners about what is happening in the City as well as what new and exciting things are happening in the area. This is the first of many newsletters that will keep in touch with our full time residents, our part time residents, property owners, and visitors. I would like to introduce myself: I am Alan Briley your City Manager. I have been working in Elephant Butte for a year and a half now. I bring 20 years of city government experience with manager experience in resort towns and I am an engineer with municipal construction and infrastructure back ground. Having experience in resort towns, I have always found it to be very difficult to get the word out to everyone. So many times I have heard people complain that “they did not know”. In an effort to keep everyone informed and involved, I have started this newsletter. We will send this out to about 1600 home owners and property owners, as well as print extra to put in the local businesses to catch the visitors. I hope you read on or check our web page at www.cityofelephantbutte.com Your City Council In March of 2008, an era ended with Mayor Bob Barnes decided not to run for election. He is the first Mayor and decided to step down, as well as Adrienne Podlesny. Both had been on the City Council since its incorporation in 1998. The election brought in a new Mayor and two new councilors. Gerald LaFont and Patsy Barnett remain as City Councilors with the new being Mayor R. Eunice Kent, Mayor Pro-tem Alan Brown, and Councilor Kim Skinner. Where the Council does not have regular hours here at City Hall, you can call City Hall at 575-744-4892 to leave a message or make an appointment. Sewer System Update Ten years ago when the City incorporated, the top priority then was to connect as many people to a sewer system and decommission septic tanks along with leach fields in the town. The City has been very successful in getting grants, appropriations and low interest loans to build the new waste water treatment plant and build as much main line as possible. One of the top priorities was to connect as many group septic systems as possible. The City has completed Phase 2 of the multi-phased project. The cost to date has been nearly $8,000,000. With this a treatment plant was built, seven group septic tanks were taken out of service, and almost 550 residents and businesses now have access to a sewer system and waste water treatment plant.

Comprehensive Plan Update

When first incorporated, the City performed a community survey. With that data the City developed and implemented a “Master Plan” for the City. The Master Plan set forth ideas of how to get to where you want to be. Ordinances were developed and as in the article above states, substantial improvements to the sewer system were done in relation to the Master Plan. This master plan was adopted by the Council in 2004, and no updates have been made since.

Since the Master Plan was adopted, a few very important factors have risen. The Turtleback Mountain Resort and Sierra Del Rio Golf Course have been developed and has future development planned. The Spaceport America is only 20 miles from Elephant Butte and we are the closest town to the Spaceport. Hot Springs Land Development and Hot Springs Motorplex is an 8,000 acre development just to our north and west. The current economic slow down is also a large factor in our future.

These significant changes since the Master Plan was adopted, has made it necessary for the City to look at an update to the Master Plan. The City has hired Sites Southwest, the firm who did the original Master Plan, to perform the update. This update will include a information from a new community survey and attempt to hear from you and what you see the future of Elephant Butte being. This community survey is a part of this newsletter and it is very important to us we receive your input for the update of the Master Plan. Please take some time and fill out the survey and return it to us by June 4, 2009. On June 4, from 6:30pm to 8:30pm at the Elephant Butte Community Center at 313 Rio Grande Circle, we will hold a townhall meeting for everyone to come in and share with us your concerns, your ideas, and help us develop a roadmap for the future.

Code Enforcement

The City has a very extensive zoning code. The zoning code is there for your property protection. This code is used to determine such things as what you can and can‟t build on your property; where you can build and how high you can build; it regulated the subdividing or combining of land; if you own commercial property, it will help determine the amount of signage you can have; and as stated above it helps with proper grading and drainage of development to prevent property loss.

The City does enforce various codes and ordinances. Below are a few items all property owners should be aware of.

 The County Sherriff is the City law enforcement. Any crimes against people should be directed to 911 dispatch. In addition, the Sherriff should be called for loud music past 10:00pm, traffic speeding through neighborhoods and any drug related activities.

 The City contracts with the City of Truth or Consequences for animal control. Any reports of animals at large, dangerous or vicious dogs or other animals, animals disturbing the peace and animals being abandoned should be reported to the central dispatch at 894-7111. Some calls depending on severity, the Sherriff will be called.

 The City has been faced with a number of wild or feral cats. The City has purchased cat traps and can be checked out at city hall for private citizens to use if they have a problem with feral cats.

 June is being designated by the Council to be “CLEAN UP MONTH‟. The City will be having clean up and litter control on the main streets, however, many private properties have a need to be cleaned. The City is offering free dumpsters for personal cleanup – NOT TRASH DISPOSAL – but cleanup of old junk and debris, yard waste, weeds, etc. We are trying to make arrangements with a contractor to pick up or haul off white goods such as old washers, refrigerators, etc. These dumpsters will be

Code Enforcement

located at City Hall through the month of June and will clearly have prohibited materials posted on the dumpsters.

 As a property owner you are responsible for the upkeep of your house and property. Dilapidated buildings, tall weeds, abandoned vehicles, accumulation of rubbish and trash are all violations of the City Code. The City will be inspecting all properties for these violations. If you think you might be one of these properties, please read the cleanup day information above and consider this before your property is red tagged!

 The City has a very extensive Dark Sky or Night Sky Protection Ordinance. Lighting must be shielded or directed downward as to not disturb your neighbors. All new fixtures installed must be in compliance.

 Are you planning to add onto your house, deck or patio? Please contact the Code Enforcement department before you do. There may need to be zoning permits in order for you to make the addition. Zoning permits are required for all new or reconstruction projects on your lot. Zoning permits are required for you to level your lot and to improve drainage.

 Any in home business or any part time vendor business is required to have a business or vendors permit to conduct business within the City.

 No improvements that create an impermeable surface can cover more than 40% of your lot. Impermeable means roof tops, canopies, driveways and parking. The increase rain runoff should be contained on your lot and not runoff onto neighbors.

 The Code is available to everyone and anyone wanting to look at it. It can be retrieved on line by going to www.amlegal.com click on the “Library” tab; then choose New Mexico, then choose Elephant Butte. The code is current up to Ordinance 108.

Project Update

The City has been aggressive with their improvements to the City. Last August, the City purchased the old Lakeshore City Sanitation District. The addition of a water system for the City will be a long term benefit for customers present and future.

The City has completed 4 road projects this past year. San Andres phase 1 and 2 was recently completed. San Pedro Drainage Project has been completed. The Tewa / Travis roadway and drainage project is nearly complete.

The City last year completed a landscape project on the North West corner of Warm Springs Drive and Highway 195. In addition, we received a grant and will be landscaping the area on the other side of Highway 195 in front of Coldwell Banker, homestead Realty and Bank of the Southwest.

We learned last week that we were awarded $100,000 for continued landscape on Highway 195 from the project mentioned above all the way to Hodges Restaurant. We were also successful in stimulus money award for our next phase of sewer system installation. This should begin this fall as it is a „shovel ready‟ project. We have applied for two other roadway projects through the NM Department of Transportation. A large project to reconstruct Rock Canyon Road from the “Y” to the North city limit line is a large project that will be a benefit to all that travel.

Although not City projects – three important projects are taking place that will be an impact and a benefit to the City of Elephant Butte. Turtleback Mountain Resort and Sierra Del Rio golf course; the Spaceport; and Hot Springs Land Development and Motorplex will all make Sierra County and Elephant Butte a place to be proud of.

Future Newsletters

This first newsletter will not be the last. The plan is to each month post a similar newsletter on our Elephant Butte web page. Our web page is going to be under construction in a little bit, but we will begin to post once it is complete. Check our web page at www.cityofelephantbutte.com regularly to get updates. There will be a place there to ask questions to the Manager and the questions and answers will be posted for all to see.

Events

Last year the City celebrated its 10 year anniversary. The City incorporated in 1998 and we chose October to host a big bash of a celebration to honor those who have helped in creating this place we call home.

This year we are going to continue the new found tradition and have an Annual City of Elephant Butte Celebration. Mark your calendars for the weekend of October 3, 2009. There will be parades, bands, food vendors, special events, car and motorcycle show, specialty vendors and much, much more. Please plan to join us.

Throughout the year there are so many events from so many entities, it would take another newsletter just to tell you about them all. Please check our chamber of commerce site, our department of tourism site, as well as the Sierra County Economic Development Organizations sites we have provided at the bottom of this newsletter.