Las Campanas News

View Archives

Neighborhood Meeting on New Cellular Service to be Held on July 14, 2020
July 1, 2020 Las Campanas Master Association, along with Verizon Wireless and their cell site acquisition partner Black & Veatch, are pleased to invite you to participate in a neighborhood meeting to discuss the proposed new cell tower, to be located adjacent to the Las Campanas administration building at 366 Las Campanas Drive. This meeting, which will take place via Zoom, is part of the formal application to Santa Fe County to approve the new cell tower. The tower will be a "stealth" architecture, designed to match the style, color and texture of the existing building. The tower will be 70' in height, enabled to accommodate two cellular providers, Verizon and another carrier, to be determined. The cell tower will utilize the latest 4G LTE equipment, and will significantly increase cell coverage and greatly improve the mobile user experience in the Las Campanas area. At this time, 5G is not planned. Due to the COVID-19 Emergency Health Orders from the governor, the meeting will be held virtually via Zoom on Tuesday, July 14th at 4 pm. Participants will be able to see the tower design, ask questions and provide comments. In order to adhere to the county requirements, we need all those wishing to attend to register in order to participate. To register in advance for this neighborhood meeting, click Register After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar. To view the formal notification, click Notice of Neighborhood Meeting. Attached to the notice you will see some additional information on the site plan and elevation drawings. Should you have any questions, concerns or comments about the proposed tower, please contact Robert Kiely, Cellular Committee Chair, at rkiely@lascampanasowners.com.

UPDATE on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
July 5, 2020 Update On June 25th, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham announced the delay of plans to further reopen New Mexico's economy after a spike in the COVID-19 transmission rate and as neighboring states reported record numbers of cases. Officials are pausing the second phase of a reopening plan and will re-evaluate in the weeks ahead. The current public health orders originally scheduled to expire on July 1 have been extended to July 15th. While businesses that are now open can remain operational, the state will delay decisions on raising the limit on mass gatherings and allowing additional openings. - To view the New Mexico Department of Health Covid-safe guidelines for businesses and individuals, click All Together New Mexico - Covid-safe Practices. To view the current emergency health order, click June 30, 2020 Public Health Order To view the revised order on travelers entering New Mexico, click Self-Quantantine for those traveling into New Mexico. This is a change and will require all travelers (with some exceptions) to self-quarantine for 14 days upon entering New Mexico. It used to only apply to those traveling by air, but now includes those entering by automobile vehicles as well. Everyone must continue the requirement to wear face coverings in public spaces. There is now a fine of $100 which may be imposed. This is any public setting, except when eating, drinking or exercising. The Las Campanas Master Association Administration office will remain closed as the mass gathering restrictions are still in force. However, we will continue to operate. We are limiting exposure by allowing staff to telecommute, although some staff will be in the office during normal business hours (8 am to 5 pm - [Friday 'til 4:30 pm]). The Association would like the cooperation of the community to reduce exposure to residents, guests and staff. We will have a reduced number of administrative staff on site to ensure the normal operations continue, but we will rely on your emails or phone messages to communicate and reply to your concerns. Security and Paramedic Services will remain and operate as normal. Maintenance and Operations will continue, although to help adhere to the order, staff will be staggering schedules to avoid mass gathering. As of today, there are 13,256 confirmed cases in New Mexico as determined from 375,054 tests. There have been 2,006 total hospitalizations and 119 individuals are currently hospitalized in the state for COVID-19. 5,860 are reported as "recovered". There are 267 confirmed cases in Santa Fe County from 22,906 tests. 140 are reported as "recovered" in Santa Fe County. There have been five hundred and thirteen (513) deaths reported in New Mexico that are attributable to COVID-19 - three in Santa Fe County. LOCAL, STATE AND FEDERAL UPDATES News and developments are fluid. Posting updates here would likely be "old news", so we are encouraging people to check on the appropriate websites for the latest and most reliable information: Santa Fe County website for COVID-19: SF County COVID-19 New Mexico Department of Health: NMDOH COVID-19 New Mexico Department of Health: County Specific Data Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: CDC COVID-19 We will keep you informed.

Update Regarding Proposed Development on 44 Acres Along Camino La Tierra
June 25, 2020 The Board of Directors approved a statement which affirms the position that the existing zoning (RES-E) of Tract E (the subject property) be maintained. The proposed development of the 44+ acres of vacant land on Camino La Tierra near the fire house and the Arroyo Vino restaurant is moving forward through the Santa Fe County review process. The applicant is scheduled to appear before the Hearing Officer of Santa Fe County on July 9th at 3 PM. PUBLIC ATTENDANCE IS PROHIBITED due to the COVID-19 restrictions. Members of the public can listen and participate in the meeting via Webex. To participate, you may do so by phone by dialing 408-418-9388. The access code has not yet been published but will be along with the meeting agenda which is usually posted on the Santa Fe County Government website https://www.santafecountynm.gov/ a week in advance of the July 9th date. In addition, people may watch the meeting by clicking on the county's YouTube Channel by clicking HERE We will keep you informed. To view the submittal click: Tract E Submittal The Community Affairs Committee and the Board of Directors felt that the developer has failed to justify any conditions necessary to justify the re-zoning requested in their submittal as required by the Santa Fe County Sustainable Land Development Code. The statement of the Board can be viewed HERE. This position will be made to the county through the facilitation process in anticipation of it being made part of the record submitted to the Land Use Administrator Hearing Officer on July 9th. We will keep you informed.

A New Way to Alert Us to Landscape/Maintenance Concerns
The Las Campanas Master Association (LCMA) Landscape Committee welcomes input and suggestions from all homeowners concerning their common areas. We recognize that our homeowners care deeply about their Estate area and neighborhood. However, it has become clear to the Committee and Board of Directors that there has not been a process in place that facilitates owner’s communication of concerns and suggestions in an appropriate and timely fashion. Below is both a process for communication and a commitment to homeowners that will lead to a prompt and a specific response to suggestions and recommendations. In the past, individual homeowners, or in some cases groups of interested homeowners from the same Estate, have generated and brought landscape suggestions or requests directly to the Director of Operations and Maintenance or even to his employees in the LCMA Maintenance Department. Requests that come directly from homeowners to LCMA staff, without Committee review for approval, budget analysis or prioritization can create frustration for homeowners and staff. Read More >>

Board of Directors Appoint Cathy Thomas to Vacant Director Position
The Board of Directors is pleased to announce the appointment of Cathy Booth Thomas to the open position on the Board. Carmen Paradis’s resignation in April led to the opening and Cathy will fulfill that term, which will end in October of 2022. Cathy was also appointed to serve on the Community Affairs Committee. Cathy spent 35 years reporting and writing at TIME, United Press International & newspapers in Texas & Oklahoma as well as 6 years’ experience teaching magazine creation and production at the University of North Texas. She was with TIME Magazine for 22 years, covering everything from Hollywood to high tech. Some of her business profiles included Steve Jobs, Richard Branson, Elon Musk, Steve Wynn, Michael Dell, Mark Cuban and Gordon Bethune. Her celebrity interviews included Tom Hanks, Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman, Russell Crowe and George Lucas as well as Paul McCartney, Sting, Stephen King and Andrew Wyeth. Cathy was bureau chief for TIME in Rome, Miami, Los Angeles and Dallas. As Miami bureau chief in the ‘90s, she interviewed Fidel Castro four times, twice for TIME covers. Over the years, cover stories ranged from battered wives (1983) to the challenges of taking care of a father with Alzheimer’s (1999), winner of a National Headliners’ award in 2000 as well as Hurricane Katrina (2005).

Update on Rembe Las Campanas Development in Los Santeros
June 17, 2020 Developer Jay Rembe has been moving methodically through the Santa Fe County approval process in order to gain approval to develop Tract B&H in Los Santeros as identified in the map on the right. Mr. Rembe was placed on June 18 Planning Commission agenda. However, that item has been tabled and will not be considered by the Planning Commission. The County Growth Management Department is still awaiting a soils report for the property and designation of the locations where two-story residences are to be built. The next Planning Commission meeting is scheduled July 16 via online Webex. Will keep you posted!

The Whole Poop and Nothing But
When I was growing up in New York, walking our family's dog was often left to me - the youngest in the family. That meant taking the dog for a walk before going to school and after dinner, and the weather in the northeast was not always the best - to say the least. It was fun and a great bonding experience for both of us, but it was drudgery on many occasions. Back in the day however, no one knew of the dangers of not picking up dog waste. It was merely a nuisance if you happened to step in some, or the hot summer weather would bake the goo into a source of unpleasant odors. We are blessed with our northern New Mexico weather where getting out and walking our pets is usually a pleasant experience, and a great added benefit is being outdoors and getting much needed exercise - particularly during this pandemic. However, we are seeing a marked increase in the amount of dog fecal matter left on roadside, roads and on others property. What's the problem? Scooping your pooch’s poop isn’t just a courtesy for those walking behind you; it is also the healthy and environmentally sound thing to do. Pet waste can be a significant source of water pollution. Dogs can be significant hosts of disease causing organisms, including Giardia and Salmonella, which are protozoan and bacterial infections transmitted to humans by animals. When pet waste is not properly disposed, it can be carried by rain or snow runoff directly into nearby waterbodies or into storm drains. Storm drains in streets and neighborhoods usually flow directly to a stream, river, or estuary without any treatment. Untreated animal fecal matter and wastes can become a source of harmful bacteria and nutrients in water. Just as we don’t want human sewage in our water, it is important to prevent pet waste from being carried into our waterways because of negligence. Not picking up after your pet is considered a nuisance under our governing documents and can result in fines. What you can do: You can follow these easy steps to be part of the solution to pet waste contamination. 1. The first step is to always carry a plastic bag with you when you walk your dog. Re-using an old newspaper delivery bag or plastic grocery bag works well. 2. Using the bag like a glove, you can then pick up the pet waste, turn the bag inside out around the waste, seal the bag, and dispose of it in a trash can. You can also flush un-bagged pet waste down the toilet. 3. Don’t place the bagged or un-bagged pet waste in a storm drain or hose the pet waste towards drainages as they drain directly to a stream, river, lake or other waterbody. 4. If you live near one of our dog poop stations, please use it!