The Roswell City Council will convene tonight to discuss the potential sale of city-owned real estate to the Overland Group. Additionally, they will consider annexing a 10-acre site for a trucking business serving the oil and gas industry. The council will also seek support for a street improvement project on West Hobbs Street. Roswell Daily Record reported
Roswell City Council Meeting: Public Hearing on Sale of City-Owned Real Estate
The Roswell City Council is scheduled to convene tonight at 6 p.m. at the Convention Center, located at 912 N. Main St., to discuss various matters of public interest.
Potential Sale of City-Owned Real Estate
One of the key agenda items for tonight’s meeting is a public hearing that could potentially lead to the approval of the sale of city-owned real estate to a private entity known as the Overland Group.
The property in question, spanning 1.55 acres, is situated south of the Wool Bowl, east of North Grand Avenue, and north of East College Boulevard. It has been appraised at a value of $80,000 per acre, and the potential buyer has offered approximately $135,000 for the entire parcel.
However, it is worth noting that back in 2006, the city council dedicated this site for the purpose of establishing a memorial and gardens to honor the historic Blackdom Community, which was established over a century ago about 15 miles south of Roswell. The community’s residents had relocated by the end of the Great Depression, but there are still descendants of the early 20th-century inhabitants living in the area.
Should the sale be approved, city officials have committed to finding an alternative location for the memorial, forming a committee to revive the project, and potentially including it in the city’s Infrastructure Capital Improvement Plan to secure state funding.
Annexation Proposal to Facilitate Business Development
Another significant item on the agenda is a request to annex a 10-acre site, currently within the extra-territorial zone, into the city of Roswell. The proposed annexation is aimed at enabling the development of a trucking business catering to the oil and gas industry at 402 E. Brasher Rd.
According to the city’s 2016 Comprehensive Master Plan, this location has been identified as a high-priority annexation site. However, several other changes, including a zoning modification, would need to be approved to facilitate the intended use of the property by Carreon Spooling Services.
The Planning and Zoning Commission has recommended the approval of this proposal, which would allow the business owners to gain access to the city’s water and sewer infrastructure.
Street Improvement Project: Request for Letter of Support
Furthermore, the city council will also discuss a resolution requesting a letter of support to secure funding from the New Mexico Department of Transportation for a major street improvement project.
The proposed project aims to enhance the pavement, sidewalks, and ADA accommodations along West Hobbs Street, spanning from Southeast Main Street to South Sunset Avenue.
The state has committed to providing approximately $4.7 million over a two-year period for the Hobbs Street project. To access this funding, the city would need to contribute matching funds totaling $120,500.
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