Tarleton Ranch Eco-Village: To Be or Not To Be

By KAY MATTHEWS

Thirty-three years ago, in 1991, investors from California, Texas, and Chicago collaborated with Coldwell Banker Lota Real Estate in Taos to develop a 321 acre “Las Sierras premier community” in Las Colonias and Taos Mesa. The development would include a $40 million golf course, 150 homes, country club, and inn, spa, and conference center. The developers applied to El Prado Water and Sanitation District to transfer water from the property where the golf course would sit—owned by a retired veterinarian from Santa Fe—to an Upper Las Colonias well to supply water to the development. Two years later, after intense community opposition, largely from the Las Colonias-West Mesa Preservation Association, Las Sierras died an ignominious death after the Office of the State Engineer denied the water transfer and District Judge Peggy Nelson dismissed El Prado’s appeal.

 Now, in 2024, the citizens of Taos are faced with another planned development, the 331-acre Tarleton Ranch Eco-Village in Upper Las Colonias, with a commercial center including luxury hotels, banks, art galleries, medical facilities, and more; over 300 residential lots; recreation amenities; and agriculture and open space. It sounds like Las Sierras on steroids. And once again, the supplier of water rights is El Prado Water and Sanitation District, which acquired those water rights in the Abeyta, or Taos Pueblo Adjudication Settlement.

 

That’s when I first heard of the possible development of the Tarleton Ranch in Upper Las Colonias, off SH 150, a working ranch that has been in the Tarleton family for three generations. I was on the Taos County Public Welfare Committee that was appointed to review all water transfers both within and from Taos County to assess whether they were in the public interest, or welfare, of the citizens of Taos County. El Prado Water and Sanitation District was in the process of transferring water rights from several properties north of Taos, including Top of the World, where the contested water rights that went to the Aamodt Settlement in the Pojoaque Valley originated. El Prado’s applications were for 284 afy of water rights to offset groundwater pumping from its proposed new wells out by the airport. The Public Welfare Committee questioned John Painter, district manager of El Prado, why the district wanted to increase its water rights from 25 to 575 afy. Did that include plans to underwrite growth north of El Prado along the SH 64 corridor and the rumored Tarleton development? We didn’t get any answers but El Prado got all the water rights it wanted and plans to supply the Eco-Village 200-afy.

 

The Taos County Planning Department held a public hearing on this Planned Urban Development (PUD) on February 15 where the commissioners questioned Tarleton developer Mark Yaravitz and master planner John Halley and then allowed public comment (Rudy Perea is the Chief Planner). Karl Sommer, a well-known Santa Fe attorney who represents real estate developers, was also in attendance. The overwhelming public turnout forced the commissioners to schedule a continuance, on March 7, to allow the Tarleton representatives to respond to the public comments and also accept comment from those who were unable to speak at the February 15 meeting. Another hearing is scheduled for March 21 at the Taos County Commission chambers at 10 o’clock.

 The developers claim that the PUD does not abrogate the current Taos County zoning regulations that apply in the area of the proposed development but provide “creative and flexible” interpretations of code standards. For example, “our density is only 50 percent of what is allowed.” They also acknowledged that over the course of this five- to-thirty-year phased project there will be many more development agents—contractors, real estate agents, etc.— involved in the process.

 

The questions and comments of the commissioners and those who expressed opposition to the development, many of whom belong to the Upper Las Colonias Neighborhood Association, largely fell into the following categories:

 

• Overall scope and density of the project:

The development will include 413 lots ranging from .0574+-acres to 11.00+-acres on 331 acres filled with houses, condominiums, rentals, hotels, restaurants, offices, medical facilities, grocery stores, real estate offices, banks, and various commercial shops next to the Upper Colonias rural community of houses on one to two acre lots. People suggested that it would be a much better idea for developers to fill in the many vacant stores and offices that already exist in Taos as well as affordable housing.

 

• Economic viability:

What is the guarantee that developers have adequate funding and investment secured for this large-scale project? The developers stress that this is a long-term project instituted in phases over the course of 30 years but will be dependent upon income generated from each phase of development to secure the ensuing phase. People also questioned the wisdom of selling commercial property prior to selling residential lots could result in a lack of demand and a negative impact on existing businesses in Arroyo Seco and Taos.

 

• Increased traffic on SH 150 and within Upper Las Colonias:

Access to the development will be from SH 150 with several possible entrances: Gavilan Road, just past the Quail Ridge resort or a new road called Tarleton Ranch Road in the center of the development. People asked how such an increase in traffic from the development could be managed: a traffic light, stop sign, or round-about for ingress and egress? The developers emphasized that Taos County and the Department of Transportation will make traffic requirements contingent on developing circumstances. Sommers engaged in several arguments with commissioners during their questioning of work force traffic that would need to be regulated before any long-term requirements would be in place.

 

• Water availability.

While El Prado Water and Sanitation District is on record to supply the development with 200 afy, people question future water availability for this “small city” in a time of drought and climate crisis. I listened to John Painter’s presentation where he emphasized that “contrary to rumors” the two Midway wells out near the airport “have nothing to do the Tarleton development but are part of the Abeyta Adjudication Settlement” to protect the Taos Pueblo Buffalo Pasture. “One or two more wells will be drilled under the Settlement that will only serve our customers and future growth.” The District is currently using only 94 to 97 afy and will be able to supply the Tarleton development. Current residents expressed concerns that the District could extend the water delivery system into the existing residential areas that have wells.

 

• Wastewater treatment:

Commissioners John Delmargo and Rick Edelman grilled the wastewater professionals about what will happen with the sludge and effluent of the Membrane Bioreactor treatment facility. While the estimated 50,000 gallons a day effluent could be used for flushing, irrigation, and potentially potable use, they questioned the capacity for such use. They also questioned why there appears to be no provision for the removal of excess sludge—what can’t be composted—generated by this type of wastewater treatment.

 

• Short term rentals and workforce housing:

The development includes individual residences, apartments, condos, and “work force” housing of “starter homes.” Many questioned whether any of these houses will actually be affordable to the eco-village work force, ski valley workers, and other service workers associated with the project. They also want assurance that there will be restrictions on short term housing, e.g., Airbnb, which is already a problem in Upper Las Colonias, and that work force housing can’t be flipped (in a survey conducted this year there were 118 short term rentals listed in Upper Las Colonias).

 

• Impacts on wildlife and acequias:

The Tarleton Ranch is currently open space where numerous wildlife flourishes: coyotes, jackrabbits, birds, and other small mammals. While the development plan includes agriculture, recreational open space, and ranching operations, the density of the commercial and residential components will displace wildlife. Although there isn’t much agricultural activity in Upper Las Colonias, some homeowners own water rights that could be impacted by the development.

 

• Light pollution:

Many people referenced the Taos County Dark Skies ordinance that are supposed to protect rural communities from light pollution. They claimed that the county was remiss in its enforcement and worried that a development as large as Tarleton would contribute to the problem.

 

• Use of Term ‘Eco’ In Part a Misnomer:

As stated in the Upper Las Colonias Neighborhood Association summary of concerns: “There are indeed eco-friendly principals associated with the project’s agricultural plans. However, according to developers, there will not be any enforcement of green building/alternative energy standards placed on buyers/builders of both residential and commercial lots. Others refer to it as a “green-washed suburb” or gentrified, self-contained neighborhood, between the airport and Taos Ski Valley, that will contribute nothing to the health and vitality of Taos.

 

The Upper Las Colonias Neighborhood Association appears to be divided in its opposition and support of the Tarleton Ranch development. In comments on its website many applaud this “Planned Urban Development, or “PUD” as being more appropriate than unregulated, haphazard development, support its planned domestic water system and wastewater treatment facility, and its willingness to make amendments to the plan from community input. Much of the comment includes the caveat: “The Tarleton family has an unquestioned right, legally and morally, to develop their property,” and “commercial development will inevitably continue along the Ski Valley Road, as the population north of town grows,” so what choice do we have?

 

I drove out to the Tarleton Ranch with a member of the Upper Las Colonias Neighborhood Association (ULCNA) to take a look. If you go to the map of the proposed development (TREV) on the ULCNA website, you can increase its size to better see the boundaries and detailed identification of the proposed infrastructure  We entered the ranch from SH 150 along Gavilan Road, just beyond the Quail Ridge Resort, which is the boundary of an established Upper Las Colonias Neighborhood with one to two acre lots. Within the ranch it’s all sage brush now so you have to use your imagination to see the cluster of residences that will border Gavilan.

 

Real estate signs on the ranch.

Gavilan curves around towards the floodplain and proposed Agricultural Park where the Tarleton Ranch cows now graze. Just across the pastures you can see the Tarleton Ranch house, barn, and sheds off Valencia Road, the ranch’s boundary to the northwest. Back on SH 150 we drove further north past the proposed Tarleton Ranch Road that will enter the village center where the hotels and other commercial entities will be located. Further up SH 150 we drove along Camino de Cielo (a dead end), where another existing neighborhood borders the ranch. More residences and a senior living center are planned here. SH 150 then intersects SH 230 (to Valdez), where we turned south along Valencia Road to follow this northwest boundary of the ranch. The planned wastewater treatment plant and bio-ponds are located on this west side of the development. Ten acre lots with large, trophy homes, part of the Mariposa development, border the ranch to the northwest. Valencia Road then ties in with SH 522, the highway to Arroyo Hondo.

 

The Planning Commission will hold several more meetings on the next step of the process, the Preliminary Subdivision Application, which sets standards for engineering, water supply, traffic, and wastewater requirements. La Jicarita will keep you posted.

View northeast on the ranch.