The Reyes Family of Lincoln County New Mexico
Lincoln County Commissioners before this month passed a resolution in support of an outspoken group of Alto residents who are trying to stop a concrete constitute from opening in their community.
"The proposed use of the property is totally out of character for the area," said Lincoln County Commissioner Tom Stewart, who voted in favor of the resolution that declared the plans for the physical plant — filed by Roper Construction, Inc. — to be a possible nuisance to the area. The plant would be located near the intersection of Highway 48 and Highway 220, simply due north of Ruidoso
"And here nosotros accept a national wilderness area that is right about 1.9 kilometers from there, plus nosotros have some very loftier-end homes," Stewart said.
The Oct. 19 County Commissioners meeting was attended by more than two dozen members of the Alto Coalition for Environmental Preservation (AltoCEP), which is a group of residents, business owners and property owners who have organized to keep the proposed concrete batch plant out of Alto.
"I want to thank the board for listening to the voices and opinions of your constituents who take expressed concern and opposition to the proposed concrete batch plant," said Marking Severance, chair of AltoCEP. He said his organization represented the wishes of 500 property owners in the afflicted area, and added that more ane,200 people have signed an online petition to limited their opposition to the concrete plant.
The resolution regarding Roper'due south concrete plant that was passed past Lincoln County Commissioners states in part: "The board … finds that the existence of such a potential nuisance would likely result in visual and environmental blight and unhealthy, unsafe and the devaluing weather condition." The physical establish "if synthetic along Due north.Thou. Highway 220 could be considered a nuisance to surrounding holding owners," the resolution stated.
Ellen Hightower, assistant chair for AltoCEP who lives nearby the proposed location, told the Committee that she has "been doing a lot of soul-searching and praying about this" and said her conclusion was that she and her hubby accept an obligation to protect the natural beauty of their state for their children, but that the canton commission has a higher obligation.
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"It is more nearly your legacy, nigh how you are choosing to exit our country in this cute pristine expanse past decisions that you guys make as a canton commission," she said. "It is far greater your legacy with what you ordain in our County that volition last for generations."
Robert Phillips, an Alto resident, spoke bluntly to the committee.
"Currently I am paying taxes to live in a pristine expanse," he said. "I am going to inquire for my property to be re-evaluated at a lower charge per unit and I think everybody in that area will too. And the canton is going to lose tax money that goes into the budget that you all spend.
"I volition exist one of the first ones in line asking for a new appraisement if this gets approved."
Another speaker, Charles Gordon, said he lives less than a mile from the proposed site of the physical batch plant and was concerned about nighttime pollution.
"I am an astronomer and that'south one of the reasons why I decided to live in this surface area, because it has a good night heaven," he said. "And putting the found where it is, but about 8-tenths of a mile from my house … that volition end up handful across the heaven and it will crusade a lot of damage to my astronomy."
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Gordon said he was aware of other apprentice astronomers in the surface area who would also exist affected.
The clear nighttime sky, he said, "is a precious resources that we are really lucky to take here. People around the rest of the country are envious of our ability to exist able to practise astronomy at night," he said.
Commissioners split on resolution passage
The Resolution passed on a 3 to two vote in favor. Commissioner Todd Proctor and Commissioner Elaine Allen voted confronting the resolution that labelled the proposed plant equally a possible nuisance.
Allen did not respond to media inquiries.
Proctor said he voted against the resolution because he did not feel it was the County'south responsibleness to enter the fray in what volition possibly get a legal issue in the future.
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"I don't feel it was our job to get involved in this true cat fight," he said in an interview after the meeting. He likewise said he was concerned that the owner of the physical plant — Ryan Roper of Roper Construction Inc. — was in an unfair situation because he had violated no laws and had the right to pursue his involvement on his holding unfettered.
"Exercise I feel that the regime is overstepping individual property bounds? Absolutely I do," Proctor said. "Hither we are, stepping and interfering with somebody'due south private property rights and bounds.
"He had no limitations prepare upon him for what he could do when he purchased the land. No laws were cleaved."
Proctor added: "The squeakiest wheel does non always become greased. And that's how I voted."
Ryan Roper, possessor of Roper Construction Inc., said he is adjusting to the negative portrayal of his business concern, and is doing his best to be a lawful, responsible corporate citizen of the area.
"I am surprised past the amount of pushback … there'southward a lot more than what I expected," Roper said. He said he believes that the opposition to his proposed constitute derives from misinformation spread on social media.
"It's fueled by a bunch of false statements," said Roper.
He said he believes the physical plant will be a positive addition to the area because information technology volition help build infrastructure for the Alto and Ruidoso. His company, he said, would focus on providing local service to the growing Lincoln County.
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Born and raised at a family ranch about 18 miles due north of Carrizozo, Roper graduated from Carrizozo Loftier Schoolhouse in 2000, attended business schoolhouse at New Mexico Country Academy and started his company in 2005.
He said he believes in the American gratuitous market, and is trying to utilise the "highest and all-time use" of the unincorporated land he owns, and has been mindful about following all laws, he said.
"We did our due diligence before this all started, so we could make sure we were doing everything within the constabulary and restrictions. We believe we are doing everything by the police and past the code and going through the correct procedures to practise that," Roper said.
Before Roper Construction Inc. tin can be approved for an air quality permit, the New Mexico Environment Department must first hold a public hearing, state officials said. That hearing, co-ordinate to New Mexico Environment Department Air Permit Specialist Deepika Saikrishnan, has not yet been scheduled.
Roper said he has been advised to await until the air quality allow is approved before start construction of the concrete batch plant.
Until then, Alto residents are continuing their push button to keep the found out of their community.
Yvonne Lanelli, a member of the AltoCEP grouping, said it is a regional involvement to go along the concrete plant out of the pristine Ruidoso surface area.
"This is a huge matter. This impacts not just Ruidoso or Lincoln County only as you know the area is like a playground for southern New Mexico (and) W Texas and then the whole outcome goes style beyond Lincoln Canton," she said.
This article was reported by freelance journalist Reyes Matta III for the Ruidoso News. Born and raised in El Paso, he is a graduate of New Mexico State University. His email address is rmataonline@gmail.com. Story ideas are always welcomed.
Source: https://www.ruidosonews.com/story/news/local/2021/10/23/alto-residents-oppose-concrete-plant/6154414001/
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