Community Development Meeting at Artifacts 302 last Thursday evening drew a large crowd. David Edward Albright/Tri-City Record
Community Development Meeting at Artifacts 302 last Thursday evening drew a large crowd. David Edward Albright/Tri-City Recordcca

Faced with a decade of economic shifts and a future full of hard choices, San Juan County leaders and residents packed Artifacts 302 in downtown Farmington to help chart the region’s next chapter.

Deputy county manager Steven Saavedra welcomed an unexpectedly large crowd of local officials, community organizations and engaged residents as the county kicked off its long‑awaited update to the Growth Management Plan, a blueprint that will shape land use, housing, transportation and economic development for the next 20 years.

Saavedra recognized San Juan County Commission Chair Sam Gonzales, Commissioner Terri Fortner, Aztec City Commissioners Jason Cortez and Brett Lanier, Sheriff Shane Ferrari and District Attorney Jack Fortner.

The Growth Management Plan is a policy document that guides the county’s direction for the next year, five years and 20 years. It was last updated in 2018.

Deputy County Manager Steven Saavedra. David Edward Albright/Tri-City Record
Deputy County Manager Steven Saavedra. David Edward Albright/Tri-City Recordcca
Liza Caldwell, Architectural Research Consultants senior planner. David Edward Albright/Tri-City Record
Liza Caldwell, Architectural Research Consultants senior planner. David Edward Albright/Tri-City Recordcca

“There’s been a lot of changes since, including economic, transportation and infrastructure,” Saavedra said, noting the closure of the San Juan Generating Station, fluctuations in the oil and gas industry and changes in housing.

“So this is a good time and a good opportunity to look at San Juan County on where we’re at today, and we’re going to go within the next few years,” he said as he handed the microphone to Liza Caldwell, Architectural Research Consultants senior planner.

“ARC’s community plans assist our clients in identifying issues and developing strategies that address current and long-range needs to improve infrastructure, enhance health and welfare, and assist local economies while retaining local character and culture,” it states at arcplanning.com.

Caldwell, who worked on the 2018 Growth Management Plan update and the 2018 MRA Plan, called the turnout “fantastic.” Andres Brown, ARC facility evaluator and planner, said he was looking forward to working on the project.

What they said

Participants were asked to introduce themselves, share who they represent and note how they would like to be involved. They broke into four groups to discuss land use, economic development, affordable housing and social determinants of health and housing.

Martin Brady, Enterprise Center Business Incubation and Initiatives director, said his focus is helping incubation businesses secure appropriate “landing space” that meets their growth needs.

Lisa Maxwell, with Four Corners Economic Development and KAM Energy LLC and a school board member, said she worked on the new Career and Technical Education Center and is involved in workforce development.

Jill Adair, Presbyterian Medical Services Northwest Region director, said the organization runs Early Intervention, Head Start, medical, dental and behavioral health programs. She attended to explore how to expand services for families and the community.

Brett Lanier, Aztec city commissioner, said he wants to boost economic activity in Aztec and San Juan County. He noted the city’s growing senior population and said he wants to support them from a safety standpoint.

Danielle Todacheene, Four Corners Clean Energy Alliance executive director, said she is interested in issues involving oil and gas, hydrogen, the Four Corners Power Plant, the Navajo Mine and economic development, jobs and housing.

Tom Taylor, former Farmington mayor, jokingly said, “I’m head of maintenance in this building, and my wife and daughter run this place.” He added that Farmington’s retail‑based economy needs more industry and good‑paying jobs.

Mike Stark, San Juan County manager, said he looks forward to seeing the “finished product” of the plan and a vision document to guide decision‑making for the next 30 years. He said he was impressed with the turnout.

Karen Lupton, city of Farmington downtown coordinator, said she was curious about the plan and what may be developing for the future.

Toni Hopper Pendergrass, San Juan College president, said she is “interested in making sure that we continue to be an integral partner in creating the future for this extraordinary community.”

Bob Eckles, with Cheney‑Walters‑Echols Inc., a local surveying firm, said plans are valuable but must be workable and easy for the public to understand.

Andrew DiCamillo, Aztec Community Development director, said he is “curious, hopefully optimistic and excited to be a part of this.” He said affordable housing, energy and transportation are major challenges.

Shane Ferrari, San Juan County sheriff, said, “I’m very proud to say that our family is seven generations here in San Juan County … we’re very watchful of and it means a lot to us. We’re here to see the blueprint to make sure we’re prepared to provide the services to you that we need.”

The Growth Management Plan update is the county’s primary land‑use plan, which helps determine future land‑use policy. The broader community plan, which spans 10 to 30 years, will reflect what residents want to see happen with local land and will be rooted in a community vision.

“So we’re here to listen to the community, to understand what the community wants done with your land, to understand what the community vision is for your community moving forward,” Caldwell said.

Existing plans and projects, along with community conversations, will help build the plan and serve as a policy guide for decision makers. Topics include housing, economic development, transportation, utilities, facilities and hazards, Caldwell said.

Growth Management Plans are fundamentally land‑use plans, she said, adding that ARC is also developing an affordable housing plan that will examine the housing market and stock and identify policies and strategies moving forward.

Caldwell said the county plans to form a steering committee to help guide the process. Those interested were identified during the meeting.

Participants broke into four groups to discuss land use, economic development, affordable housing and social determinants of health and housing.

“We eagerly anticipate building upon the remarkable momentum we observed in Farmington on Thursday evening and are eager to engage with the community as we progress through this process,” Caldwell said in an email.

The community is encouraged to contact her at lcaldwell@arcplanning.com or Saavedra at Steven. Saavedra@sjcounty.net.

Andrew DiCamillo, Aztec Community Development director. David Edward Albright/Tri-City Record
Andrew DiCamillo, Aztec Community Development director. David Edward Albright/Tri-City Recordcca