FROM KATHY FREAS :  One Step Closer to Campbell Ranch

Thursday night the Town of Edgewood Planning and Zoning Commission voted 3-2 to approve the Campbell Farming Corporation’s (CFC) application to subdivide 1100 acres of Campbell Ranch directly across Hwy 14 from Paa-Ko Communities. The CFC now has the green light to build the outdated 2002 Campbell Ranch Master Plan, or, as the CFCs’ engineer said, “develop the land in the spirit of the Master Plan,” that is, however they please. Despite comments from many members of the general public and sworn testimony from more than 20 adjacent landowners (4 Paa-Ko residents) on the irreparable damage from the project to Paa-Ko, San Pedro Creek Estates, Sandia Park, local farmers, and the entire East Mountains, the Commissioners passed the application. To make this decision, they ignored the 25-year relationship between the CFC and the Town, as well as procedural defects and technical flaws in the application and the original 2002 Master Plan. One Commissioner said, before she voted for approval, that she didn’t know anything about Campbell Ranch. Based on their decision on Thursday, the Commission will approve anything CFC puts before them, and it will be built across the road from us. The CFC won’t stop with this subdivision; this approval sets precedent to subdivide and develop Villages 3 and 4, also across Hwy 14 from us. 

The East Mountain Protection Action Coalition (EMPAC) will appeal the decision and pursue legal action beyond the appeal to fight for our community. EMPAC is an all-volunteer non-profit 501(c)(3) organization committed to preserving the East Mountains and preventing irresponsible development. We need your support. Please sign up for updates at: https://theempac.org/contact/      and donate