Arts and Culture District Vote Postponed 

Published August 21st, 2024 at 9:25 am

With a standing-room-only crowd in attendance, Corrales Village Councilors voted to delay a vote on the Arts and Culture District (ACD) economic development plan until the village’s comprehensive plan is finalized.

At the Aug. 13 council meeting, Corraleños packed the chambers to voice their opinions on the contentious ACD. While many residents spoke during public comment, more than 20 others were unable to speak, as the council voted to delay the discussion until Oct. 22 and Mayor Jim Fahey closed the comment period to the protest of some councilors.

“We did vote and now it’s over, we’re gonna move on,” Fahey said. 

The New Mexico MainStreet designation would enable the village to apply for grant funding. According to the plan, the aim is to develop a vibrant, heritage-rich environment that boosts economic vitality while preserving the community’s historical legacy. It outlines goals and objectives for economic outcomes, providing a framework for addressing local issues, guiding project implementation, and supporting the district’s economic growth over the next decade.

A loud voice of opposition in the village is a volunteer group called Corrales StayInformed. The group is circulating a petition to encourage the council to balance development in the village with preserving Corrales’ unique and agricultural character.

Téa Davidson, a local lawyer and the petition’s author voiced her concerns during the meeting.

“I was compelled to write this petition,” Davidson said. “Not in response to any specific matter but for the cumulative effect of various actions by the village and lack of enforcement of village ordinances, both of which I personally witnessed, negatively impacting resident’s quality of life.”

Among those opposing the ACD, some expressed concerns about the transparency of village administration, particularly regarding the ACD plan, upcoming noise ordinance changes, and the feasibility study for village properties.

According to Councilor Zachary Burkett, there has been a group of people who are purposefully delivering false information and harassing people.

“We have people attacking people personally and their families and I’m not talking about any of the emails that I’ve gotten, but other people in this process have been personally attacked,” Burkett said. “If you are having an argument about a topic in the village and that’s the tool you have to reach into your bag and grab you probably need to take a pretty close look at where your facts are.” 

The decision to postpone the ACD vote was influenced by councilors who preferred to have the comprehensive plan completed first. This ensured that the ACD plan would align with it rather than being developed independently.

Reading a statement from Village Councilor John Alsobrook, who was absent from the meeting, Councilor Stuart Murray said:

“In order to make the ACD plan a useful document for governance, it must be synced up and be subservient to our comprehensive plan of development, which has not been yet completed,” Alsobrook wrote. “The ACD should be reviewed and rewritten after the comprehensive plan of development is in place. There’s no room for conflict between these documents and the comprehensive plan takes precedence.”