STATE LAND OFFICE
Notice of Meeting to Receive Public Comment Regarding
Proposed Disposition of State Trust Lands by Land Sale
Land Sale No. LS-0221/LE-1418
The New Mexico State Land Office (“SLO”) gives notice in accordance with NMSA 1978, Section 19-7-9.1 that it will hold a public meeting on March 22, 2022, from 4:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. at the Thomas Branigan Memorial Library, Roadrunner Room, 200 E. Picacho Avenue, Las Cruces, NM 88001. The meeting will be in a hybrid in-person/virtual format. Those wishing to participate virtually may do so by visiting zoom.us/join or dialing in by phone at 1-346-248-7799 and entering the Meeting ID: 81279947693. Any change to the time will be posted with the Zoom link and a final agenda on the SLO webpage (http://www.nmstatelands.org) at least 72 hours prior to the date and time specified above.
The purpose of the meeting is to receive public comment regarding a proposed sale of a 120.292-acre tract of state trust lands located in the Northwest Quarter of Section 16, Township 19 South, Range 3 West, N.M.P.M. A survey of the tract (delineated as contiguous Tract 1, Tract 2 and Tract 3) is available upon request.
The state trust lands are located in Don᷈a Ana County, south of the Village of Hatch, south of W. Fajardo Street, west of Vest Street and east of Chonte Avenue and Tepache Street. The state trust lands contain a sanitary sewer lift station maintained by the Village of Hatch and are otherwise vacant and undeveloped. The Don᷈a Ana County Flood Commission has submitted an application to purchase the land for the purpose of constructing and maintaining a flood control structure. If the SLO decides to proceed with a sale, the SLO would conduct a sale auction with open bidding available to other potential purchasers who may wish to use the land for other purposes. Therefore, the effect or potential effect of the proposed sale on surrounding lands includes enhanced flood control and/or other development in accordance with applicable laws, ordinances and regulations, the specifics of which are not known at this time.
If the SLO makes a final decision to proceed with a potential sale, the Commissioner of Public Lands would conduct a public auction in accordance with the New Mexico Enabling Act (36 Stat. 557); NMSA Sections 19-7-1, 19-7-2 and 19-7-9; and State Land Office Rule 19.2.14 NMAC. The Commissioner of Public Lands would issue a notice of public auction published for at least 10 weeks as required by law soliciting bids on the land. A minimum sale price would be established in accordance with an appraisal to ensure that any sale is for at least the true value of the land. The land would be offered for a cash sale (i.e., full payment in cash due at closing) as a single tract. Additional requirements may be established for submitting bids and completing the sale. The Commissioner would also reserve the right to reject all bids and withdraw the land from sale or to reinitiate the process of offering the land for sale on the same or different terms. The purchaser would be required to pay all costs associated with the transaction, including but not limited to the cost of the appraisal, advertisement of the auction, and recording fees. Conveyance of the land would be subject to all valid and existing leases, easements, restrictions, and reservations, including a reservation to the State of New Mexico of all minerals and geothermal resources in, under or upon the Land. The SLO may offer a negative easement or surface non-disturbance agreement with regard to the reserved minerals and geothermal resources.
If you have any questions please contact Tarin Nix, Deputy Commissioner of Public Affairs, at 505-827-5763 or email tnix@slo.state.nm.us.
PUBLIC COMMENT ACCEPTED THROUGH MARCH 28, 2022.
You may submit public comments by completing the form below or by mailing your comments to:
New Mexico State Land Office
P.O. Box 1148
Santa Fe, NM 87504-1104