The seeds of Las Cruces' newest park are taking root on the East Mesa.
The Las Cruces City Council voted unanimously on Sept. 16 to reimburse a land developer for park construction as part of a housing development.
The vote sent $525,000 in park impact fees to Sierra Norte Development as the firm works to build housing for the Metro Verde development on the far north end of Sonoma Ranch Boulevard. The money covers the design and construction of the neighborhood park.
The park will be called Metro Verde Arcadia Park. It’s about 2 acres and located on Starling Lane, east of Red Hawk Road and south of Arroyo Road, according to City Landscape Architect Cathy Mathews.
“Numerous homes will front the park, and raised crosswalks will lead to the park from two directions,” Mathews said. “So there will be lots of access to the park.”
Mathews said Metro Verde Arcadia Park will feature picnic tables, shelters, shade, play equipment and a half-basketball court.
Mathews outlined the benefits of parks in housing developments before the vote.
“The National Recreation and Park Association research finds that parks foster positive social interactions and increase (shared values),” Mathews said. “Park quality is a predictor of overall wellbeing.”
According to a 2017 study by Clemson University and North Dakota State University, more green space is also associated with lower crime rates, something Mathews noted in her presentation.
Las Cruces funds park construction through park impact fees. When a house is built and development occurs, the city of Las Cruces collects several fees from the homebuyer because development impacts park use, utilities and public safety.
The current park impact fee, which the council reaffirmed in a separate vote on Sept. 16, is $2,600. In the case of Metro Verde Arcadia Park, the city will collect about $1.5 million from 592 residences.
The city has operated this way since 1995. In 2019, the city council voted to keep park impact fees at $2,600 per housing lot.
The council had the opportunity to raise or lower the fee this year, as the city code states that the fee should be reevaluated once every five years.
However, Katherine Harrison-Rogers, the city's housing and neighborhood services manager, presented a resolution to keep the fees at $2,600. The council unanimously agreed to this.
Harrison-Rogers said Realize Las Cruces, a comprehensive rewrite of the city zoning code, will also affect park impact fees.
"Until we know the results of Realize Las Cruces, we really can't proceed," Harrison-Rogers said.
