From Matthew Foster, Village Planner:
Please consider participating in the development of the Village of Taos Ski Valley Master Plan. But first, a few questions…..

When one half of all the property within the Village is owned by people who live outside New Mexico, how can we maximize the amount of participation from the community?
And how can the Master Plan sincerely reflect the values of the community as a guide for future development and growth of the Village? I think all residents, property owners, business owners, employees, community organizations, government agencies, and visitors to the Ski Valley should have an active interest in the Village Master Plan. But again, what strategies can I use to get people aware and involved?

• form a committee? But, committee meetings can be long and unproductive. Plus, we already have the Planning and Zoning Commission who represent the community on land use and development decisions.
• use the internet? Absolutely, but not everyone has access to the Village web page (vtsv.org) or the Village Facebook page (www.facebook.com/pages/Village-of-Taos-Ski-Valley) or email (mfoster@vtsv.org).
• offer free food at a public meeting? Sure, I’ll see what I can do. Maybe we can have an “Open House” or something like that.
• attend the Taos Ski Valley, Inc. community presentations? Yes, they have been doing good work around visioning and messaging.
• meet in smaller groups and focus on specific areas of the Village? It has been done many times before in many communities. I think it would be fun to visit the Amizette and Kachina areas to put together a specific development plan with the land owners and We can talk about the potential for open space preservation, trails, renewable energy, economic development and infrastructure.
• talk to the experts? I am, because many community organizations and government agencies are very helpful and highly qualified to assist us with river restoration, fire protection, and funding. Also, we hire engineers and architects when we need them.

So the question remains….…How do I get meaningful feedback on the land use and development issues facing the Village? I’m going to try a combination of strategies over the next several months – and I’m usually available to meet in person or by a simple phone call.

Finally, I am giving a presentation of the Master Plan to the community during a Planning & Zoning commission meeting next Monday the 6^th at 1:00. The meeting is at the Hondo Restaurant inside the Snakedance. Contact the Village to get an agenda.