Planning and Development Leases – introduced by Commissioner Powell during his last tenure at the State Land Office – provide a unique opportunity for the Land Office to partner with the private sector to add value to more than 50,000 acres of trust land in the path of development. Commissioner Powell has earned state and national recognition for his commitment to sustainable urban development of large trust land acreage adjacent to urban areas.
The Land Office itself does not have the substantial resources necessary to plan and develop trust lands, especially large-scale, mixed-use development. Instead, the Commissioner collaborates with experienced, financially sound planning and development firms. They make the investments necessary to create master plans and secure entitlements from local government, eventually developing land for residential, commercial and mixed uses. Within these master-planned communities, the preferred scenario is to hold commercially zoned land for long-term income, but sell residential parcels so homeowners hold title to both their homes and land.
The highly-successful Mesa del Sol mixed-use development in Albuquerque is a model for future planning and development leases and for sustainable urban development. Commissioner Powell has a firm commitment to use planning and development leases to support the goals of local government, including job creation and economic development. Mesa del Sol has created 2,500 new base jobs for the metro area as of December 2011.
There are currently seven planning and development leases in the Albuquerque, Rio Rancho and Las Cruces areas.
Commissioner Powell has issued a moratorium on planning and development leases until Rule 22 is reviewed by staff and public hearings are held throughout the state.