Acknowledgements - Artesia, NM

Transcription

Acknowled gements
Artesia City Administration
Phillip Burch, Mayor
Tina Torres, Community Development Director
Aubrey Hobson, City Clerk
Don Raley, Police Chief
JD Hummingbird, Fire Chief
Byron Landfair, Infrastructure Director
Bill Thalman, Personnel Director
Terri Hamilton, Planning & Zoning Coordinator
Artesia City Council
District 1
Manuel Madrid, Jr.
Paul Rodriguez
District 2
Jose Aguilar
Nora Sanchez
District 3
Kent Bratcher
Jeff Youtsey
District 4
Terry Hill
Bill Rogers
Planning and Zoning Commission
Gary Sims, Chairman
Mike Deans
Richard Price
Dean Chumbley
Aleene Ivy
Steve Moreno
Paul Alvarez
Consultants
Sites Southwest
Albuquerque, NM, and El Paso, TX
Phyllis Taylor, AICP, Principal-in-Charge
Barbara S. Herrington, AICP, Project Manager
James Aranda, Community Planner
Shelly Homer, Graphics and Production
Susan Bucklin, GIS
MolzenCorbin
Albuquerque, NM
John Q. Pate, RA, RLA, Vice President
Architecture
Kevin Eades, PE, Vice President Civil
Engineering
Ta ble of C onte nts
Chapter 1: Introduction ............................................................................ 1
A.
B.
C.
D.
Purpose ................................................................................................... 1
Planning Area ........................................................................................ 1
Comprehensive Plan Document.......................................................... 2
Planning Process .................................................................................... 2
Chapter 2: Community Profile ................................................................ 5
A.
B.
C.
Geology ................................................................................................... 6
History .................................................................................................... 6
Demographic Profile ............................................................................. 8
Chapter 3: Land Use ................................................................................ 17
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
Background .......................................................................................... 17
Physical Layout and Design............................................................... 17
Issues ..................................................................................................... 29
Future Land Use .................................................................................. 32
Goals and Strategies ............................................................................ 33
Chapter 4: Housing .................................................................................. 37
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
Housing Profile—Supply and Character ......................................... 37
Housing Market Analysis................................................................... 39
Housing Affordability ........................................................................ 43
Housing Needs Assessment............................................................... 45
Housing Goals...................................................................................... 47
Chapter 5: Economic Development ...................................................... 49
A.
B.
C.
D.
Strengths and Weaknesses ................................................................. 49
Opportunities and Challenges ........................................................... 54
Future Opportunities and Challenges .............................................. 59
Economic Development Goals........................................................... 61
Chapter 6: Community Facilities .......................................................... 65
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
F.
G.
Background .......................................................................................... 65
Parks and Recreational Facilities ....................................................... 66
Other Recreational Facilities .............................................................. 67
Municipal Facilities ............................................................................. 70
Artesia Support Services .................................................................... 78
Issues ..................................................................................................... 80
Chapter 7: Public Infrastructure ........................................................... 85
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
Storm Drainage .................................................................................... 85
Transportation ..................................................................................... 90
Airport................................................................................................... 93
Information Technology ..................................................................... 98
Chapter 8: Water and Wastewater ...................................................... 103
A.
Water ................................................................................................... 103
City of Artesia Comprehensive Plan Update: October 2012
Page i
B.
C.
Wastewater......................................................................................... 106
Goals and Strategies.......................................................................... 109
Chapter 9: Hazard Mitigation .............................................................. 113
A.
B.
C.
D.
Hazards .............................................................................................. 113
Mitigation Tools ................................................................................ 116
Goals and Strategies.......................................................................... 117
Implementation ................................................................................. 122
Chapter 10: Appendices ........................................................................ 125
A.
B.
C.
Bibliography ...................................................................................... 125
Legal and Administrative Framework ........................................... 127
Existing Planning Documents ......................................................... 132
Tables
Table 1: Race and Ethnicity for Artesia, Eddy County and New Mexico (2010) ............................ 10
Table 2: Educational Attainment ........................................................................................................... 12
Table 3. Artesia Zoning Districts ........................................................................................................... 24
Table 4 Artesia Housing Units .............................................................................................................. 38
Table 5. FY 2012 Income Limit Area: Eddy County, New Mexico.................................................... 41
Table 6. Percentage of Households Paying 30 Percent of Income or More in Past Year ............... 44
Table 7. Artesia Taxable Gross Receipts and Pull Factors .................................................................. 50
Table 8. Employment by Artesia Residents......................................................................................... 51
Table 9. Major Employers in Artesia .................................................................................................... 53
Table 10. Artesia Household Income (in 2010 Inflation-Adjusted Dollars) ..................................... 55
Table 11. Median Incomes 1979-2009 Artesia, Eddy County, New Mexico, United States .......... 56
Table 12. Artesia Median Incomes as Ratio of Median Incomes Elsewhere .................................... 56
Table 13. 2009 Oil and Gas Production by County ............................................................................. 59
Table 14. Types of Parks in Artesia....................................................................................................... 67
Table 15. Public Facilities ........................................................................................................................ 77
Table 16. Artesia School District Enrollment ....................................................................................... 79
Figures
Figure 1. Location Map ............................................................................................................................. 5
Figure 2. Artesia Historic Population...................................................................................................... 9
Figure 3. Artesia, Age Distribution by Sex, 2010 ................................................................................. 11
Figure 4: Artesia Historic and Projected Population: 1970 - 2030 ..................................................... 14
Figure 5. Existing Land Use ................................................................................................................... 21
Figure 6. Future Land Use ...................................................................................................................... 22
Figure 7. Existing Zoning ........................................................................................................................ 27
Figure 8. Age of Housing Units in Artesia ........................................................................................... 38
Figure 9. Estimated Incomes of Renters Compared to Incomes
of Homeowners in Artesia (2010 dollars)....................................................................................... 45
Figure 10. Eddy County Unemployment Rate” 1992-2011 ................................................................ 58
Figure 11. Eddy County Civilian Labor Force and
Employment 1992-2011 ..................................................................................................................... 58
Figure 12. Community Facilities ............................................................................................................ 68
Figure 13. Artesia Street Classification Map ........................................................................................ 91
Figure 14. Existing Airport Facilities in Artesia ................................................................................... 95
Figure 15. Airport Layout Plan for Artesia Municipal Airport ......................................................... 95
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Chapter 1: Introduction
Chapter 1:
Introduction
A comprehensive plan is an official public document adopted
by a local government as a policy guide to decision-making
about the physical development of the community. It
indicates in a general way how the leaders of the government
want the community to develop over the next 20 to 30 years.
A.
Purpose
The comprehensive plan helps a municipality to prepare for
the future by anticipating change, maximizing strengths and
minimizing weaknesses. The plan sets policies that help guide
how to address critical issues facing the community, achieve
goals according to priority and coordinate both public and
private efforts. Included in the Artesia Comprehensive Plan
are all of the functional elements that bear on physical
development in an internally consistent manner, including
economic development, housing, land use, community
facilities, and public infrastructure. The data, goals and
policies of these elements should support one another.
The purpose of this document is to provide an update to the
elements contained in the 2004 Comprehensive Plan. The city
contracted with Molzen Corbin, an engineering and
architecture firm, and Sites Southwest, a community design
and landscape architectural firm, both in Albuquerque, for the
current 2012 Update.
More details about each of these plans can be found in the
appendices.
B.
Planning Area
The primary planning area considered in this comprehensive
plan update lies within the boundaries of the city of Artesia. It
also considers the area within the three-mile planning and
platting jurisdiction outside the city limits.
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C. Comprehensive Plan Document
This document contains the following sections:
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Introduction
Community Profile
Land Use
Housing
Economic Development
Community Services and Facilities
Public Infrastructure
Hazard Mitigation
Implementation
Appendices
This document is designed to serve as an overall guide for the
development of Artesia. The following resources, although not part of the
comprehensive plan, should be considered important tools for the
implementation of the plan:

The integrated Infrastructure Capital Improvements
Program ICIP) - a listing of projects to be completed
over the next five years, with estimated costs and
potential funding sources
City of Artesia Zoning Code
City of Artesia Subdivision Regulations
Artesia 2010 Master Plan for Parks and Landscaping
Eddy County 40-Year Water Plan
Artesia Affordable Housing Study
City of Artesia infrastructure master plans
Artesia MainStreet Master Plan for Downtown Area
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The legal and administrative framework that enables municipalities and
counties to do comprehensive planning, as well as Artesia’s planning
history, are detailed in the appendices.
D.
Planning Process
The planning process for the 2012 Update of the Comprehensive Plan
began with a roundtable meeting with City department heads and the
Mayor in January to collect background information and identify specific
issues. Then over two days in February, consultants met with stakeholders
from various sectors: the oil and gas industry, agriculture, real estate and
housing, economic development, the chambers of commerce, senior
citizens, the hospital, local merchants, the school district and Artesia
MainStreet to understand issues they faced and their vision for Artesia’s
future. This culminated with an evening community meeting during which
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the general public was invited to share their concerns as well as what they
valued about living in Artesia. This information was supplemented by
telephone interviews. The public was also invited to fill out a survey online
or in writing in which they evaluated City services and ranked the priority
of proposed projects. The initial draft of the plan was reviewed by staff for
additions and corrections and later for policy direction during a City
Council retreat in July.
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Page 4
Chapter 2: Community Profile
Chapter 2:
C om m u nit y Profi l e
The city of Artesia is located 70 miles west of the Texas
border in southeastern New Mexico. Situated along
Highway 285 in Eddy County, Artesia lies 32 miles to the
north of the City of Carlsbad and 41 miles south of
Roswell. Figure 1 illustrates Artesia’s general location
and the surrounding area.
Figure 1. Location Map
Page 5
A.
Geology
Artesia is situated approximately three miles west of the Pecos
River between the Rio Felix and Rio Peñasco tributaries. The
city has an average elevation of 3,380 feet above sea level with
land that varies from flat to gently rolling hills. The greater
region is characterized by a number of arroyos and ephemeral
pond and lake areas that extend to the Quechero Plains to the
east. The area has a semi-arid climate with an average yearly
rainfall of 11.8 inches.
The landscape surrounding Artesia is typified by grasslands
and desert vegetation including mesquite, creosote, and a
variety of cacti, yucca and desert flowers. The city is
surrounded by approximately 30,000 acres of irrigated
farmlands, which include annual and permanent pasture in
the valley. These farmlands produce a variety of crops
including alfalfa, cotton, chile, winter grains, pecans, and
vegetable crops. There are also many types of trees within the
city, including fruit trees, cottonwoods, elms, and mulberry.
Other species such as Afghan pine, cypress, Russian olive, and
juniper have also been planted over time to prevent wind and
soil erosion.
B.
History
Although the original town of Artesia was officially
incorporated in January 1905 with a population of 1,003
persons, the first recorded permanent settlement in Artesia
proper was a homestead claim filed in 1889 by John T. Truitt.
He was a Union soldier in the Civil War who came to the area
after the railroad first arrived from Pecos, Texas, between 1884
and 1894. In 1901, three men including John Richey (the
“father of Artesia”) purchased 80 acres of land that were
platted in January 1903 as the town site. Shortly after, the
Pecos Valley that surrounds the town was cultivated through
the efforts of J. J. Hagerman and the Pecos Irrigation and
Artesia Improvement Company. In July 1903, the Artesia
Improvement Company purchased 160 acres and drilled the
first water well in town on the property of Mrs. Sallie Chisum
Robert.
The young town soon became known for its supply of artesian
water and became a prosperous agricultural center until the
early 1920s when many of the area's artesian wells began to
dwindle.
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In 1924, construction was completed on the Illinois #3 oil well
and approximately 16 miles of commercial oil pipeline from
the outlying oil fields to the center of town, opening up
Artesia’s oil fields and the Permian Basin. Following the
completion of the pipeline, several oil storage tanks were
erected. During the same time, gas lines were laid, and in the
next few years, a refinery operated in Artesia that produced
low octane gasoline and kerosene.
In the1940s, Artesia’s population boomed as the national
demand for oil and gas dramatically increased. In the early
1980s, however, the oil and gas industry experienced lower
prices and reductions in production. Today, the oil and gas
industry continues to flourish in the Artesia area and has
remained the economic base for the city. Agricultural
production, ranching and dairies have also been a vital part of
Artesia’s economy, with recent increases in both crop
production and agricultural processing. Small businesses and
the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center also play
important roles in Artesia’s local economy.
Several of the homes built in Artesia from 1889 to 1912 are still
standing. These homes include the Moore-Ward Cobblestone
House, which is now the home of Artesia Historic Museum.
Fourteen structures are on the National Register of Historic
Places and two more are on the New Mexico State Register of
Cultural Properties. These properties include:
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Abo Elementary School and Fallout Shelter, 1802 Center
Avenue
John Acord House, West Main Street
Artificial stone houses of Artesia, NM State register
Willie D. Atkeson House, 303 W Grand Avenue
Baskin Building, 332 West Main Street
William Baskin House, 811 West Quay Avenue
Flynn-Welch-Yates #3 Oil Well (Illinois Prod #3), NM State
register
Edward R. Gelser House, 411 West Missouri Avenue
Hodges-Runyan-Brainard House, 504 West Quay Avenue
Hodges-Sipple House, 804 West Missouri Avenue
F.L. Lukins House, 801 West Richardson Avenue
Mauldin-Hall House, 501 S Roselawn Avenue
Moore-Ward Cobblestone House (Artesia Historical
Museum), 505 West Richardson Avenue
Sallie Chisum Robert House, 801 West Texas Street
Dr. Robert M. Ross House, 1002 South Roselawn Avenue
Sipple-Ward Building, 331 West Main Street
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Other buildings in Artesia that are identified as historic but
have not been officially designated as such include the Santa
Fe Depot, built in 1912, the Nazarene Church at 5th and Quay,
built in 1935 and Our Lady of Grace Church. Most of these
historic buildings are located in the downtown area.
C. Demographic Profile
This section discusses the size of Artesia’s population, its
racial and ethnic makeup, and the age of residents. Population
projections for the city of Artesia are also presented in this
section for use in other portions of the plan.
1. Current Population
As of the 2010 Census, there were 11,301 people, 4,277
households, and 2,970 families residing in Artesia. The
population density was 1,412.6 people per square mile, and
there were a total of 4,688 housing units at an average density
of 586 per square mile.
There are, however, nearly 17,273 residents within a 10-mile
drive of the center of town (13th and Main Street). This number
increases to 18,773 when the 1,500 staff and trainees from the
FLETC program (who are not counted in the census in Artesia)
are added to the total.
2. Population Trends
As detailed in Figure 2, Census data indicate that Artesia’s
population grew continuously and in dramatic fashion from
1920 to 1960. The population peaked in 1960 with 12,000
people, but then declined significantly between 1960 and 1970.
The decline is attributed largely to the closure of Walker Air
Force Base in Roswell. Since 1970, Artesia’s population has
been fairly stable with small increases each decade, growing
5.6 percent between 2000 and 2010.
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Figure 2. Artesia Historic Population
14,000
12,000
12,000
10,692 11,301
10,315 10,385 10,610
10,000
8,244
8,000
6,000
4,071
4,000
2,000
0
2,427
1,883
1,115
1910
1
1920
2
1930
3
1940
4
1950
5
1960
6
1970
7
1980
8
1990
9
2000
10
2010
11
3. Race and Ethnicity
In 2010, 97 percent of Artesia residents were either nonHispanic White or Hispanic of any race, while Black/African
Americans, Native Americans, and Asians comprised the
remaining three percent of the population. The Hispanic
community is by far the fastest growing segment of the city’s
population. Between 1990 and 2010, the share of Artesia’s
population that is Hispanic increased from 39 to 51 percent;
while the White/non-Hispanic population share fell
proportionately.
In Eddy County, the non-Hispanic White population
represented a somewhat larger proportion in 2010, at 52.2
percent. Hispanics of any race accounted for 44.1 percent of
the population, and all other minorities accounted for only 3.6
percent of Eddy County’s total population.
New Mexico as a whole is more racially and ethnically diverse
than Eddy County or Artesia. In 2010, 40 percent of the State’s
population was non-Hispanic White, while Hispanics of any
race represented 46.3 percent of the population. Native
Americans accounted for 8.5 percent, Black/African
Americans for 1.7 percent, Asians for 1.3 percent, and other
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races for 1.7 percent of New Mexico’s population. Table 1
illustrates a more detailed racial/ethnic composition of
Artesia, Eddy County, and New Mexico.
Table 1: Race and Ethnicity for Artesia, Eddy County and New Mexico (2010)
Artesia
Race/Ethnicity
Eddy County
New Mexico
Number
Percent
Number
Percent
Number
Percent
Hispanic/Latino (any
race)
5,858
51.8%
23,731
44.1%
953,403
46.3%
White (non-Hispanic)
5,110
45.2%
28,111
52.2%
833,810
40.5%
Black/African
American
105
0.9%
589
1.1%
35,462
1.7%
Native American
78
0.7%
439
0.8%
175,368
8.5%
Asian
27
0.2%
325
0.6%
26,305
1.3%
Native
Hawaiian/Other
3
0.0%
16
0.0%
1,246
0.1%
Some Other Race
14
0.1%
63
0.1%
3,750
0.2%
Two or More Races
106
0.9%
555
1.0%
35,462
1.7%
Source: US Census 2010
4. Persons per Household
Artesia had an average of 2.63 persons per household in 2010,
which was slightly higher than the average in 2000 (2.61) and
somewhat higher than the average household sizes in both
Eddy County and the state. Eddy County had 2.59 persons per
household in 2010, while the state as a whole had an average
of 2.55 persons per household.
5. Comparative Age
Artesia’s population was a younger median age in 2010 than
the populations in either Eddy County or the state as a whole.
The median age of Artesia’s population was 35.9 years in 2010,
which was is 1.4 years younger than for Eddy County (37.3
years), and 0.8 years younger than for the state (36.7 years).
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6. Age Distribution
As seen in Figure 3, the age distribution of Artesia’s residents
remains relatively balanced, with a small decline among
children ages 5 to 15 matched by a similar decline in the senior
population. When compared with the 2000 Census numbers, it
appears that Artesia’s population is growing older, in line
with the national trend. Baby boomers born between 1946 and
1965 were 45 to 64 years of age in 2010, totaling 2,752 residents
or approximately 24 percent of the Artesia population. Youth
19 years of age and younger represent another significant
portion of Artesia’s population—3,475 persons or 30 percent of
the total population.
Figure 3. Artesia, Age Distribution by Sex, 2010
80-84
70-74
Age Cohort
60-64
50-54
40-44
% Female
30-34
% Male
20-24
10-14
0-4
6
4
2
0
2
4
6
Percent
Another notable characteristic of Artesia’s age distribution is
the relatively small population of residents ages 20 to 24 and
30 to 44. This can be due to a number of factors, including the
smaller population of age groups that compose Generation X.
It also indicates that some young adults may be leaving
Artesia, possibly for education and jobs elsewhere, or finding
residences in nearby towns.
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7. Educational Attainment
Artesia’s current population has a lower educational
attainment than Eddy County and the State as a whole. Over
27 percent of Artesia’s population (25 years and older) does
not have a high school diploma, while slightly over 30 percent
does. Furthermore, 12.9 percent of the 25-years-and-older
population in Artesia has earned a Bachelor’s degree or
higher, compared with 14.1 percent in Eddy County generally
and 25 percent statewide.
Table 2: Educational Attainment
Population 25 years+
Artesia
Eddy County
New Mexico
No High School Diploma
28%
20%
17%
High School Graduate
31%
33%
26%
Some College
22%
25%
25%
Associate's degree
7%
9%
7%
Bachelor's degree
9%
8%
14%
Graduate or Professional Degree
4%
6%
11%
100%
100%
100%
Total
This is not to be confused with Artesia High School’s drop-out
rate, which at 7.7 percent for the 2010-2011 school year, is
quite low compared with the rest of the state and nationally. It
increased from 3.4 percent to 8.3 percent during the 2009-2010
school year due to the statewide changes in the way rates are
calculated. The new procedure holds high schools accountable
for every student that enters their school in the ninth grade
through a series of enrollment “snapshots” that are reported to
the Public Education Department.
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8. Schools
Artesia Public School System
Artesia is served by the Artesia Public School District, which
consists of the following schools:
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Artesia High School (grades 10 - 12)
Artesia Junior High School (grades 8 - 9)
Artesia Intermediate School (grades 6 - 7)
Central Elementary School (grades 1 - 5)
Hermosa Elementary School (grades 1 - 5)
Roselawn Elementary School (grades 1 - 5)
Yeso Elementary School (grades 1 - 5)
Yucca Elementary School (grades 1 - 5)
Grand Heights Early Child Center (kindergarten)
Artesia also has a Head Start program.
9. Population Projections
Although the City of Artesia has maintained a relatively low
rate of growth, the potential for greater population growth
does exist. Factors that can contribute to growth include the
following:
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The continuing prominence and productivity of oil and
gas production, refining, and business management
that are closely associated with Artesia
Increase in regional commerce locating to Artesia
Retirement in-migration
Other economic activities such as expansion of the
Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC)
and the local dairy industry
Good quality, available housing
It is possible that these growth sectors may bring additional
jobs and residents to Artesia. While there is a trend for growth
to occur in the unincorporated areas of Eddy County, it is
reasonable to expect that a portion of the 7,460 additional
residents projected for Eddy County by 2035 will reside in the
City of Artesia. Utilities, public safety, and other municipal
services offered by the city of Artesia can also play a role in
potentially attracting a larger number of new residents to the
city than occurred during the last decade.
Population projections in 2005 by the Bureau of Business and
Economic Research at the University of New Mexico predicted
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that, at most, the Artesia population would reach 11,100
residents by 2010 and 12,000 by 2030. By the 2010 Census,
however, the population of 11,301 had already surpassed the
earlier projection.
Based on new BBER projections of Eddy County growth
released in 2008, the Artesia Water Master Plan projected
growth to 18,500 residents by 2030, which is shown in Figure
4. This, however, will depend on the state of the economy and
the availability of housing, among other factors, over the time
period.
Figure 4: Artesia Historic and Projected Population: 1970 - 2030
Source: City of Artesia Water Master Plan, 2010.
FLETC
Artesia has one of three residential training sites of the Federal
Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC). The center is
located on the former campus of the College of Artesia, which
operated from 1966 to 1971. FLETC acquired the campus in
1989 and has steadily improved and expanded the facilities
there to support the growing need for training.
The 3,620-acre site includes a full range of facilities for
conducting basic and advanced law enforcement training.
FLETC also houses specialized assets such as a collection of
grounded 727 aircraft used to support a variety of antiterrorism training programs.
Shortly after September 11, 2001, the focus at FLETC shifted
toward Air Marshal training. Within three months of the
terrorist attacks, FLETC developed and delivered a new basic
Page 14
training program for Federal Air Marshals (FAMs). Due to the
requirements associated with training a congressionally
mandated number of FAMs, FLETC was identified as the
permanent location for the FAM training program. As a result,
Artesia's student population grew tenfold between
January and September 2002, and Artesia's staffing levels
correspondingly increased by approximately 150 percent.
The FLETC facility has expanded dramatically over the years.
Today, the site contains support facilities such as classroom
buildings, interview suites, a fully equipped courtroom, drug
identification labs, and fingerprint labs. The 108,000-squarefoot Physical Techniques Building houses mat rooms,
gymnasium, cardio room, weight rooms, an Olympic-size
indoor pool, and a healthcare unit for students and staff. The
firearms complex includes 450 firing points in both indoor and
outdoor ranges, as well as three live-fire shoot houses, three
non-lethal shoot house airplanes, mat rooms, classrooms, cover
courses, skeet range, gas house, and judgmental pistol
shooting simulators.
Other facilities are practical exercise sites with checkpoints,
barns, confidence courses, rail yard inspection training area,
vehicle inspection area, and support space. The driving
courses include multiple sets of high-speed pursuit ranges,
non-emergency vehicle operation courses, skidpans, and fourwheel drive courses, all which provide a wide range of realworld training opportunities.
FLETC’s student support facilities include the dining hall
which can feed more than 1000 students per meal, and a
student center featuring a convenience store and internet cafe.
On-site housing includes single and double occupancy
dormitories as well as modular dormitories.
FLETC has recently grown to include additional language labs,
classrooms, and office space. A language arts building, a
Firearms Multi-Purpose Building, and detention facility, were
all completed in 2010.
Page 15
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Chapter 3: Land Use
Chapter 3:
Land Use
Land use is a fundamental component of comprehensive
planning and provides an underlying framework for the entire
document. Land use planning influences housing, community,
commercial and industrial development, as well as the
location of public facilities. Land use patterns influence such
things as a community’s economic base, the cost of providing
public services and the location of future development.
Analyzing existing patterns helps to determine how and in
what direction a community is growing and whether the
pattern should be continued or changed.
A.
Background
Since 1970, Artesia's growth has been modest. Land
development capacity in and near the city limits is adequate to
support a population much larger than the current population.
Zoning and subdivision ordinances are relatively adequate,
but periodic updates are needed to keep the City’s land use
controls current.
Zoning ordinances and subdivision regulations are
implementation tools for land use policy. Zoning is concerned
with where and how a particular land use or structure may be
established. Subdivision regulations directly influence the
physical layout of a place, consisting of provisions for and
design of public facilities such as streets and sewers.
Subdivision regulations also control the layout and division of
sites to provide protection against flooding and erosion and to
ensure consistency in the development of adjacent land.
B.
Physical Layout and Design
Located at the intersection of US Highway 82 and US
Highway 285, Artesia is eight square miles in size. The general
pattern of development in and around Artesia is a fairly
compact community in rural northern Eddy County. It has
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Chapter 3: Land Use
substantial irrigated agricultural lands partially surrounding
it, several pockets of residential areas outside the city limits,
and the Pecos River to the east. The floodways associated with
the Pecos River form a wide swath of land to the east.
Nearly 5,400 residents lived in over 1,800 households outside
the city limits in northern Eddy County compared to 10,692
residents living in 4,080 households inside the city, according
to the 2000 census.
The city of Artesia has developed in a traditional grid pattern,
with streets running at right angles to each other. The
intersection of US Highway 82 (Main Street) and US Highway
285 (First Street) serves as the city’s primary east-west/northsouth axes. The majority of Artesia’s built environment is
located west of this intersection, leaving a small portion of the
eastern sector of town to develop mainly into an industrial
and commercial area. The majority of new commercial
development is on the western end of Main Street and along
US Highway 285 to the south.
The main agricultural areas are located to the north, extending
from Artesia to the Cottonwood Creek area and to the south
and east of Artesia.
1. Existing Land Use
Residential
Single family residential within Artesia’s city limits makes up the
largest category of land use. In 2012, these areas accounted for 958
acres or 15.6 percent of the city's land uses. In addition, undeveloped
residential areas for single family housing are scattered throughout
the city. In the unincorporated vicinity, yet more undeveloped land
would be available for residential development when and if needed.
New development has mainly occurred on the west side of town and
on the southern fringes both inside and outside the city limits.
Multifamily land use constitutes only a small portion of the city's
acreage. In 2012, it comprised approximately 1.4 percent or 87 acres.
There is a concentration of multifamily homes between Hank Avenue
and Lolita Avenue near the hospital. Other concentrations of
multifamily homes include the public housing units located on
Chisum Avenue near Roselawn Avenue. Mobile homes accounted for
another 55 acres or about 0.8 percent of the total land uses.
According to five-year data from the 2006-2010 American Community
Survey, Artesia had a total of 4,688 housing units of all types in 2010,
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Chapter 3: Land Use
although three-quarters were single family.
(The 2010 US Census later revised this number to 4,724.)
Commercial
Commercial activities are present along both Main Street (US 82) and
US 285 along the BNSF Railroad tracks. Commercial land uses
accounted for approximately 5.5 percent or 340 acres of the city's land
in 2012. Each of these commercial areas has a distinct character in its
mix of uses and development patterns.





Commercial development in Artesia’s downtown area
is concentrated for approximately six blocks east of the
intersection at Main Street and US 285 and extends for
about three blocks north and south of Main Street,
mixed with residential and public uses. Main Street is
the most pedestrian-oriented commercial district in
Artesia and consists of various retail, office,
institutional, and entertainment services.
US 285 north and south of Main Street also has a
pattern of mixed retail, "heavy" commercial and
industrial uses. Included along the US 285 corridor are
the city industrial park off Mill Road, a grain store,
three auto dealerships, the historic train station now
occupied by the Chamber of Commerce, the Navajo
Refinery, and several motels.
The area of west Main Street from 7th to 13th Streets
retains the historic scale and some of the pedestrianoriented qualities of Artesia’s downtown. Small-scale
retail development and office uses can be found
interspersed with this area’s residential uses. From 13th
to 20th development opens up to more automobileoriented retail, including several fast food outlets and
other restaurants, a shopping mall, auto parts and
hardware stores.
West of 20th Street, Main Street has hotels, grocery and
big-box retail stores as well as pockets of office parktype developments such as Concho Resources offices
and Peñasco Valley Telephone Cooperative offices.
Other commercial development can be found along the
13th Street corridor from Richey Ave. to Hermosa Ave.
Along with medical offices, there are strip malls and
small-scale retail mixed in with schools and residential
neighborhoods.
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Chapter 3: Land Use
2. Zoning and Land Use Maps
The Eddy County assessor tracks land ownership and whether
it is residential or commercial for tax assessment purposes.
New GIS staff in Artesia recently updated the zoning map. As
part of the comprehensive planning process, consultants
created a draft land use map and associated GIS data files that
can be verified and completed by city staff.
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Chapter 3: Land Use
Figure 5. Existing Land Use
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Chapter 3: Land Use
Figure 6. Future Land Use
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Chapter 3: Land Use
Industrial
Industrial development is located primarily east of the BNSF
Railroad tracks and parallel to US 285. The Artesia Industrial
Park located on the north end of the corridor also has a
concentration of various industrial uses. Situated just north of
Main Street (and Artesia’s downtown), Navajo Refining
Company also has a dominant presence in the city. Various oil
field supply yards and other industrial uses are interspersed
along US 285 throughout the city to Halliburton Supplies on
the south outside the city limits. Industrial land uses within
the city limits accounted for about 393 acres or 6.4 percent of
total land uses in 2012.
Public and Quasi-Public
Land use classified as "public" covered approximately 1,445 or
23.6 percent of total land uses in 2012. This category includes
schools, government buildings and parks. [The airport is
classified as a “transportation” land use.] The Federal Law
Enforcement Training Center (FLETC) encompasses
approximately 220 acres located within the city’s northern
boundary.
A total of ten parks are located throughout Artesia. They cover
an area of approximately 406.5 acres. The largest is Jaycee
Park, located on South 26th Street, with approximately 300
acres. Another park of significant size is the Eagle Draw
Parkway, which consists of 57 acres and spans 2.5 miles along
the Eagle Draw diversion system from 1st Street on the east
end of Artesia to 26th Street on the west end of town.
Another 27 percent of land in Artesia is used by churches, the
Artesia General Hospital and related complexes, parking,
transportation (such as the airport) and a small portion of
mixed-use development.
Vacant land
Some 1,183 acres or 19.3 percent of land use was vacant in
2012. Much of the vacant land in Artesia is concentrated in the
western portion of city. In this area are several medium-sized
undeveloped lots as well as number of partially developed
lots. The undeveloped or partially developed subdivisions and
lots are served by roads and some utilities. Artesia Public
Schools also owns a number of vacant parcels to accommodate
future school development on the west side and north end of
town.
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Chapter 3: Land Use
3. Existing Zoning
Title 9 of Artesia’s City Code addresses zoning in the city.
Within Title 9 are 15 chapters that deal with definitions,
zoning districts, nonconforming uses, manufactured homes,
special uses, and development standards such as building
height, lot size, and setback requirements.
There are 12 different use districts established by Chapter 3 of
Title 12. These are listed in Table 3. Artesia’s zoning code
implements a cumulative or pyramidal zoning structure. This
form of zoning allows land uses to take place in a particular
zone based upon intensity. With the exception of the M-2
zoning district, zones that allow land uses of greater intensity
also allow land uses of lesser intensity to take place within
them. Areas zoned for land uses of the least intensity
generally only allow residential development and low
intensity uses such as public parks, agriculture, or churches.
Seven of the zoning districts are primarily for residential uses.
These districts differ based on densities and housing types
allowed. Two districts allow industrial uses, one district
allows commercial uses and other districts allow public and
hospital uses. The commercial zoning district also allows for
residential uses. Table 3 details the intent, minimum lot sizes,
and required setbacks (where applicable) as prescribed by the
zoning code.
Table 3. Artesia Zoning Districts
Zone
Suburban
Acreage, Type 1
(SA-1)
Suburban
Acreage, Type 2
(SA-2)
Single Family
District (R-1A)
Single Family
District (R-1B)
Page 24
Intent
Agricultural activities
Single-family dwellings
Churches, schools
Agricultural activities
Churches, schools
Churches
Golf courses
Schools
Public facilities
Churches
Golf courses
Schools
Public facilities
Minimum Lot Size
Setbacks
1 acre
Front
40 ft
Side
5 ft
Rear
50 ft
120 ft wide at building line
6,000 sq ft
30 ft
5 ft
20 ft
10,000 sq ft
30 ft
5 ft
20 ft
25 ft
5 ft
20 ft
6,000 sq ft
Chapter 3: Land Use
Zone
General
Residential
District (R-2)
Mobile Home
District (MH)
Business District
(C)
Light Industrial
District (M-1)
Heavy Industrial
District (M-2)
Public Use
District (P)
Intent
Hospitals and
institutions
Lodging houses
Multi-family dwellings
Two-family dwellings
Churches, schools
Detached single-family
manufactured and
mobile home units
Churches, schools
Commercial activities
that serve the general
community
Churches
Golf courses
Schools
Public facilities
Light manufacturing
processing, storage,
packaging,
compounding,
wholesaling, and
distribution operations;
Churches, schools
All types of
manufacturing,
processing, storage,
packaging,
compounding,
wholesaling, and
distribution operations;
Churches, schools
Flood control channels
or structures and
associated parks;
municipal, state, county
or federal airports;
parks, botanical gardens,
zoological parks; public
buildings; public
recreational facilities;
raising of crops, whether
field or truck; parking
facilities in conjunction
with any of the
authorized uses;
Churches, schools
Minimum Lot Size
Setbacks
6,000 sq ft
Front
20 ft
Side
5 ft
Rear
20 ft
4,200 sq ft
25 ft
10 ft
20 ft
No less than 35’ wide at
building line
None
None
None
None
None
None
None
None
None
None
None
None
None
None
None
None
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Chapter 3: Land Use
Zone
Planned Unit
Development
(PUD)
Hospital (H)
Special Use Zone
(SU-1)
Intent
Minimum Lot Size
Residential, commercial,
public or quasi-public,
either as a single use or a
combination of uses;
Churches, schools
Health and health
related activities such as:
Hospitals, medical or
dental clinics, medical
supply retail outlets,
optometric facilities,
outpatient diagnostic
facilities, and
pharmacies;
Churches, schools
All uses permitted in R1A, R-1B, and R-2
districts, as well as
banks, offices, studios,
churches, schools,
clinics, commercial
parking lots, and the
retail sale of goods and
products
Setbacks
Front
Side
Rear
Minimum lot area and lot
width shall be determined
by the use and design of the
PUD
N/A
N/A
N/A
None
None
None
None
None
None
None
None
Figure 7 is the most recent version of the official zoning map.
There are periodic changes to zoning. The official zoning map
is kept up to date and should be used as the reference for
current zoning designation.
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Chapter 3: Land Use
Figure 7. Existing Zoning
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Chapter 3: Land Use
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Chapter 3: Land Use
4. ETZ and PPJ
An extraterritorial zone or ETZ can serve as an area for
potential future growth in which existing zoning controls can
be implemented through policy decisions adopted by a joint
agreement with county officials. In addition to zoning and
subdivision regulations, under New Mexico law, a community
may implement an extraterritorial zone for planning and
platting authority. New Mexico statutes allow for a one-mile
extraterritorial area for zoning and a three-mile extraterritorial
area for planning and platting (subdivisions) by cities the size
of Artesia (Section 3-21-2(B) NMSA 1978; Section 3-19-5(A))
(see appendices).
Section 3-21-2(B) NMSA 1978 states:
A municipal zoning authority may adopt a zoning ordinance
applicable to the territory within the municipal boundaries and,
if not within a class A county with a population of more than
three hundred thousand persons according to the last federal
decennial census, shall have concurrent authority with the
county to zone all or any portion of the territory within its
extraterritorial zoning jurisdiction that is within...
(2) one mile of the boundary of any municipality having a
population of one thousand five hundred or more but less
than twenty thousand persons, provided such territory is not
within the boundaries of another municipality...
Section 3-19-5(A) states:
Each municipality shall have planning and platting
jurisdiction within its municipal boundary. Except as
provided in Subsection B of this section, the planning and
platting jurisdiction of a municipality...
(2) having a population of less than twenty-five thousand
persons includes all territory within three miles of its
boundary and not within the boundary of another
municipality.
C. Issues
The following land use issues were raised during public
meetings and stakeholder interviews conducted in early 2012
as part of the comprehensive planning process.
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Chapter 3: Land Use
1. Housing
Artesia suffers from a severe lack of housing units and quality
affordable housing. A number of factors contribute to the
city’s shortage of housing units, but the most notable factors
include: recent population growth, lack of water/wastewater
infrastructure capacity to accommodate future growth,
skewing of the rental housing market toward the high end,
and a lack of readily developable vacant land due to land
ownership patterns in and around the city limits. This issue
has major reverberations for Artesia as the housing stock
shortage raises rent rates to unsustainable levels for existing
residents, additionally; the lack of suitable housing for
prospective employees also stifles the City’s continuing
economic development efforts.
2. Zoning and Land Use
There is a need for more commercially zoned land in Artesia.
The lack of commercial space leads to a lack of ability to
expand and commercial uses spilling over into residential
neighborhoods.
3. Incompatible Uses and Buffering/Screening
Public meeting participants also expressed concerns about
incompatible uses located together and the general lack of
sufficient buffering and screening of commercial and
industrial development that is adjacent to residential areas or
public streets.
4. Zoning and Land Use Maps
The Eddy County assessor tracks land ownership and whether
it is residential or commercial for tax assessment purposes.
New GIS staff in Artesia recently updated the zoning map. As
part of the comprehensive planning process, consultants
created a draft land use map and associated GIS data files that
can be verified and completed by City staff.
5. Code Enforcement
Public comments during the drafting of the Comprehensive
Plan identified zoning enforcement as an important land use
issue in Artesia. Residents commented that nuisances such as
absentee landlords, junk, trash, and weeds need to be better
dealt with by the City. Stakeholders also commented that the
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Chapter 3: Land Use
prevalence of such nuisances on certain rental properties and
multi-family developments throughout the city has created a
poor public perception of affordable housing and rental units
in Artesia.
6. Development Standards and Review Procedures
Stakeholders also commented on the need for stricter
development standards in Artesia, citing the lack of sufficient
standards for roads, landscaping, and street lighting, particularly
in regard to CPTED (Crime Prevention through Environmental
Design) practices. Also lacking is a formal requirement that
subdivisions be built out within a certain time period or that
developers submit formal guarantees such as performance bonds
and maintenance bonds.
7. City Boundaries
Artesia’s existing city boundary is highly irregular and noncontiguous as a result of numerous shoestring annexations
that have taken place in previous years. The City should
consider additional annexations to boundaries more regular.
In the meantime, the City should approach the County to
obtain extraterritorial zoning authority as well as continue to
assure through their extraterritorial planning and platting
jurisdiction that development outside the city limits meets
strict subdivision regulations that would make it financially
feasible to annex them in the future, if necessary.
8. Maintaining the Grid Pattern of Development
The grid plan of streets running parallel and intersecting at right
angles dates back to antiquity and was the prominent pattern of
town and suburban development in the US until the 1960s. A key
advantage is that it allowed the rapid subdivision and auction of a
large parcel of land. Most Downtown areas in larger American
cities, mostly east of the Mississippi River, are grids. The rapid
adoption of automobile travel and subsequent fears (and
observations) that speeding cars would kill thousands of small
children led traffic engineers and urban planners in the 1960s to
abandon the grid in favor of a “street hierarchy.” Using this
framework, residential subdivisions are often surrounded by walls
or security gates and separated from the road network except for one
to two connections to arterial roads. Modern suburbia isolates itself
from the larger urban scene by using dead ends and cul de sacs.
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Chapter 3: Land Use
More recently, planning has come full circle by attempting to
return to the grid pattern to help disperse traffic and ease
congestion while making more pathway connections for
pedestrians. This has been combined with higher densities
and mixing some land uses—particularly retail, office, school
and community—with residential to promote easier access by
pedestrians and bicyclists and discourage car trips.
There are advantages and disadvantages to both systems that
Artesia should keep in mind as it approves new development.
The grid pattern makes orientation and way-finding easier,
particularly for pedestrians and bicyclists, and can allow
walking and bicycling to replace a portion of local car trips.
Block size and distance between crossings are important. Grid
layouts generally ignore natural topography, however, and
disregard environmentally sensitive areas. It creates more
through traffic in neighborhoods—albeit at slower speeds—
and can lower play activity there.
By contrast, the street hierarchy system of arterials and local
roads, combined with limited access subdivisions, generally
decreases the amount of traffic through neighborhoods and
creates a safer space for children to play. It makes it harder for
pedestrians and bicyclists to use direct routes to reach
destinations, however, unless dedicated pedestrian pathways
are created through the cul-de-sacs and dead ends. It also
promotes more car trips. Contemporary projects that fuse the
classic grid plan with more recent street network patterns may
be most successful in promoting walking and bicycling while
reducing the negative aspects of each development pattern.
D.
Future Land Use
Artesia is currently deficient in both multi-family residential
and commercially zoned property. The Future Land Use map
shows needed commercial property along major arterials, but
it is not uncommon to have needed commercial or multifamily uses tucked in among residential neighborhoods. The
Yates Farms PUD is a good example of a plan in which
proposed commercial parcels have been included in the PUD.
As it is difficult to predict exactly where a multi-family or
commercial strip or parcel might be needed, these are not
shown on the map, especially in non-annexed areas.
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Chapter 3: Land Use
E.
Goals and Strategies
Land Use Goal 1. The City of Artesia will promote and
protect the health, safety and general welfare of its residents,
and strive to create an aesthetically pleasing built
environment through well-planned land use decisions.
Strategy a. Encourage compact and mixed use but
compatible development so that the urban area
can be adequately served by community
facilities, public utilities and other urban
amenities.
Strategy b. Zone additional areas for commercial uses.
Strategy c. Utilize water and sewer line extensions to
structure urban growth and development.
Strategy d. Establish the city's extraterritorial zone (ETZ) of
one mile for zoning and three miles for
subdivision review, and implement land use
controls in this area in cooperation with Eddy
County.
Strategy e. Ensure that development outside the city limits
meets strict subdivision regulations that would
make annexation financially feasible in the
future.
Strategy f. Designate growth areas in and contiguous to
the city. Locate and size these areas based on
the existing land use pattern, availability of land
closer in, infrastructure, and projected land area
requirements. Annexation policies, utilities
extension policies, and the planning and
programming for general facilities and services
should be consistent with the designated
growth areas.
Strategy g. Encourage
redevelopment
and
infill
development on vacant lots, where available
property is served by infrastructure and where
there is urban blight.
Strategy h. Promote downtown Artesia as a pedestrianfriendly shopping area, mixed-use area and the
focal point of Artesia from 7th to 13th Street.
Strategy i. Pursue future annexations to make city limits
more regular, apply consistent development
standards, and include full city services and
representation in these areas.
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Chapter 3: Land Use
Strategy j. Ensure the area surrounding the airport is
protected from encroaching development either
through annexation or an extraterritorial zone.
Land Use Goal 2. The City of Artesia will use land use
regulations to manage growth, minimize negative impacts of
incompatible uses, and enhance the aesthetic quality of the
city’s built environment.
Strategy a. Amend the zoning code and subdivision
ordinance to ensure that all future development
in Artesia is compatible with the City’s desired
standard of development. Amendments should
include, but are not limited to, the following:
 Design guidelines that encourage a higher level of
compatibility of commercial and public uses with
residential uses in predominantly residential
neighborhoods.
 Street standards that prescribe regulations for street
construction, right-of-way width, turning radii,
streetscape elements and connections to other streets.
 Lighting requirements and standards for parking lots
and public and commercial buildings that comply with
or exceed the standards of the New Mexico Night
Protection Act.
 Standards and requirements for landscaping of
commercial and multi-family properties.
 CPTED design guidelines (Crime Prevention Through
Environmental Design): incorporate such principles as
natural surveillance, natural access control, territorial
reinforcement and maintenance.
 City maintenance standards.
 Traffic Impact Analysis requirements for major land
subdivisions and/or development projects.
 Formalized application and review procedures for all
zoning and land subdivision requests.
 Establishment of a formal site plan review procedure
that allows for City agencies to review and comment
on proposed development.
Strategy b. Encourage pedestrian-oriented building and
streetscape features on west Main Street,
including, but not limited to the following:
 Narrow or no front yard setbacks
 Scale and orientation to the street
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Chapter 3: Land Use


Parking located on the side or rear of
buildings
Streetscape features such as sidewalks,
benches,
public
art,
landscaping,
crosswalks, and bow-out curbs at street
intersections.
Strategy c. Develop a mechanism (such as development
agreements) for funding and constructing
public improvements associated with new
development.
Strategy d. Promote
commercial
and
mixed-use
office/retail nodes rather than strip commercial
development along highways designated for
commercial use.
Land Use Goal 3. The City of Artesia will improve the area's
sense of place by preserving and enhancing the natural and
built environments, open spaces, and buildings of historic
significance.
Strategy a. Promote restoration and rehabilitation of
historic structures throughout the community.
Strategy b. Establish identifiable gateways to Artesia
located on the edge of the community either
inside the city limits or in the unincorporated
county.
Strategy c. Encourage or require landscaping of nonresidential development and parking lots to
break up continuous paved areas and provide
vegetation appropriate to Artesia's climate that
will provide cooling and improve the
community’s appearance.
 Make information on xeriscaping
available to residents.
Land Use Goal 4. The City of Artesia will ensure that land
use does not negatively impact the area’s environmental
resources.
Strategy a. Preserve the rural character of the area around
Artesia and foster local food production by
protecting farmland, open space and other
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Chapter 3: Land Use
natural features such as floodplains, wetlands,
and wildlife habitats.
Strategy b. Conserve fresh water through conservation and
by encouraging additional use of reclaimed
wastewater, such as for industrial and
commercial non-potable water users other than
parks and golf courses.
Strategy c. Continue to collaborate with existing industries
in the area to promote the abatement of
pollution and minimize the noxious effects of
heavy industrial development.
Land Use Goal 5. The City of Artesia will establish a desired
mix of uses serving the community.
Strategy a. Ensure that there is sufficient land area for
needed commercial and industrial uses to serve
the community.
Strategy b. Encourage or require new development and
redevelopment at the west Main Street
area, extending the pattern of pedestrianoriented shopping and office uses of the core
Main Street area.
Strategy c. Encourage the location of all heavy industrial
development to the east side of the railroad
track through zoning and other land use tools
and incentives.
Strategy d. Encourage moderate-density residential uses in
close proximity to the downtown area,
including small single family lots, duplexes,
accessory dwelling units, and small-scale
attached housing projects.
Strategy e. Establish requirements for low- and moderateincome housing as a portion of new housing
developed in the community.
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Chapter 4: Housing
Chapter 4:
Housing
The housing element of the comprehensive plan is intended to
guide the City of Artesia on the provision of adequate and
affordable housing and equal housing opportunities for
residents and for employees who would like to live there. It
identifies the city’s existing housing, analyzes how well it
meets local needs, and projects future housing needs. It also
establishes long-range goals and strategies for the City to
follow in seeking to meet those needs.
The housing element also can contribute to a city’s Affordable
Housing Plan and ordinance by following the guidelines of the
New Mexico Mortgage Finance Authority for addressing
housing primarily for low and moderate-income persons or
households. The ordinance and plan specifically enables the
City to make contributions such as loans or grants for
affordable housing without running afoul of the state’s antidonation clause, provided an ordinance is adopted that shows
compliance with the Affordable Housing Act (NMSA 1978,
Section 6-27-1 et seq) and Rules (Nov 2007). (The
demographics portion of the plan is found in the Community
Profile chapter.)
A.
Housing Profile—Supply and
Character
The American Community Survey of 2006-2010 estimated
there were 4,688 housing units in Artesia of all types—single
family, apartments, mobile homes—of which about 85 percent
were occupied and 15 percent vacant. Rentals constituted
nearly all the vacancies.
Single family dwellings were by far the most common, making
up 74 percent. Mobile homes were the next most common
(9.8%), followed by apartments in groups of three or four units
(5.8%) and in groups of two units (6.4%). Only 1.3 percent
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Chapter 4: Housing
were multi-family with 20 or more units. (The US 2010 Census
revised the total number of units to 4,724, of which 90.5
percent were occupied and 9.5 percent were vacant. Unlike the
ACS, however, it does not collect more detailed information
on the number of different types of units.)
Table 4 Artesia Housing Units
Housing Type
Number
Total Housing Units
Single unit detached
Single unit attached
Duplex
3 or 4 units
5 to 9 units
10 to 19 units
20 or more units
Mobile Home
Boat, RV, Van, etc.
Percentage
4,688
3,474
54
301
274
48
0
61
461
15
100.0%
74.1%
1.2%
6.4%
5.8%
1.0%
-1.3%
9.8%
0.3%
Source: American Community Survey, 2006-2010
Artesia has an aging housing stock. Approximately 58 percent of units
were built 40 or more years ago. Some 28 percent were constructed
between 1950 and 1959, which were the boom years for housing in the
city. Housing growth slowed after 1989 to fewer than 100 units a year.
Recent building permits indicate this trend has continued, showing a gain
of only 27 single family residences in Artesia between April 2010 and
December 2011.
Figure 8. Age of Housing Units in Artesia
1400
Number of Units
1200
1000
800
600
400
200
0
<1939
1940-49 1950-59 1960-69 1970-79 1980-89 1990-99 2000-10
Year Built
Source: American Community Survey 2006-2010
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Chapter 4: Housing
The majority of homes are owner-occupied (71%), which
corresponds closely to the percentage of single family
dwellings (74%). The household size of owner-occupied
homes averages 2.65 persons, compared with the 2.97
household size of persons who rent housing (28.7%). Nearly
34 percent of renters had moved in since 2005.
B.
Housing Market Analysis
1. Existing For-Sale Market
A review of single family houses for sale in Artesia in March
2012 found 90 properties in various price ranges and
conditions. Some may have had pending sales contracts at the
time. There were 29 houses for sale in the $101,000—$150,000
price range, 20 in the $61,000—$100,000 price range, and 16 in
the $151,000—$200,000 price range. Prices of another 20
houses ranged from $201,000 to $600,000 and five were $60,000
and below. According to local realtors, Artesia has a healthy
housing sales market. Houses sell steadily, which generally
prevents conversions to rentals. Before the 2007-2009
recession, however, some residents said for-sale housing was
overpriced. One person ended up purchasing a house for
$260,000; its original asking price was $460,000.
A later review of the multiple listings by Community Housing
Laboratory (CHLab 2012) showed approximately 110 resale
homes available for purchase. Some 80 percent were older
homes listed under $100,000. They were in need of some
degree of refurbishing and were “not very appealing to
homebuyers,” (CHLab 2012). The remaining homes were
recently constructed houses with purchase prices significantly
higher than houses available in Roswell and Carlsbad.
2. Existing Rental Market
There were far fewer available dwelling units for rent than for
sale. Market-rate rents have risen to the per diem level the
federal government reimburses its instructors and others
employed at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center in
Artesia, about $77 per day. This has led to furnished units
renting for between $1,700 and $2,100 per month, outside the
price range of the general Artesia population that does not
work at FLETC or have a well-paying job with the oil and gas
companies. The Village West apartments consist of 60-70
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Chapter 4: Housing
market rate units in this category and had a waiting list. There
was also a long waiting list for executive rentals in the $800 to
$1,000 a month range in the new Trilogy Planned
Development.
Other market-rate units are in small clusters, such as the
Clifford Apartments and Shady Lanes. The Yucca Mobile
Village, for example, consists of two houses—one split into
two apartments—and a trailer home. Its manager also
operates the mobile homes and 83 RV spaces of Country Club
Estates. Rents for those range from $500 to $700 a month. The
12 families on the waiting list in March 2012 were interested in
purchasing a home. Four to five of the mobile homes are on
rent-to-own leases. Oil workers and construction crews are
typical tenants for the RV spaces.
There are so few rentals available that at least one employer
owns 19 houses in Artesia which are rented to employees who
can’t find suitable housing. There were 13 individuals on their
waiting list to rent a “company-owned” house (CHLab 2012).
Lack of affordable rentals makes it difficult for recently hired
employees to move to Artesia and familiarize themselves with
the community before having to make a decision whether to
purchase or rent a home there. The recent survey by CHLab
indicated that once a family settles into a nearby city such as
Roswell or Carlsbad they are less likely to later move to
Artesia. Moreover, employers say they have to offer higher
salaries to attract employees who drive from nearby town to
work in Artesia.
As a result, while jobs grow in Artesia, the population does
not follow suit, making it even more difficult for the city to
attract other services desired by its current and prospective
residents such as more shopping opportunities, more
entertainment, and more activities for families.
Subsidized Housing
Most of the rental apartments in Artesia were built as
affordable housing under federal programs (HUD and USDA)
in the late 1960s. Some are reserved for Section 8 affordable
units, some for low-income elderly tenants. The Housing
Authority of Artesia operates the largest number of affordable
units, 138 units in 69 duplexes, with 40 units reserved for the
elderly. They are income-restricted and the family, elderly and
handicapped tenants only have to pay 30 percent of their
monthly income for rent with the federal subsidy picking up
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Chapter 4: Housing
the rest. For example, the maximum annual income a tenant
could make to qualify for a one-bedroom unit would be about
$32,400; their rent would be about $330 per month. The
Housing Authority is a small organization with about five
employees, managed by a Board appointed by the Artesia
Mayor. In March 2012 the complex had three vacancies, and
one applicant looking for a three-bedroom apartment. Tenants
typically are seniors receiving social security payments,
families on TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families),
employees of big box retail stores and fast food restaurants
who earn minimum wage or slightly more. Single persons do
not qualify unless they are handicapped. Over the past 16
years, four families were able to save enough money to
purchase a house.
Table 5. FY 2012 Income Limit Area: Eddy County, New Mexico
Median Income: $58,400
FY 2012 Income Limit Category*
1 Person
2 Person
3 Person
Very Low (50%) Income Limits
$20,250
$23,150
$26,050
Extremely Low (30%) Income Limits
$12,150
$13,900
$15,650
Low (80%) Income Limits
$32,400
$37,000
$41,650
4 Person
$28,900
$17,350
$46,250
5 Person
$31,250
$18,750
$49,950
There are several other federally subsidized, income-restricted
multi-family complexes in Artesia, including the Abo
Apartments (72 units in 13 buildings), Artesia Properties (40
units in ten buildings), and Eagle Creek, Penasco, and
Roselawn Apartments, for which more detailed information
was not readily available.
3. Projects Approved but Not Built-Out
A number of for-sale houses and some apartment projects
have been approved by the City of Artesia but are not built
out or even building at all. They all have or will have City
water and sewer service.

Trilogy Planned Unit Development (approved
October 2008). Nearly 56 acres in size, the Trilogy
PUD was designed to offer a variety of residential
types: 6,000 SF lots for traditional single family homes,
cluster housing (“the Greens”), condominiums (the
Estates) and senior apartments for a total of 331 units,
two acres of parkland and a one-acre community
center. As of March 2012, the developer had built eight
cluster units (3 bedroom/2 bath units in a four-plex
setting around a driveway and rented them to tenants
receiving per diem payments. With a long waiting list
for executive rentals in the $800 to $1,000 a month
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Chapter 4: Housing






range, the developer was planning to build another 8
units. Five single-family homes have been built but are
selling slowly. These are both one- and two-story
homes and range from $189,000 to $264,000 in price. In
March, two of these homes had sales contracts ready to
close, one was rented, one was vacant for-sale and the
last furnished. Bank appraisals were coming in low,
land prices were high; buyers were having trouble
qualifying due to stricter banking requirements,
having less than a year’s tenancy in Artesia, and the
economy generally.
Patio Homes. The developer of Trilogy also has plans
for 18 0-lot line patio homes in the works.
West Acres is a 60-acre single family housing
subdivision within the city limits. The developer
finishes and sells lots in phases to builders based on
demand. Some 46 homes have been developed on 26
acres so far at a density of about 1.77 per acre. There
are 18 lots for sale in the current phase, priced from
$30,000 to $32,000, with 34 acres remaining to be
developed. The 24 lots on Washington Street were all
built and sold. These lots are smaller (63.5 feet wide)
and were priced between $20,000 and $24,000 each.
The developer receives regular calls requesting lots for
mobile homes.
Poe Properties. A Planned Unit Development (PUD)
for apartments, this project consists of 20 apartments in
five buildings. None had been built as of July 2012.
USDA Affordable Housing. These will consist of 60
units, half of which are reserved for farm-workers, the
rest for whomever meets affordability criteria.
Bowman Estates. Located near Yucca Elementary
School, this 8.5+-acre subdivision has 35 lots for
development of single family residences or
townhomes. Two new roadways extend east from
Bowman Drive to cul-de-sacs on the eastern end of the
property, limiting through traffic on Champ Clark and
Lolita Avenues. Alleys 20 feet wide will provide utility
access to the rear of each lot. Two homes have been
constructed.
Yates Farm 700-acre Planned Unit Development (PUD)
was approved in 2008 and annexed by the City but as
yet is not developing. Plans envision 388 single family
dwelling units of various sizes, 684 multi-family units,
552,000 square feet of mixed use commercial space and
52,500 square feet of civic public uses. In the face of an
uncertain economic environment, the developer has
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Chapter 4: Housing
been hesitant to make the large capital investments in
infrastructure (primarily water and sewer) necessary to
start the project. It is expected to go forward
eventually, with Phase I beginning on the west side
near the Country Club with higher end single family
houses followed by two clusters of townhouses.
Projects in the works but not yet approved include a new PUD
consisting of four-plexes and single-family dwellings.
Nearby County Subdivisions


Meadowview Estates. While outside the City limits in
Eddy County, this initial 57-lot development of single
family homes on 1 to 1.25 acre lots is capturing a share
of the Artesia market. Lot prices range from $25,000$40,000 and all but 13 had houses built on them by
June 2012. Two homes in this development were just
under 3,000 square feet in size; one was priced at
$375,000 and the other at $395,000. They obtain water
through a rural co-op but recently have approached
the City of Artesia as one of three options for obtaining
additional water. Septic systems are used for
wastewater. Another 64-70 acres could be developed at
a later date.
Mobile Home development. A primarily mobile home
development (double-wide or single family houses
allowed) began five years ago just a mile north of the
Artesia city limits. It consists of 65 one-acre lots that
are priced between $17,500 and $21,500 each. Lots
include City water and septic systems. As of June 2012
52 lots had been sold, with 13 remaining.
C. Housing Affordability
One way to gauge existing housing needs in a community is
by examining housing affordability. Housing is considered
unaffordable when households spend more than 30 percent of
their income on housing and related costs. These households
are considered to have a housing cost burden, rendering their
housing unaffordable. Community input has suggested that
affordable housing is a serious issue in Artesia. (The median
household income in Artesia is $40,515.)
Data from the 2006-2010 American Community survey (based on
sample surveys) estimated that 31 percent of renters and 17.6 of
homeowners in Artesia spent 30 percent or more of their monthly
income on housing and related costs. For both renters and
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Chapter 4: Housing
homeowners, the largest percentage of these cost-burdened
households had incomes less than $20,000 annually. While renters
who were cost-burdened clustered around the lower income
scales (under $35,000 per year), the cost-burdened homeowners
were spread more evenly among households receiving from
$20,000 to $75,000 per year (see Table 6).
Table 6. Percentage of Households Paying 30 Percent of Income or More in Past Year
Household
Owner-Occupied
M/E*
Renter-Occupied
M/E*
Income
Units
Units
Less than $20,000
9.6%
+/- 4.9
25.1%
+/- 11.2
$20,000-$34,999
2.6%
+/-2.0
5.0%
+/- 5.4
$35,000-$49,999
3.6%
+/-2.8
1.1%
+/- 1.7
$50,000-$74,999
1.6%
+/- 1.6
0.0%
+/- 3.2
$75,000 or more
0.2%
+/- 0.4
0.0%
+/- 3.2
Total
17.6%
31.2%
* Data are based on a sample. The M/E is the margin of error.
As might be expected, renters tended to have lower annual
household incomes than homeowners in Artesia. More than 50
percent of renter households had annual incomes less than
$20,000. Using the 30 percent affordability rule, they could only
afford rent of about $250 a month. Those with household incomes
between $20,000 and $50,000 were also more likely to rent than
own. Affordable rent for these households would range from $250
a month to $1,250, depending on their specific income. As
household incomes increased, the percentage of renters dropped
to a low of 3.9 percent in the $50,000 to $75,000 income group. It
rose again to 11.8 percent in households earning $75,000 or more,
but this likely represents executive rentals and those receiving the
FLETC housing per diems.
By contrast, households with income between $50,000 and
$75,000 a year (19%) were more likely to own their homes than
to rent. This likelihood increased to 36 percent among
households with annual incomes of $75,000 and above.
Somewhat unexpectedly, about 19 percent of households with
incomes less than $20,000 also owned their own homes, but
these might be retirees whose homes were paid for or owners
of mobile homes.
The $50,000 to $75,000 household income group could likely
qualify for houses priced from $171,700 at the lower income
end to $281,620 at the higher income end, assuming a 5%
downpayment on a 30-year mortgage at 5% interest and no
other debt (credit card balances, auto loans, etc.). Mortgage
payments would range between $908 and $1,492 per month.
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Chapter 4: Housing
Figure 9. Estimated Incomes of Renters Compared to Incomes of Homeowners in Artesia (2010 dollars)
Owner-Occupied
60.0%
Renter-Occupied
50.4%
50.0%
40.0%
36.6%
30.0%
20.0%
19.3%
17.5%
12.3%
16.2%
19.0%
12.8%
10.0%
11.8%
3.9%
0.0%
Less than $20,000 $20,000 to $34,999 $35,000 to $49,999 $50,000 to $74,999 $75,000 or more
D.
Housing Needs Assessment
1. Existing and Projected Housing Needs
If Artesia is to grow its population and offer suitable housing
for existing and future employees and their families, it needs a
greater supply of rental and for-sale housing at a more
affordable cost to a range of income groups. There are a
number of different population groups that need different
types of housing.

Temporary market rate housing (rentals) is needed by
a wide cross-section of people. These include FLETC
instructors, hospital staff, public school staff, recent
high school and college graduates, recent hires—single
or with families—who are investigating the
community to purchase a home, and temporary
workers such as those in construction or the oil and gas
fields. The greatest need appears to be one and twobedroom apartments that rent for from $600 to $800 a
month. Other market segments can afford only $300 to
$500 a month and another can afford from $800 to
$1,200 a month for executive rentals. While an elderly
or handicapped individual whose income is $32,400 or
less per year can qualify for federally subsidized rental
housing, a single person making between minimum
Page 45
Chapter 4: Housing



wage and $10 an hour for a 40-hour week is not eligible
for subsidies and could only afford rent of $250 to $400
per month at most.
For-sale housing of good quality is needed for couples
or families who wish to move from rentals to home
ownership, new hires and their families, and empty
nesters who wish to downsize. The greatest need
appears to be three-bedroom, two bathroom homes
under $200,000 or perhaps between $200,000 and
$250,000.
Repatriation. A recent survey of 800 Artesia
employees who live in the surrounding communities
of Roswell, Carlsbad, Dexter, and Hagerman (20%
responded) indicated that a portion of those
households would consider relocating to Artesia if
suitable housing was available at the right price
(CHLab 2012). The most likely candidates were
families who did not already own a home in their
respective community. Once an employee has
purchased a home and settled into another
community, they are unlikely to move to Artesia. Most
respondents currently lived in dwellings with three
bedrooms and two bathrooms.
Of those interested in potentially moving to Artesia,
the majority is interested in rental property. Those
interested in purchasing a home pointed to lack of a
down payment and inability to quality for a home loan
as obstacles to owning. Most potential homebuyers
would compromise on housing elevation (two stories
versus the standard one story) and would accept a
stucco-finished house, but were less inclined to accept
a smaller lot (CHLab 2012).
2. Constraints to Housing Construction
With a few exceptions, land development in Artesia has been
sporadic, isolated and uncoordinated. Streets tend to be
extended one block or street at a time to accommodate a
modest homebuilding level (CHlab 2012). A number of
constraints to housing construction in Artesia were mentioned
by developers and others in the real estate market. They
include:


High infrastructure and land costs.
Vacant infill property is owned by a few wealthy
families who can afford to hold the land and only will
sell at a high price.
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Chapter 4: Housing



New regulations have restricted local banks, making it
harder for developers to raise capital and for
homebuyers to obtain mortgages.
The local trade industry is unaccustomed to
production building and workers have to be brought in
from other places.
Artesia provides no incentives to reduce costs (such as
infrastructure extensions).
3. Incentives for Housing Construction
Following completion of the housing study, the Artesia City
Council approved an ordinance establishing a program to
reimburse developers for infrastructure, such as water and
sewer lines, streets, curbs and gutters, constructed as a part of
new housing development. Details of the program were to be
fleshed out in a subsequent Council resolution.
E.
Housing Goals
Housing Goal 1. Develop an affordable housing plan and
pass an ordinance to support private and public sector
efforts to meet the demand for affordable housing
alternatives.
Strategy a. Pinpoint more exactly the price points and
amenities to be achieved by various types of
housing types and ownership options,
according to the needs of various market
segments.
Strategy b. Decide what the City’s role should be in
promoting and helping fund desired affordable
housing development.
Strategy c. Complete an Affordable Housing Plan and pass
an Affordable Housing ordinance to allow the
City to participate financially in facilitating
Artesia housing development.
Strategy d. Decide what role mobile home parks should
have in Artesia, if any, as well as possible
locations and regulations.
Housing Goal 2. Promote the construction of a market rate
apartment complex large enough to meet demand and that is
affordable for the general Artesia workforce.
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Chapter 4: Housing
Strategy a. Decide what financial incentives would be
feasible for the City to offer a developer to
ensure affordability. Possibilities would be
underwriting land costs, waiving fees, financing
infrastructure, and accelerating development
review.
Strategy b. Work with a developer who is interested in
constructing a multi-family apartment project.
Strategy c. Consider acquiring land and making it available
to a private or nonprofit partner interested in
pursuing the Low income Housing Tax Credit
for mixed income/affordable rental units.
Housing Goal 3. Promote the development of a master
planned community that would provide a mix of housing
options ranging from entry level through move-up housing
products as well as accompanying commercial and
community land uses.
Strategy a. Decide which, if any, financial incentives the
City could provide to help spur development
such as underwriting land costs, financing
infrastructure, and accelerating development
review.
Housing Goal 4. Assess whether to initiate a housing
rehabilitation program in Artesia.
Strategy a. Assess the conditions of existing housing in
Artesia to determine which homes might be
rehabilitated and which should be removed.
Strategy b. Consider establishing a housing rehabilitation
program in Artesia (through the CDBG
program or NM Mortgage Finance Authority)
that could help homeowners renovate their
homes, bringing them up to building code and
improving their appearance.
Strategy c. Explore grants and other funding options
available for home rehabilitation.
Page 48
Chapter 5: Economic Development
Chapter 5:
Economic De velopment
Like land use, economic development is intertwined with all the
other planning elements. It is related to transportation, because the
more accessible a city is perceived to be by highway, air, and rail
facilities, the more inclined large employers may be to locate there.
It is impacted by housing, because employers need homes for their
employees. The number of homes also relates to the amount of
property taxes collected for all local political entities as well as the
potential market for amenities such as restaurants and retail
stores. Economic development is related to infrastructure in that
large employers typically need a certain level of water, wastewater,
and telecommunications services before locating in an area. This
chapter will discuss Artesia’s economic opportunities as well as
challenges the City may need to address.
A.
Strengths and Weaknesses
Artesia has a diverse economy for a small community of 11,301.
Strong base industries—oil and gas, utilities, construction, wholesale
trade, manufacturing, government, and transportation— bring
dollars into the community, and retail and service sectors recycle
dollars among local businesses (Mitchell 2007).
This is evident from the taxable gross receipts reported by the various
industries as well as in the numbers of jobs held by Artesia residents
(Table 7 and Table 8). For 2011, the extractive industry reported $139.3
million in taxable gross receipts, nearly six times the amount reported in
2005. The next highest taxable gross receipts were reported by the retail
sector ($122.9 million), construction ($74.9 million), and wholesale trade
($73.8 million). They were followed by utilities ($23.9 million),
professional, scientific and technical services ($22.5 million), and
Information and cultural industries ($21.3 million) and manufacturing
($20.6 million). Taxable gross receipts increased substantially between
2005 and 2011 for all sectors except agriculture/forestry/fishing/hunting,
professional/scientific/technical services and miscellaneous store
retailers (see asterisk).
Page 49
Taxable gross receipts in general rose between 2005 and 2011. Looking at
particular sectors, gross receipts jumped considerably for on-line and
mail order shopping, but declined 95 percent for miscellaneous store
retailers, following the national trend. This trend could affect local
retailers that lack an on-line presence. Taxable gross receipts also were up
65 percent for scientific research and development services. Taxable
receipts dropped 63 percent for the agricultural, forestry, fish and
hunting sector, but this is likely due to more recent allowable deductions
because total gross receipts were similar for both years.
Table 7. Artesia Taxable Gross Receipts and Pull Factors
Artesia Taxable Gross Receipts
Taxable Gross Receipts
2005 and 2011 (NAICS)
Industries:
2005
2011
AGRIC, FORESTRY, FISHING & HUNTING
2,572,000
941,693
MINING (Extraction)
24,297,000 139,298,486
UTILITIES
21,593,000
23,901,609
CONSTRUCTION
55,247,000
74,885,978
MANUFACTURING
7,275,000
20,568,308
WHOLESALE TRADE
59,479,000
73,818,882
RETAIL TRADE:
109,458,000 122,950,398
Furniture & Home Furnishings Stores
Automotive Dealers
Auto Parts, Accessories & Tire Stores
Grocery Stores
Convenience Stores
Pharmacies & Drug Stores
Clothing Accessory Stores
Electronic Shopping & Mail Order Houses
Miscellaneous Store Retailers (All)*
TRANSPORTATION AND WAREHOUSING
INFORMATION AND CULTURAL
INDUSTRIES
FINANCE AND INSURANCE
REAL ESTATE AND RENTAL AND LEASING
PROF, SCIENTIFIC & TECHNICAL
SERVICES:
Legal Services
Management Scientific: Technical Services
Scientific Research & Development Services
ADMIN & SUPPORT, WASTE MGMT &
REMED
EDUCATIONAL SERVICES
HEALTH CARE AND SOCIAL ASSISTANCE
Difference
Percent
Change
982,000
2,074,000
1,182,000
19,867,000
1,271,000
32,000
3,194,000
6,000
68,842,000
5,039,000
8,015,000
xx
3,959,039
3,608,922
34,579,553
2,278,692
xx
3,741,019
171,645
3,183,482
14,333,201
21,285,351
-1,630,307
115,001,486
2,308,609
19,638,978
13,293,308
14,339,882
13,492,398
xx
1,885,039
2,426,922
14,712,553
1,007,692
xx
547,019
165,645
-65,658,518
9,294,201
13,270,351
-0.63
4.73
0.11
0.36
1.83
0.24
0.12
2,198,000
1,967,000
28,837,000
2,598,246
5,674,122
22,535,481
400,246
3,707,122
-6,301,519
0.18
1.88
-0.22
1,601,000
373,000
9,000
686,000
xx
1,090,725
595,855
4,825,349
xx
717,725
586,855
4,139,349
xx
1.92
65.21
6.03
41,000
3,912,000
354,270
5,758,831
313,270
1,846,831
7.64
0.47
xx
0.91
2.05
0.74
0.79
xx
0.17
27.61
-0.95
1.84
1.66
Source: UNM BBER 2012
Page 50
1. Local Employment
The largest percentage of Artesia residents (20.6% of the employed
population ages 16 and older) are engaged in the extractive industries
(primarily oil and gas) and agriculture. Another 17.4 percent are
employed in educational services, health care and food services. More
than ten percent have jobs in retail trade. The remaining 51 percent of the
local workforce have jobs in construction, manufacturing, wholesale
trade, transportation and utilities, information/finance/insurance/real
estate, professional and scientific management, and public administration
(ACS 2006-2010).
More than 76 percent of the local work force is employed in the private
sector, nearly 17 percent work for the government, and about 7 percent
are self-employed.
Table 8. Employment by Artesia Residents
INDUSTRY
Civilian employed population 16 years & over
Agriculture/forestry/fishing/hunting/mining
Construction
Manufacturing
Wholesale trade
Retail trade
Transportation/warehousing/utilities
Information
Finance/insurance/real estate/rental/leasing
Professional/scientific/management/admin. & waste
management services
Educational services/health care/social assistance
Arts/entertainment/recreation/accommodation/food services
Other services, except public administration
Public administration
CLASS OF WORKER
Civilian employed population 16 years and over
Private wage and salary workers
Government workers
Self-employed in own not incorporated business workers
Unpaid family workers
Estimate
Estimate
%
%
4,726
975
332
310
126
499
277
25
168
356
+/-388
+/-216
+/-215
+/-110
+/-78
+/-164
+/-126
+/-29
+/-85
+/-160
4,726
20.60%
7.00%
6.60%
2.70%
10.60%
5.90%
0.50%
3.60%
7.50%
(X)
+/-4.2
+/-4.4
+/-2.3
+/-1.6
+/-3.4
+/-2.5
+/-0.6
+/-1.8
+/-3.3
821
335
223
279
+/-207
+/-129
+/-124
+/-103
17.40%
7.10%
4.70%
5.90%
+/-4.2
+/-2.7
+/-2.6
+/-2.1
4,726
3,596
783
347
0
+/-388
+/-377
+/-215
+/-118
+/-127
4,726
76.10%
16.60%
7.30%
0.00%
(X)
+/-4.6
+/-4.3
+/-2.5
+/-0.8
Source: US Census 2010
2. Extended Workforce
Artesia actually has a larger workforce than is represented by
the local workforce that lives in town. Estimates are that at
least 1,150 employees commute into Artesia daily for work at
least partly due to the lack of affordable workforce housing.
Artesia General Hospital alone documents about 50
employees who drive into work daily from outside Artesia.
Page 51
3. Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC)
Artesia’s attraction of the Federal Law Enforcement Training
Center in 1992 added a new dimension to its economy and
growth issues. FLETC serves as an interagency law
enforcement training organization for 90 Federal agencies.
These include the US Border Patrol, Bureau of Indian Affairs,
Transportation Security Administration, and other partnering
organizations. Staff of the Artesia Training Division is
responsible for designing, developing, coordinating and
administering advanced and specialized training programs.
Specialized instructor programs such as the Driver Instructor
Training Program, Firearms Instructor Training Program, the
Law Enforcement Coordinator Training Program and the
Defensive Tactics Instructor Training Program are also
conducted at the Artesia facility. An average of 900 trainees
live in dormitories on the center grounds at any one time
while instructors find housing in the community. Their
presence has been an economic boon to Artesia and helped to
diversify the economy.
4. Artesia General Hospital
Artesia General Hospital, located at 702 North 13th Street, is a
49-bed non-profit medical facility serving Artesia and
Southeastern New Mexico. The hospital provides patient care
and clinical services for family medicine, surgery,
cardiopulmonary, obstetrics, pediatrics, gastroenterology,
orthopedics and podiatry, radiology, urology and dialysis
clinic, laboratory, emergency and senior care. The only area
senior care unit that specializes in geriatric psychiatry is
located there and includes a 21-day inpatient facility that can
be locked down for safety. A mill levy supports their
operations. The hospital complex is rapidly becoming a
regional medical center, with the addition of a professional
building, expansion of exam rooms and provider offices, and
other improvements. The campus currently houses the County
Health Office, Presbyterian Medical Services, Artesia
Professional building, and Yucca Health Care in addition to
the hospital. They are in negotiations with the Veteran’s
Administration to locate a new veteran’s clinic on the campus.
As of June 2012 they had more than 240 staff, of which 100 or
more were physicians, nurse practitioners, registered nurses,
LPNs, lab technicians and radiological technicians. They were
seeking to hire another six physicians and accompanying staff
by the end of the year. Nearly half of a $28 million bond
issued to finance the expansion has been paid off.
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5. Artesia Vocational Training Academy
The Artesia Vocational Training Academy (AVTA) partners
with New Mexico State University-Carlsbad & Artesia
Training Academy to offer a wide variety of customized
training programs for business and industry. Instructors in the
truck driver CDL training have over 40 years experience in
training and driving. They have a 99 percent rate of
graduation and at least 90 percent placement rate OTR and
local. Their heavy equipment classes also offer job placement.
AVTC also offers Defense Driving, Truck Driving, Safety and
Management and Motorcycle Safety classes. Other classes
include Auto-CAD, Digital Graphics, HVAC, Digital Video,
Media Production, Digital Animation, Management as well as
additional customized training programs. AVTC has been in
business for the last 12 years, and expanded to Roswell and
Carlsbad in the last three years. The GAEDC is looking to
expand the training academy.
Table 9. Major Employers in Artesia
Employers
Navajo Refining Company
Yates Petroleum Corp.
Mack Energy & Affiliates
Baker Hughes
Peñasco Valley Telephone Coop
Federal Law Enforcement Training Center
Artesia General Hospital
Artesia Public Schools
City of Artesia
Product/Service
Telecommunications
Training
Medical
Education
Government
Number of
Employees in Artesia
2004
2012
470
375
80-100
90
61
250
100
375
160
470
375
736
100
152
300
242
385
200
Source: Artesia Chamber of Commerce 2012
6. Other Advantages
Artesia also has an assortment of amenities not typically
affordable for a small town. Many of these have been partially
or completely underwritten by some of the families and
businesses in the area. Some of these amenities include the
performing arts theatre, the Bulldog Bowl, the Chase Soccer
Complex, the new public safety building, Veteran’s Park, the
five new bronze sculptures, and the new library that will soon
be built. (These are described in more detail in the Community
Services chapter.)
Page 53
Main Street Renovation
The downtown blocks of Main Street have seen many positive
changes in the past several years. Improvements in 2000-2001
brought major streetscape and landscape enhancements, flatangle parking, new traffic signals, new lighting, and
installation of the Heritage Walkway. Public sculptures have
since been added. The Yates Petroleum headquarters building
constructed in 2001 brought additional jobs into the
downtown area.
B.
Mainstreet
Opportunities and Challenges
1. Challenges
Despite the current strong economy, several interconnected
obstacles are holding back growth in Artesia: 1) lack of
housing affordable for people who want to live there and, a
related issue, 2) the level of real earnings and the percentage of
residents at or near the poverty level, 3) the lack of sufficient
private sector amenities such as restaurants, retail and
entertainment, and 4) the historically cyclical nature of the
economy.
Downtown Looking West
Housing Affordability
As detailed in the Housing chapter, housing development in
Artesia, particularly multi-family rentals, has not kept pace
with the demand. There are few market rate rental apartments
and the rental houses that exist are priced too high for many
employees and their families. This has resulted in new
employees moving to nearby cities, such as Roswell and
Carlsbad, which are growing faster than Artesia.
Summary of Real Earnings
In a 2007 economic assessment, the UNM Bureau of Business
and Economic Research (BBER) pointed out that a weakness of
the Artesia economy was its “failure to provide adequate
income for a sizeable minority of the population,” (Mitchell,
2007). Data showed that between 1989 and 1999 average per
capita incomes in Artesia, adjusted for inflation, fell slightly,
from $13,979 to $13,911 in 1999 dollars. At the same time,
incomes in the remainder of Eddy County and New Mexico as
a whole increased by 13 percent and 15 percent, respectively.
Page 54
ACS reports 2010 per capita income in Artesia to be $26,425
(give or take $5,211) in 2010 dollars. The 2000 income would
translate into $18,100 to $21,600 (in 2010 dollars), indicating
there has been real growth in per capita income over the more
recent decade. The large margin of error in the statistics,
however, makes it difficult to be sure.
Table 10. Artesia Household Income (in 2010 Inflation-Adjusted Dollars)
Income Range by Household number
Number
Margin of
%
Error
Total households
3,977
+/-247
100%
Less than $10,000
360
+/-165
9.10%
$10,000 to $14,999
317
+/-158
8.00%
$15,000 to $24,999
587
+/-155
14.80%
$25,000 to $34,999
407
+/-133
10.20%
$35,000 to $49,999
549
+/-179
13.80%
$50,000 to $74,999
584
+/-160
14.70%
$75,000 to $99,999
508
+/-154
12.80%
$100,000 to $149,999
307
+/-122
7.70%
$150,000 to $199,999
177
+/-84
4.50%
$200,000 or more
181
+/-84
4.60%
Median household income (dollars)
40,515
+/-5,496
(X)
Mean household income (dollars)
72,418
+/-13,671
(X)
Margin of
Error
(X)
+/-3.9
+/-3.8
+/-3.9
+/-3.4
+/-4.5
+/-4.1
+/-3.7
+/-3.1
+/-2.2
+/-2.0
(X)
(X)
Median Household Income Trend
Growth in the median income of Artesia’s households has
been up and down since 1979. (See Table 11) During the 1980s,
Artesia’s median household income growth of 59.7 percent
kept pace with Eddy County’s and was close to the state’s; its
median family income growth of 64.4 percent even outpaced
the county and state. Despite this increase, however, it
remained only 84 percent of the median household income
nationally.
In the 1990s, however, median household income growth of 30.1 percent
in Artesia (24.5% for families) lagged behind that of the county, state and
US generally, leaving the level at only 75 percent of the national median
household income. This fell even lower by 2000, when Artesia’s median
household income of $29,520 was only 70 percent of the $41,994 US
median household income.
Incomes in Artesia rebounded from 2000 to 2009, however, when growth
of 37.2 percent in median household income and 57.3 percent was higher
than both New Mexico (23.3% and 29.4%, respectively) and the US
generally (19.2% and 21.1%). This was counter to many other locales
which were suffering through the recession of 2007-2009. It left Artesia’s
median household income in 2009 at about 81 percent (and its median
Page 55
family income at 90 percent) of that nationwide. Median household and
family income statewide was only a little higher, at 84 percent of the
national figures. (2009 is the last year for which data were available.)
Table 11. Median Incomes 1979-2009
Artesia, Eddy County, New Mexico, United States
Artesia
Eddy
New
Co
Mexico
1979 All Households
$14,203
$14,725
$14,654
Families
$16,901
$17,086
$16,928
1989 All Households
$22,684
$23,418
$24,087
Families
$27,789
$27,310
$27,623
1999 All Households
$29,520
$31,998
$34,133
Families
$34,598
$36,789
$39,425
2009 All Households
$40,515
$47,630
$42,090
Families
$54,430
$57,193
$51,020
% Change 1979-1989
All Households
Families
US
$16,841
$19,917
$30,056
$35,225
$41,994
$50,046
$50,046
$60,609
59.7%
64.4%
59.0%
59.8%
64.4%
63.2%
78.5%
76.9%
30.1%
24.5%
36.6%
34.7%
41.7%
42.7%
39.7%
42.1%
37.2%
57.3%
48.9%
55.5%
23.3%
29.4%
19.2%
21.1%
% Change 1989-1999
All Households
Families
% Change 1999-2009
All Households
Families
Source: US Census
Table 12. Artesia Median Incomes as Ratio of Median Incomes Elsewhere
Eddy Co
New
US
Mexico
1979 All Households
0.96
0.97
0.84
Families
0.99
1.00
0.85
1989 All Households
Families
0.97
1.02
0.94
1.01
0.75
0.79
1999 All Households
Families
0.92
0.94
0.86
0.88
0.70
0.69
2009 All Households
Families
0.85
0.95
0.96
1.07
0.81
0.90
Source: US Census
Page 56
Private Sector Amenities
Finally, current and prospective residents have cited the lack
of more retail, entertainment, and restaurants, and even
sufficient child daycare as drawbacks to living in Artesia. The
town has had a Wal-Mart since 2005 but so far has not
attracted other national retail outlets and restaurants. This
could partly be due to Artesia’s size and small population
growth. One obstacle was removed recently when Artesia
residents voted to allow liquor sales by the drink on Sundays,
which would boost profitability for chain restaurants. Once
again, lack of affordable housing plays a part as it makes it
difficult for employers to hire staff for their businesses.
Census data indicate that Artesia’s population grew
continuously and in dramatic fashion from 1920 to 1960. The
population peaked in 1960 with 12,000 people, but then
declined significantly between 1960 and 1970. The decline is
attributed largely to the closure of Walker Air Force Base in
Roswell. Since 1970, Artesia’s population has been fairly stable
with small increases each decade, growing 5.6 percent
between 2000 and 2010.
Navajo Refinery
The Greater Artesia Economic Development Corporation
(GAEDC), however, points out that there are nearly 17,273
residents within a 10-mile drive of the center of town (13th and
Main Street). This number increases to 18,773 when the 1,500
staff and trainees from the FLETC program (who are not
counted in the census in Artesia) are added to the total.
Including employees who work in Artesia but live out of town
in Carlsbad or Roswell brings the potential market up to
nearly 20,000.
Economic Cycles
In the past, Artesia’s economy has largely followed the ups
and downs of the oil and gas industry, as can be seen in the
unemployment rates for different years. The cyclical nature no
doubt discouraged apartment construction. The economic
impact on Artesia from the most recent oil price slump in
2007-2009, however, had dramatically less impact on the
unemployment rate, which has remained in the range of 3.5%
to 5.5%, among the lowest in the country (It was 4.3% in April
2012.) This is largely attributable to Artesia’s economic
diversification, particularly the Federal Law Enforcement
Training Center.
Page 57
Figure 10. Eddy County Unemployment Rate 1992-2011
10.0%
9.0%9.2%
9.0%
8.0%
Percent
7.0%
6.0%
5.0%
8.0%
8.3%
8.0%
7.7%
7.0%
6.5%
5.9% 6.0%5.7%
5.7%
5.0%
5.5% 5.7%
4.7%
4.0%
4.5%
3.5%
2.7% 3.0%
3.0%
2.0%
1.0%
0.0%
Source: NM Department of Workforce Solutions, Economic Research and Analysis
Since 1990 the Eddy County workforce has grown more
steadily and unemployment has generally been lower.
Figure 11. Eddy County Civilian Labor Force and Employment 1992-2011
28,500
27,000
25,500
24,000
22,500
21,000
19,500
18,000
16,500
15,000
Civilian Labor Force
Employment
Source: NM Department of Workforce Solutions, Economic Research and Analysis
Page 58
Local Economic Development Organizations
Artesia also benefits greatly from local economic development
organizations such as the Greater Artesia Economic
Development Corporation (GAEDC), the Artesia Chamber of
Commerce and the Artesia MainStreet Association. In
addition to disseminating information through websites, they
organize and raise funds for projects, conduct economic
studies, and attract businesses and industry to the city.
C. Future Opportunities and
Challenges
Artesia’s outlook for the near future is bright, particularly if it
can provide more housing and continue to diversify. It has a
good education system with graduation rates among the
highest in the state. One of its greatest strengths is that it has
maintained the spirit and sense of a small town community
that is a great place for families. Retaining and improving this
quality of life continues to drive economic development
strategies in the existing competitive environment.
1. Oil and Gas Industry Outlook
Significant volumes of crude oil and natural gas remain to be
produced in New Mexico. The state’s Bureau of Geology and
Mineral Resources at New Mexico Tech estimated in 2003 that
a minimum of 22 years of crude oil and between 32 and 45
years of natural gas remained to be produced at current
production rates (Broadhead 2003.) New technologies for
recovering oil and gas are continually being developed,
however, which pushes the end date out further and further.
Table 13. 2009 Oil and Gas Production by County
Oil (Barrels)
Gas (Thousand Cubic Feet, MCF)
Lea - 32,966,378
San Juan 549,672,09
Eddy - 24,433,566
Rio Arriba 364,999,420
Rio Arriba - 1,215,284
Eddy 223,082,275
San Juan - 1,127,644
Lea 202,616,260
Chaves - 1,068,122
Chaves 27,411,753
Roosevelt - 233,991
Colfax 26,124,386
Sandoval - 115,961
Roosevelt 2,119,410
McKinley - 36,539
Sandoval 1,249,423
Source: Oil Conservation Division as of November 14, 2010
Page 59
2. Artesia Industrial Park
The Artesia Industrial Park is located on East Mill Road off
Highway 285 and is served by the main line of the BNSF
Railroad that runs alongside the park. As of 2012, there were
approximately 20 acres available for site development with
lots varying in size from one to five acres. The City subdivided
the expansion area into 37 lots of various sizes, including some
smaller than an acre, 10 five-acre tracts and some larger which
are available for a large industry. Some of the new lots share
with the older section of the industrial park (to the south)
access to the city-owned rail spur for loading and unloading.
Also on tap are an additional 60 acres to the north which have
not been platted.
The Artesia Industrial Park is currently occupied by 24
businesses, three of which are manufacturing and 21 of which
are service businesses. They include construction companies,
electric contractors, trucking, asphalt, telecommunication, and
oil and gas supplies and servicing, which pay some $16.1
million in wages and generate $8.1 million in gross receipts
taxes annually (Artesia Chamber of Commerce 2012).
The city of Artesia also owns property near the airport that
might at some point be available for another industrial park. If
that develops in the future, it would be wise to target
appropriate industries and differentiate it from the existing
industrial park. The existing park on East Mill Road is more
suitable for heavy manufacturing of industrial products such
as liquids or gases, oil field-related businesses, and
agricultural processing that require truck freight or rail
transport. A future industrial park at the Artesia Airport
would be more suitable for light manufacturing,
telecommunications, and other uses that could utilize the
proximity to airport freight service.
3. Airport
The Artesia Municipal Airport is a public-use airport located
approximately 3 miles west of the Main Street business district
on 1,440 acres. The airport has been important to the growth
and development of Artesia, handling an annual average of
10,500 flight operations from 1993 to 2005 (Federal Aviation
Administration Terminal Area Forecasts, FAA TAF). In 2010,
total operations at the airport were 11,550. Currently, there are
29 aircraft based at the airport. Local business people and
government personnel are the main users and there are also
Page 60
oil drilling, refinery-related, and dairy business demands for
air travel in Artesia. In the past, the airport has provided
scheduled commercial commuter air ambulance service. Air
ambulances oftentimes use the airport for patient pickup
and/or refueling. There is interest in expanding charter plane
service for FLETC-related trips. The City is improving the
airport to take care of and encourage private aviation. The
closest commercial airline service is located in Roswell.
D.
Economic Development Goals
ED Goal 1. Facilitate the construction of a mixed income
multi-family apartment complex in Artesia that will provide
up to 100 units over time affordable to different income
groups.
Strategy a. Complete an Affordable Housing Plan and
ordinance to allow the City to participate
financially in facilitating Artesia housing
development.
Strategy b. Consider acquiring land and making it available
to a private or nonprofit partner interested in
pursuing the Low Income Housing Tax Credit
for mixed income/affordable rental units.
ED Goal 2. Ensure that a range of types of housing, both
rental and for-sale, continues to be built at prices affordable
to people employed in Artesia.
Strategy a. Follow the goals and strategies recommended
in the Housing Chapter of this plan.
Strategy b. Continue to monitor housing development in
the city and whether it is affordable for all
income group levels.
ED Goal 3. Continue to try to attract more retail, restaurants
and entertainment to Artesia.
Strategy a. Increase the number of Artesia employees who
live in Artesia by offering more housing
options, thereby creating greater demand for
goods and services.
Page 61
Strategy b. Ensure sufficient land is zoned for commercial
activities, particularly in the downtown area.
Strategy c. Continue to publicize the number of potential
customers in Artesia’s effective market area.
ED Goal 4. Continue to diversify the economy to help level
the cyclical nature of the oil and gas industry.
Strategy a. Support the ongoing economic development
efforts of the Greater Artesia Economic
Development Corporation, the Artesia Chamber
of Commerce, Artesia MainStreet and others.
Strategy b. Organize periodic strategic planning events to
update the understanding of the local and
regional economy and to identify opportunities,
actions, time frames and responsible parties.
Strategy c. Participate in the Southeast New Mexico
Economic Development District and other
regional
and
county-wide
economic
development efforts.
Strategy d. Encourage the continued development of the
existing industrial park.
ED Goal 5. Retain and strengthen the core central business
area to enhance its function as a commercial and civic center.
Strategy a. Encourage a diversity of activities downtown,
including shopping, dining, recreation and
housing, as well as office uses. Ensure the area
is zoned for this mix of uses.
 Develop the City Hall Annex downtown
Strategy b. Use public works projects such as street repair,
lighting, public spaces, sidewalks and
landscaping to maintain and further enhance
streetscape components of downtown.
Strategy c. Evaluate the need for and feasibility of a civic
event center downtown.
Strategy d. Establish gateway elements directing traffic to
downtown from Hwy 285.
Page 62
ED Goal 6. Continue to develop the skills of Artesia’s
existing workforce.
Strategy a. Consider expanding the mission and scope of
the Artesia Vocational Training Academy.
ED Goal 7. Strengthen and expand existing businesses and
industries.
Strategy a. Develop or identify programs to strengthen
local firms' management capacity by linking
them to programs that provide education on
such topics as marketing and advertising,
business finance, and business planning.
Strategy b. Encourage business growth by identifying loan
and equity capital sources.
Strategy c. Develop or identify programs to increase
knowledge about and access to educational and
training programs on new technologies in
science and engineering.
Strategy d. Help employers to improve the quality of their
workforce through increased knowledge about
and
access
to
educational
programs,
employment counseling and social services.
Page 63
Page 64
Chapter 6: Community Services and Facilities
Chapter 6:
Community Faci litie s
This section provides an inventory and description of Artesia
existing community facilities and their capacity to
accommodate future need. It analyzes the adequacy of current
facilities by applying commonly accepted standards and
provides recommendations for future community needs.
It is important to note that other governmental entities,
organizations, individuals, groups and associations also play
a role in providing some of the community services and
facilities discussed here.
A.
Background
Community facilities refer to functions, services and amenities
that are financially supported by the public and administered
for the benefit of the entire city. Community services and
facilities contribute to the quality of life for residents of a
community by providing safety and protection, recreation and
leisure, meeting places, social services, and educational and
cultural opportunities. It is important to note that this chapter
does not include public infrastructure, such as roads and
utilities, which are addressed in Chapter 7: Public
Infrastructure.
The future facility needs detailed in this chapter were defined
through interviews with public officials, City staff, and public
input collected during community meetings and surveys.
Overall, Artesia's community facilities are generally in good
condition. Capital improvement recommendations address
space needs, renewal needs and responses to new codes and
requirements.
Page 65
B.
Parks and Recreational Facilities
The City of Artesia's parks and recreation facilities are major
assets to its citizens and residents living outside the city. The
large amount of land in Artesia dedicated to parks and
recreational facilities provides a variety of quality recreational
opportunities for the community. Artesia’s parks range from
small facilities within neighborhoods to the 300-acre Jaycee
Park on the city's outskirts.
Unlike other municipal services and facilities, the value of
parks is harder to quantify. This is perhaps primarily due to
the numerous functions performed by park and recreation
facilities. Parks can provide a range of passive and active
recreational opportunities. In addition, they also add visual
and aesthetic quality, order, serenity and shelter to the
community. A variety of open spaces are needed to serve
diverse populations in a given community. Two basic rules of
thumb for parks are that they must be accessible to the public
and should be planned so that all age groups benefit.
Currently, the City of Artesia does not use standards or
guidelines for assessing current and future park and
recreational facility needs. National standards can serve as a
guide and provide generic classifications for the various types
of parks and recreation facilities located in Artesia. They can
also be used as a benchmark for making planning decisions
for future development of parks and recreational facilities.
Martin Luther King, Jr. Park
Martin Luther King, Jr. Park
Each individual community has unique characteristics and
thus should consider factors such as climate, available
resources, population density, and community-based activities
that affect the need for these services.
Detailed in Table 14 below, the City of Artesia is currently
served by ten parks, which in total encompass 406.5 acres and
are well distributed geographically across the city. Six of the
ten parks range from half an acre to nearly five acres and are
classified as neighborhood parks. The primary function of a
neighborhood park is to provide recreational space for the
neighborhood that surrounds it, typically a service area of
about one-half mile. Three of the larger parks are classified as
community parks, which typically have a service area of one
mile and serve several neighborhoods. The large district
park—Jaycee Park—is 300 acres and offers a varied range of
activities.
Page 66
Roberts Park
Davis Park
Figure 12 shows the locations of all of Artesia’s parks and their
respective service areas. The area served by a park depends on
the park’s size and proximity.
Table 14. Types of Parks in Artesia
Park Name
Davis Park
Acres
4.08
Park Type
Neighborhood
Central Park
2.07
Neighborhood
Guadalupe Park
4.4
Neighborhood
Jamaica Park
2.24
Neighborhood
JC Park (aka Jaycee
Park)
300
District
Martin Luther King
Complex
8.5
Community
Roberts Park
Baish Park
John Clarke Roadside
Park
Eagle Draw/West
Acres
26.5
.57
1.14
Community
Neighborhood
Neighborhood
Amenities
Picnic Shelter & Playground Equipment,
Basketball Court
Gazebo, Picnic Tables, Basketball Court,
Playground Equipment
Gazebo, Picnic Shelters, Playground
Equipment, Basketball Court, Benches
Playground Equipment, Picnic Tables,
Benches, Basketball Court,
Model Airplane Field, Soccer Field, Boys
Ball Fields, Concession Stand, Girls Ball
Fields, Caretaker’s House, Mechanic Shop,
Men’s Ball Fields, Office Building, Picnic
Shelters, Playground Equipment,
Racquetball Court, Restrooms, Shop, Shop
Building, Tennis Courts, Walking Track,
Reuse Lagoon
Skate park, Frisbee Golf, Splash Pad,
Walking Track, Bathrooms, Lighting, Shade
Structure, Picnic Tables, BBQ Grills,
Benches, Racquetball Court
Band Shell, Picnic Shelters
Veterans Memorial Park
Picnic tables & Walking Trail
5.7
Community
Walking trail
C. Other Recreational Facilities
1. Natatorium
The Artesia High School Natatorium is owned by the Artesia
Public School District and located indoors near the high
school. The natatorium features showers, locker rooms and a
heated indoor 50-meter pool that can accommodate lap
swimming, water exercises, swim school, open swim
(recreational swimming), and private swim lessons. Currently,
the city pays the school district to make the pool available to
the public. However, public use is somewhat limited due to
school needs and school schedules.
Page 67
Figure 12. Community Facilities
Page 68
2. Artesia Country Club and Golf Course
Originally opened in 1946, the Artesia Country Club and Golf
Course is located at Richey and 26thStreet. The 18-hole par 71
course is 6,239 yards in size from the back tees. The course
also has a 200+ yard driving range, a practice putting green
and chipping green, and pro shop facility. Swimming pool
facilities are available during the summer months. The
clubhouse is open 11:00 am—9:00 pm, Tuesday through
Saturday for lunch and dinner. The Club has approximately
400 members with additional memberships available.
Although the course is privately owned, it is available to the
public on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
The Country Club also makes available for the public a large
banquet room that can accommodate 450 people comfortably
for a plated or buffet dinner. In addition, two smaller rooms
that hold 60 and 40 people, respectively, can be opened into
one room to accommodate 100.
3. Artesia Center
The Artesia Center is a multi-purpose recreation, education
and civic facility located at 612 North 8th Street. Built in 1980,
the Center was expanded through additions in 1989 and 1998.
It is situated on 2.6 acres of land, has 7,500 useable square feet,
and holds up to 400 people. The facility includes two gyms
and State-certified kitchen facilities. It is used for various
recreational programs, including basketball, wellness and
exercise programs, an after-school program, tutoring, flag
football, art classes and a quilting guild. The facility is also
available to be rented for such events as conferences, parties,
quinceañeras and wedding receptions. The center has five fulltime employees as well as a number of seasonal employees
that ranges from 12 in the winter to 75 in the summer.
Artesia Center
The Center’s popularity combined with its limited size results
in frequent conflicts between recreational and other activities.
In addition, the space is poorly organized and does not allow
multiple functions to occur at the same time. While office
space is adequate, more space would allow for additional or
simultaneous activities. City staff has been assessing the need
to expand the space, renovate a vacant building or build
another multi-purpose facility or event center.
Page 69
D.
Municipal Facilities
1. City Hall
Artesia’s City Hall is located in downtown Artesia at 511 West
Texas Avenue. It is situated on 0.4 acres of land and has
approximately 11,306 gross square feet. A vast majority of the
facility is occupied by City administration offices, which
include Finance and Administration, the Mayor's office, the
Water Department and Information Technology. Combined,
these departments have approximately 15 employees. City
Hall was extensively renovated in 1993 and is in good
condition but lacks space for staff such as the
Planning and Purchasing departments.
Designs are in the works to construct a new City
Hall annex to the east of the existing building,
separated by a renovated Veterans Memorial
(Baish) Park. This will allow the City to keep its
headquarters in the same area while continuing to
contribute to a vibrant downtown area. The
design incorporates Fifth Street in creating a
walkable campus, plaza and landscape. The street
Artesia City Hall Concept Plan
will have a special pavement treatment and will
be able to be closed during special events held in
the park. Artesia MainStreet is coordinating this effort, as well
as raising funds for the Veteran’s Memorial Park redesign. The
makeover will include a bronze statue entitled “Freedom’s
Fire” as well as a Wall of Honor listing local US servicemen
and women who have completed honorable service.
2. Artesia Public Library
The new Artesia Public Library, to be located at the
southwest corner of Quay and S 2nd St, has also been
designed and should be under construction by late 2012. A
public-private partnership has been formed to spearhead and
fund the project. A private foundation will build the shell of
the new library and turn it over to the City to
finish the inside. Private monies will fund the
building shell, and an additional $3 million was
appropriated by the City to complete the library.
Waiting in the wings to be installed in the new
library is a famous Peter Hurd mural, “The
Future Belongs to Those Who Prepare for it.” The
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Artesia Public Library
Artesia Public Library Concept Plan
fresco mural was recovered from the lobby of a building in
Houston, TX, which was scheduled for demolition. Donors
stepped forward to save the mural and transported it to a safe
holding area until it can be moved into the new library. The
new facility will be approximately 26,000 square feet.
Originally built in 1956, with an addition in 1984, the existing
library, located at 306 W. Richardson, has approximately
11,075 gross square feet of floor space and is situated on a site
of approximately 24,400 square feet. Parking is off-site, either
on the street or in surrounding parking lots. The library
facility serves both residents living within the city limits and
in the surrounding smaller communities of rural Eddy
County.
The library has eight (full-time equivalent) employees,
supplemented by volunteers who number up to five at any
given time. Van service provides books for the homebound.
The library has approximately 73,600 volumes, which include
audio-visual materials, reference, a southwestern collection,
and a Spanish language collection for all ages. Computers are
also available for public use. The library currently has wireless
Internet service and a high speed DSL (digital subscriber line)
to meet the continuing community demand for fast access to
information. A major summer focus for the library is a reading
program for local youth. Nine hundred children, ranging from
pre-school to middle school, participate in this program that
requires meeting and work space as well as extensive
materials storage.
The new library seeks to be a state-of-the art building
providing the newest and most innovative library programs
and serve as an educational and social gathering center for the
community. The design will create a surrounding campus
effect around the library, improving the aesthetics of
downtown, increasing parking and extending the vision of
Artesia MainStreet. It will offer spaces designed to invite and
inspire young adults; a children’s library; meeting, study and
learning spaces; increased availability of computers and
internet technology; and a refreshment center.
3. Artesia Senior Center
The Artesia Senior Center is located at 202 West Chisum. The
center currently occupies 7,105 gross square feet on a lot that is
adequate in size for parking and future expansion. Eight
employees, as well as volunteers, staff the center. The senior
center is run by the City and provides information and
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referral, outreach, education and training, recreation, health
promotion, and transportation services for Artesia's seniors.
The center has vans to transport seniors to medical
appointments, shopping, and for out-of-town excursions.
Three-quarters of funding for the senior center is provided by
the City, while the rest comes from state and federal sources.
Artesia residents over the age of 50 are eligible to join the
center, but typical users are between the ages of 70 and 90.
Approximately 1,700 people are registered center members;
20 to 30 new members per month have joined since the new
center opened.
The center has developed a good reputation and draws
seniors from as far away as Hope, Roswell and Carlsbad. Since
2004, a 5,000-square-foot addition was built to house craft
rooms, a pool room, a larger exercise room, a computer room,
a game room, and a staff break room. No meals are served at
the center. Artesia has a public meal site, located at 13th and
Gilchrist. The meal site program is run by the Southeast New
Mexico Community Action Corporation (SENMCAC), and is
funded through county, state and federal sources. They serve
approximately 200 meals to seniors each weekday. Many of
the senior center's members take advantage of this program.
SENMCAC also runs a senior adult day care at this site.
In recent years, the center has seen differences in the demands
for services among seniors. As a growing share of the
population reaches its senior years and remains active beyond
retirement, there are differing expectations of what a senior
center should be and what programs it should offer. The
center director anticipates two general groups of people will
use the center: those who use it as a "place to be" for extended
periods of time to play cards, do craft projects and socialize,
and those who use the center for limited amounts of time to
attend very specific activities such as exercise classes or trips.
The center sees increasing demand for health and wellness
programs, computer classes and computer access, speakers on
topics of interest such as health issues or investing, exercise
programs, and line dancing.
4. Artesia Historical Museum and Art Center
The Artesia Historical Museum and Art Center is located at
505 Richardson in the unique Moore-Ward cobblestone house,
which was donated to the city of Artesia in 1967. Opened as a
museum in 1970, the facility is 5,700 gross square feet in size
situated on 0.56 acres. Exhibits in the main house focus on
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local and area history and feature photographs, Native
American artifacts, farm and ranch displays, and a hands-on
Children’s Room with hats and clothes to try on. The Art
Annex gallery next door displays rotating exhibits such as
local art shows, traveling exhibits and temporary in-house
projects. The Museum offers special programs by arrangement
and extensive outreach services as well. The corner house
located west of the cobblestone house is the depository for
storing pieces not on display that are owned by or on loan to
the museum.
Historic Museum
Visitation to the museum and art center has steadily increased
each year since 1989. The focus of activities has changed over
the years to providing more community services of interest to
local residents, including civic and school group activities,
guest lectures, art shows, and the “Living Treasures” program.
The museum also provides information for local property
owners on state and national standards for rehabilitation and
restoration of historic buildings. Extensive files are also
available for each historic site within Artesia.
According to public input garnered throughout the
Comprehensive Planning process, the museum is in fair to
good physical condition, but lacks adequate space for storage
and activities. In particular, the Museum would like to offer a
media center and viewing space for handicapped persons.
Art Annex
5. Public Safety Complex
Located on the 3300 block of West Main Street (US Hwy 82) in
Artesia, the Public Safety Complex provides 73,500 square feet
of space and brings together the Municipal Court, Artesia
police station, main Artesia fire station, Eddy County Sheriff
annex, NM Corrections Department Probation and Parole, and
the New Mexico State Police field office. Opened in 2011, it is
believed to be the only building of its kind in the southwestern
United States. Shared facilities include a fitness gym, showers
and locker rooms, two training rooms: one for computers and
one for physical training, and a large employee lobby/break
room.
Public Safety Complex
Photo credit: Patrick Coulie, photographer
Artesia Municipal Court
The Manuel H. Madrid Municipal Court is located in the east
wing of the Public Safety Complex. The court’s facilities
include a courtroom, with space for adding another as
needed. Other spaces include the judge's chambers and
support staff work area; offices for the prosecutor and defense
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attorneys; waiting areas for the police, victims and witnesses;
a conference area; and records storage.
Eddy County Sheriff and NM State Police
The Eddy County Sheriff's department and NM State Police
each have offices for investigators, parole, narcotics officers,
and administrators, as well as interview rooms, both housed
on the second floor of the east wing.
New Mexico Corrections Department (Probation and Parole)
The New Mexico Corrections Department occupies a suite of
offices in the east wing. Their staff has the responsibility to
enforce the conditions of probation and parole and to provide
services to assist offenders’ rehabilitation and reentry into the
community.
Artesia Police Department
The Police Department employs a total of 55 full-time staff: a
chief, four commanders, eight sergeants, 21 officers and
numerous support staff. The Police Department has a total of
34 units (patrol cars). There are seven other vehicles and one
animal control truck. The department's area of service extends
to the city limits of Artesia. At this time, the current response
rate of 3.5 minutes indicates that substations are not necessary
for the near future. The department operates seven days a
week, 24 hours a day.
The Artesia Police Department is the tenant occupying the
largest portion of the new Public Safety Complex. Located in
the north end of the east wing are the forensic lab, vehicle
search, and evidence rooms. The secured detention area
includes sallyport, holding cells, detox, DWI testing, video
arraignment and attorney/client meeting space. On the
ground level of the west wing are the offices for the police
patrol and animal control, the armory, briefing room, and
supply issue. Second-story facilities include offices for
administration, detectives, and staff and interview rooms.
The department employs community policing methods,
rendering substations unnecessary at this time. A substantial
increase in population to approximately 25,000 would warrant
another look at the need for a substation.
The Police Department’s move has left vacant its former
facility at 702 W. Chisum Avenue. Built in 1978, the 13,000square-foot facility is situated on approximately 0.5 acres of
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land. The facility originally included a Juvenile Detention
Department, but it has moved to Roswell. Several potential
programs and tenants are being considered for this space.
Currently, the Juvenile Detention Department space, which
includes eight cells and three offices, is used for storage and
other functions.
The City’s goal is to eventually install fiber optic cable on all
municipal buildings so that police officers and other staff can
log into City computers from their cars or other locations to
search for information, fill out reports, and keep in
communication.
Animal Shelter
Artesia is building a new animal shelter. It will be expandable
to be able to incorporate requirements for a crematorium as
deceased animals are no longer permitted to be disposed of in
landfills. The shelter will be approximately 4,500 square feet in
size, located on Paddy Wagon Way, north of the Public Safety
Complex.
Artesia Fire Department
The Artesia Fire Department is an all-hazard response agency.
Members are trained and equipped to provide emergency
medical, fire, hazardous materials, technical rescue, and
natural and man-made disaster response. The Fire Department
operates seven days a week, 24 hours a day. There are three
nine -man shifts. Each shift is on 24 hours and off 48 hours,
with three to four dispatchers on duty at the Regional
Dispatch Authority during each shift. Currently, there are 27
full-time firefighters, four full-time administrative staff, and
one full-time administrative assistant. All firefighters are
cross-trained in both firefighting and emergency medical
training, and require certification in both. The department also
recently hired a fire marshal, whose duties range from
inspections to code enforcement. He works very closely with
municipal, county and state entities in all realms of public fire
protection and education.
The City of Artesia’s fire department possesses one 105-foot
Ladder truck, three Class A engines, one rescue vehicle, five
type III ambulances, a mobile air compressor, specialized
trailers for hazardous materials and mass casualty response.
These vehicles are utilized to provide fire protection within
the city of Artesia and all portions of northern Eddy County
for all medical and structural responses. Response time for
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fires located within a quarter-mile radius of the city of Artesia
is adequate.
Artesia’s main fire station occupies the west wing of the
Artesia Public Safety Complex. Four apparatus bays attach
directly to the ground-level firehouse, with provision for more
bays as needed. The firehouse has ten sleeping rooms for
firefighters, one for the shift captain, a kitchen, dining room,
day room and laundry. The facility also provides gear rooms
with wash-down capacity, segregated drainage for hazardous
waste, SCBA compressor and storage, a maintenance room, a
watch station and public lobby. An additional station was
built in 1976.
Fire Station Two is located at 309 North 7th, with two fire
trucks and two ambulances, and is situated on a half-acre
parcel. This facility has approximately 8,000 square feet of
space, including a dormitory and kitchen for 12 firefighters.
Previously the Artesia Fire Department had one unmanned
substation located at 26th/Menefee. However, upon the
opening of Station One in May 2011, it was closed and
converted in to a Fire Department storage area. The two fire
stations combined are 25,500 square feet.
The department is in need of a fire training tower.
The Fire Department currently has an ISO (Insurance Service
Office) rating of 5. Standardized and implemented nationally,
the ISO ratings range from 1 to 10, with 1 being excellent and
10 being poor, and historically has affected the rates that
residents and business owners pay for fire insurance on real
property. ISO ratings are based on three factors: 10 percent for
dispatch, 40 percent for water supply and 50 percent for fire
department, with each of these having several sub-factors.
During the last inspection in 2009, AFD gained 20 points—2
classes—in the fire department category--but dropped 2 in
water supply. They are requesting a re-inspection in fall 2012,
during which they anticipate that recent changes such as the
new station will result in an improved rating.
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Table 15. Public Facilities
Below is a compilation of all of Artesia’s public facilities and their users:
Purpose
Facility Users
2.41
Offices
Garage
Warehouse
11,306
0.39
Offices
Water Dept.
Maintenance
Parks Dept.
Streets Dept.
Administration
Water/IT
12,105
1.38
Senior Center
Senior Center
Staff
20,900
2.60
Recreation
Recreation
Department Staff
13,000
0.50
Vacated
1976
8,000
0.48
Public Safety
Fire Dept. /EMS
1976
1,600
0.33
Fire Dept.
3300 W.
Main St.
2011
73,000
Equipment
Garage
Public Safety
Public Safety
Complex
Public Library
306 W.
Richardson
11,075
0.56
Museum and Art
Annex
Airport Terminal
and Hangars
Cemetery
Office/Warehouse
Park Supervisor
House/Garage
505 W.
Richardson
702 Airport
Road
1956
Addition in
1984
1905
5,700
0.56
1983
2,400
1,040
2,176
40
3,798
Wastewater
Treatment Plant
East Richey
Avenue
1954
2003
1966
Addition/
Remodel 1982
1960, 1981
Remodel in
2003
Animal Shelter
Yucca and
Roselawn
2507 N.
Pecos Rd
Building Name
Address
Construction
Date
Warehouse
612 N.
Roselawn
1973
10,000
City Hall
511 W.
Texas
Artesia Senior
Center
202 W.
Chisum
Artesia Center
612 N. 8th
Street
Former Police
Facility
Fire Equipment
Storage Facility
702 W.
Chisum
Ave.
309 N. 7th
Street
26th and
Menefee
1946
Renovated in
1993 and 2003
2003
Addition
built in 2009
1980
Additions in
1989 and 1998
1978
Public Safety
Complex
Fire Station 2
Transfer Station
Jaycee Park
1995
Square
Footage
Land
Acreage
Office
Cultural/
Educational
Office
Cultural
Transportation
Municipal Court,
Artesia FD,
County Sheriff,
NM Corrections
Dept., NM State
Police
Library Staff
Museum Staff
Cemetery
Airport
Personnel
Cemetery staff
200
Security
Park Supervisor
1,571
160
Wastewater
Treatment
Wastewater Staff
1,719
0.16
Police Dept.
9,750
5.00
Animal
Detention
Equipment
Garage
Transfer Station
Office
Sanitation Staff
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E.
Artesia Support Services
1. Housing Authority of Artesia
The Housing Authority office is located at 617 West Bush
Street and has five employees. The Housing Authority is a
private company managed by a Board appointed by the
Mayor. It operates 138 units of low income housing, of which
40 units are for the elderly. The current occupancy rate is 98
percent, and there is a waiting list for housing units for the
elderly, but not for other units. There is also a Section 8
program that provides housing at the Abo Apartments.
2. Cemetery
The City owns Woodbine Cemetery (which also incorporated
the cemetery formerly known as San Marcos), located on 40
acres south of town off of Highway 285 on the east side of the
railroad tracks. Located at the cemetery is a 1,200 square foot
office and shop building with restrooms and a two-bay garage
for maintaining the cemetery.
3. Schools
The Artesia Public School District currently operates a total of
ten schools: one kindergarten school, six elementary schools
(one located outside city limits), one intermediate school, one
junior high school, and one high school. These schools serve
students within Artesia's city limits as well as a large portion
of the surrounding rural area. Enrollments have declined in
the district by 5.6 percent between 2000 and 2010. To some
degree, enrollments have followed trends in the oil and gas
business, reflecting regional economic cycles. Artesia’s lower
enrollments also reflect general trends toward smaller families
and lower birth rates.
Table 16 below presents enrollment information for each of the
district's schools, from 2000 to 2010. The educational facilities
in Artesia are generally in good condition. The current fiveyear plan includes plans for an elementary school on the west
side of Artesia, plus the possibility of a 9th grade academy to
better prepare and transition students to high school.
Enrollment could gradually increase as the population grows
at a very slow rate.
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Table 16. Artesia School District Enrollment
School Name
Grand Heights Early Childhood Center (Pre-K)
Central Elementary
Hermosa Elementary
Peñasco Elementary
Roselawn Elementary
Yeso Elementary
Yucca Elementary
Zia Intermediate (6th & 7th grade)
Park Junior High School (8th & 9th grade)
Artesia High School (10th—12th grade)
Total Enrollment:
2000
249
140
373
20
247
438
264
560
582
878
3,751
2010
262
131
321
31
205
478
270
594
507
740
3,539
Source: New Mexico Department of Education, Enrollment by School and District,
2000-2010
4. Artesia General Hospital
Artesia General Hospital, located at 702 North 13th Street, is a
49-bed facility non-profit medical facility serving Artesia and
southeastern New Mexico. The hospital provides patient care
and clinical services for family medicine, surgery,
cardiopulmonary, obstetrics, pediatrics, gastroenterology,
orthopedics and podiatry, radiology, urology and dialysis
clinic, laboratory, emergency and senior care. The only area
senior care unit that specializes in geriatric psychiatry is
located there and includes a 21-day inpatient facility that can
be locked down for safety. A mill levy supports their
operations. The hospital complex is rapidly becoming a
regional medical center, with the addition of a professional
building, expansion of exam rooms and provider offices, and
other improvements. The campus currently houses the County
Health Office, Presbyterian Medical Services, Artesia
Professional building, and Yucca Health Care in addition to
the hospital. They are in negotiations with the Veteran’s
Administration to locate a new veteran’s clinic on the campus.
As of June 2012 they had more than 240 staff, of which 100 or
more were physicians, nurse practitioners, registered nurses,
LPNs, lab technicians and radiological technicians. They were
seeking to hire another six physicians and accompanying staff
by the end of the year. Nearly half of a $28 million bond
issued to finance the expansion has been paid off.
Artesia General Hospital
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F.
Issues
Both private and public investment has greatly improved the
availability of recreational facilities in Artesia. Nevertheless,
several issues remain. The following community facility issues
and concerns were identified during the planning process:
1. Parks and Recreational Facilities




Parks. Artesia residents and stakeholders expressed a
need for the City of Artesia to maintain, renovate and
improve all of the City’s existing parks. Central Park
was specifically mentioned as a park facility in need of
improvement.
Trails and Bikeways. Participants in the
comprehensive planning process cited a desire for
additional pedestrian trails and bicycling routes
throughout the city. Participants also affirmed a desire
for the development of specific trails connecting the
Eagle Draw to Roberts Park and Jaycee Park.
Event Space. Artesia’s citizens say there is a need for
meeting and gathering spaces that can accommodate
public events attracting more than 300 people. Also
desired is a space that can accommodate large public
events such as concerts and festivals. Optimal square
footage might be 36,000 SF, with a 10,000 SF
gymnasium and an auditorium space that can be
partitioned into smaller spaces.
Sports Facilities. Additional basketball courts are also
needed for youth league practice sessions and games.
The City currently has one indoor court in the
gymnasium of the Artesia Center and some access to
school and church gyms, which according to youth
league officials, is inadequate to accommodate the
existing amount of participants (30 teams in 2012).
Football fields were also requested.
2. Artesia Senior Services

Senior Center. Senior representatives said they were
pleased with the center space and activities, generally.
They made a few recommendations for minor
improvements: Slow traffic near the center to
accommodate people using walkers or wheelchairs,
add more lighting in the parking lot, improve the
sidewalk to the back door, and provide better
transportation to seniors who live outside the city
limits. One representative said more information about
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
available services such as SSI and other programs is
needed, particularly designed for Spanish-speakers.
Assisted Living. Artesia recognizes the need for an
assisted living facility. Seniors now in need of these
services have to travel to Roswell or Carlsbad. Assisted
living facilities allow seniors to live independently,
typically in apartments, while providing such
necessary services as food shopping or preparation,
medication monitoring, laundry services and more.
These programs will become more necessary as
Artesia’s population continues to age.
3. City Support Services



Childcare. During the Comprehensive Planning
process, Artesia residents and other stakeholders
commented that there is a dire need for childcare
facilities in Artesia. According to the input, there are
currently only one or two commercial daycare
providers operating in the entire city. Participants also
commented that many of the state regulations
regarding daycare facilities discourage potential
providers from opening facilities in the city.
Substance Abuse Testing and Treatment. Community
members and business owners also cited a need for a
treatment center for alcohol/drug abuse in Artesia.
Currently there are no treatment centers in Artesia.
County Offices. Additional space for new county
offices will be added on S. 1st Street. It will house the
Department of Motor Vehicles, the Eddy County
Sheriff, the Eddy County Clerk sub-office and the Tax
Assessor’s sub-office, and a voting poll location.
4. Public Safety

Training Tower/Substation. The Fire Department is
currently in need of a substation on the west side of
Artesia and a training tower. There is also a need to
update the disaster alert system with three or four new
sirens.
Page 81
G. Goals and Strategies
Community Facilities Goal 1. Artesia’s parks
recreational facilities will meet the public need.
and
Strategy a. Continue to make renovations and upgrades to
existing
parks
facilities
based
upon
recommendations of the 2010 Master Plan for
Parks and Landscaping.
Strategy b. Ensure that all parks are ADA‐accessible and
continue to make improvements where needed.
Strategy c. Pursue
the
development
of
Jaycee
Park/American Youth Baseball Facility into a
Regional
Ball
Complex
by
making
recommended improvements to concession
stands, restroom facilities, softball fields, and
youth baseball fields.
Strategy d. Identify appropriate locations and funding for
the development of football fields and
basketball courts for youth league practices and
games.
Strategy e. Continue developing a system of pedestrian
trails and bicycle paths by building trail
connections from Eagle Draw parkway to
schools, major parks and recreational activity
centers.
Strategy f. Acquire and develop additional park lands
corresponding to future growth in the
community.
Strategy g. Establish formal funding mechanisms for costs
of land acquisition, development, and
maintenance of parks associated with future
development.
Strategy h. Conduct an assessment to determine whether
an additional Recreational Facility or Event
Center is needed to accommodate the
community’s needs in the near future.
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Community Facilities Goal 2. Community facilities and
services meet the needs of Artesia’s seniors and aging
population.
Strategy a. Study traffic flow near the Senior Center to see
whether traffic calming devices such as speed
bumps are warranted.
Strategy b. Explore options for providing van service to
seniors living near but outside the Artesia city
limits.
Strategy c. Ensure seniors, particularly Spanish speakers,
have better access to information about
programs such as SSI and Medicare.
Strategy d. Assess whether the existing Senior Center
Facility can adequately accommodate the needs
of Artesia’s current senior population, or
whether additional facilities will be needed in
the near future through the Greater Artesia
Economic Development Corporation.
Strategy e. Support private efforts to develop an assisted
living facility in Artesia.
Community Facilities Goal 3. Expand existing or develop
new community facilities to meet residents’ needs.
Strategy a. Continue the design and implementation
process of expanding City Hall by construction
of a nearby annex.
Strategy b. Identify a potential location, plan, design and
develop a multi-purpose center that can
accommodate both community and regional
events.
Community Facilities Goal 4. Continue to update and
maintain public safety facilities as needed.
Strategy a. Secure funding to construct a training tower for
all emergency services.
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Page 84
Chapter 7: Public Infrastructure
Chapter 7:
Pu bli c I nfr a s t ru c tu r e
The purpose of the Public Infrastructure chapter of the
City of Artesia Comprehensive Plan is to provide
background information on existing public
infrastructure, which includes the storm drainage
system, the transportation system and
telecommunications infrastructure. The airport is
presented as a separate component. This chapter also
includes recommendations, goals and strategies for each
element of the public infrastructure to meet the future
infrastructure needs of Artesia.
A.
Storm Drainage
The City of Artesia is located in low valley lands. As a result,
intense summer rains and floods are not a strange
phenomenon in the area. Historically, damaging floods have
occurred in 1894, 1905, 1908, 1911, 1919, 1928, 1937, 1947, 1948,
1954, and 1964. Because of the history of flooding and the
potential damage, storm drainage is a very important
component of the City’s public infrastructure. Due to the arid
climate that prevails in Artesia, however, storm drainage is
sometimes disregarded or considered as a secondary need
when improvements to infrastructure are proposed, until a
large storm event occurs.
The short length of time that local residents are
inconvenienced by flooding has become acceptable. A large
storm event, such as the 100-year storm, has a one-percent
chance to occur in any given year. However, storm water runoff is considered a leading source of water pollution, as it can
harm and contaminate rivers, lakes, ponds, and minor
streams, which in turn can harm water quality. Among the
pollutants transported by storm water run-off are pesticides,
fertilizers, oils, pathogens, litter and other debris and potential
contaminants, such as pet waste.
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Storm water discharges are regulated through National Pollutant
Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits, which are issued
by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Through the
NPDES program, the entity to which the permit is issued is required
to develop a storm water pollution prevention program (SWPPP)
that incorporates best management practices. At this time, Artesia is
not required to have an NPDES permit for municipal storm water
discharge. This however, does not exempt the City from
implementing measures to properly manage storm water, control
run-off, prevent erosion, and minimize flooding.
A detailed Drainage Master Plan was recently prepared for the City
of Artesia (December 2010). A summary of the information included
in the Master Plan and pertaining updates is presented in the
following sections.
1. Existing Facilities
Currently, there is only one major storm drain system within the
City of Artesia, the Southeast Storm Drain. There are also a
number of smaller systems and segments which run a short
distance and eventually outfall into one of the existing drainage
channels, such as Eagle Draw. These smaller segments include;
2nd Street, 7th Street, 8th Street, 10th Street, 13th Street, 16th Street,
26th Street, US 82, US 285, Grand Avenue, and various outlets
along Mahone Avenue and JJ Clarke Drive.
Southeast Storm Drain
This is the largest storm drain system within the city. It consists of
reinforced concrete pipe (RCP) ranging in size from 24 inches to 78
inches in diameter. This system conveys a large portion of the
storm run-off within the southeast area of the city to the large
detention dam (known as the Southeast Detention Dam) north of
Hermosa Avenue, just east of the cemetery. The system also
contains a pipe network from Grand Avenue to Centre Avenue,
along the western edge of US 285. The backbone of the system is
along Bullock Avenue, which extends from US 285 to 13th Street.
Champ Clark Storm Drain & Channel
This system consists of RCP ranging from 18 inches to 36 inches in
diameter. The system contains several laterals transporting
surface drainage from surrounding streets to the Champ Clark
Channel, which is an open concrete lined channel running from
Roselawn Avenue to US 285. The storm water run-off is further
conveyed under US 285 via concrete box culverts, and then under
the BNSF Railroad Tracks via a timber bridge. The storm water
run-off outfalls into the Champ Clark Draw, an open earthen
channel that connects to Eagle Draw, just north of Navajo
Refinery.
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Other Secondary Storm Drains
There are other small, secondary storm drains, which include
the US 82 (Main Street) Storm Drain and the US 285 (1st Street)
Storm Drain.
Drainage Channels
Eagle Draw is the primary drainage channel through Artesia.
This channel consists of two general cross-sections. The
western-most section, known as Channel 200, is an earthen
channel lined with native desert shrubbery and grasses. Along
its easterly course to 26th Street, there are a number of energy
dissipation structures. In the eastern section of Eagle Draw,
the channel’s banks are expanded to provide open space areas.
This section of the draw is characterized by a 12-foot-wide low
flow concrete channel. The remainder of the section is
vegetated with established trees and grasses.
Flood Diversion 1 (FD-1) is a diversion channel constructed to
divert storm water run-off generated west of 26th Street and
downstream of the SCS Dam into Eagle Draw. The diversion’s
main function is to prevent storm run-off from flooding the
residential areas along the north side of Hermosa Drive and
east side of 26th Street.
Eagle Draw at N. Haldeman Road (looking
south)
Flood Diversion 2 (FD-2) is a diversion channel constructed to
divert storm run-off into Eagle Draw, and to prevent
residential flooding south of Grand Avenue and west of 26th
Street.
26th Street Channel mimics the cross-section of the eastern
portions of Eagle Draw. It begins on the west side of 26th
Street, just south of JJ Clark Drive, and continues east to its
junction with Eagle Draw at Centennial Drive.
Eagle Draw (looking east)
Southeast Detention Dam Channel contains two crosssections and conveys drainage from the southeastern portions
of the city to the large detention dam (known as Southeast
Detention Dam). The western reach of the channel is concretelined and trapezoidal in shape. Upon crossing under the BNSF
railroad, it travels to the east right-of-way of the railroad,
where the concrete section is terminated. The second stretch of
the channel (earth-lined) continues its eastern course, along
the north side of the Cemetery, to its outfall into the northwest
corner of the detention dam. The channel in this reach is an
earthen channel heavily obstructed by trees and vegetation.
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Road Side Ditches
There are many roadside ditches (on both sides of the street)
along streets entering and leaving the city and along roadways
across undeveloped areas. These include US 82, US 285,
Bowman Avenue, 26th Street, Richey Avenue, Paddy Wagon
Way, 41st Street, and the roadways within the Industrial Park.
The majority of these roadside ditches are between one and
three feet deep and vary in width from a few to several feet.
Storm Drain Pipes
A majority of the drainage structures, such as grate inlets, curb
inlets, and box culverts, were clogged with silt and debris at
the time when the Drainage Master Plan was being prepared.
Due to the excessive clogging, most storm drain systems are
non-functional.
Detention and Retention Ponds
There are four relatively small detention/retention ponds and
one large detention pond.
The small detention ponds are identified as follows:
Golf Course Detention Pond, which is located along the
eastern and southeastern boundaries of the Artesia Country
Club, has design storage capacity of 14.22 acre-feet.
Wal-Mart Detention Pond, which detains storm water run-off
as generated from the store’s parking lot, roof, and
surrounding landscaped areas, has a storage capacity of
approximately 2.8 acre-feet, with a total depth of roughly four
feet.
Mack Chase Sports Complex Retention Pond, which is
located directly east of the Mack Chase tennis courts, has an
estimated storage capacity of 2.3 acre-feet.
City Public Safety Complex Retention Ponds, which were
recently constructed, comprise four small retention ponds.
The large pond, which is known as the Southeast Detention
Dam, collects the majority of the storm water run-off
generated within the Southeast Drainage Basin; primarily the
areas bounded by Grand Avenue, Hermosa Drive, and
26th Street. The dam is approximately 12 feet deep from the
lowest point to its emergency spillway. The pond has a
capacity of approximately 180 acre-feet within the 12-foot
depth below the emergency spillway. The total pond capacity
is approximately 272 acre-feet. This pond is a jurisdictional
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dam as designated by the New Mexico Office of the State
Engineer.
2. System Deficiencies
Storm water run-off from the areas northwest of the city,
primarily the airport and surrounding areas, tends to flood the
residential areas along the western side of 26th Street (west of
the 26th Street Channel and north of Main Street). These
historical drainage patterns also create erosion and sediment
deposition problems within these areas. Due to the lack of
detailed drainage studies for this specific area, a defined path
and system do not exist to help convey the offsite watershed
(west of 26th Street) to the 26th Street Channel.
The Southeast Basin was established in 1980 by Scanlon &
Associates and represents a watershed bounded by 26th
Street, Grand Avenue, Hermosa Drive, and US 285 (1st Street).
The watershed is approximately 1.3 square miles. Storm water
run-off is primarily conveyed by the Bullock Avenue and
Southeast storm drain systems, which consist of subsurface
RCP storm drain and open channel. They eventually discharge
into the Southeast Detention Dam.
The Southeast storm drain and Detention Dam were
constructed in 1980. The Bullock Avenue storm drain was
constructed in 1986. Both storm drain systems are situated at
the downstream end of the Southeast drainage basin and lack
additional capacity for inundated streets.
The lack of storm drain system’s regular maintenance also
contributes to storm water run-off and flooding conditions
within the city. The majority of the curb inlets and street grates
within the city limits were found to be clogged or completely
obstructed with vegetation and debris during the field visits
conducted in 2010.
The lack of storm drain infrastructure contributes to the storm
water run-off and localized flooding experienced within the
city. The natural topography and mild slopes present unique
challenges to convey surface runoff, especially in city streets.
The street carrying capacities are low for most streets due to
very mild slopes.
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B.
Transportation
Transportation infrastructure and services are essential for the
development of any community. In general, transportation
infrastructure consists of US highways, freeways, city streets
and airports, to mention the most common. The purpose of the
transportation infrastructure is to efficiently move people and
goods through a system of roads and other pathways. A
description of ground transportation infrastructure will be
provided in this section of the Comprehensive Plan, and the
airport will be covered as a separate, stand-alone element.
1. Streets Classification and Purposes
The street system of Artesia has been classified into four
categories, each of equal importance, but with different
purposes and functions. The four categories are: local streets,
collector streets, arterial streets, and highways and freeways.
Local streets are designed to serve properties next to the
public right-of-way by providing direct access from the
property to the street by means of a driveway or on-street
parking. Local streets are also very important for pedestrian
traffic along sidewalks and for access from one property to the
next.
Local streets also serve as easements for other facilities and
public utilities such as water, sewer, storm drains, fiber optics,
and public utilities (Excel Energy, NM Gas, PVT Cable and
Century Link). Moving traffic is a secondary function of local
streets. Therefore, “traffic-calming” strategies and devices are
included in the design to reduce automobile speeds while
assuring that the streets are interconnected. Among the
strategies are curb extension, center line traffic islands, more
frequent stop signs, speed bumps, bike lanes, street trees, and
different pavement patterns or designs.
Collector streets are designed to gather vehicles from local
streets before the capacity of local streets is exceeded and
route those vehicles to traffic generators, such as shopping
center, schools, parks, businesses, or to arterial streets.
Collector streets serve some of the same functions as local
streets, such as providing easements for major utilities.
However, traffic safety and traffic flow are of primary
importance on collector streets. On-street parking should be
discouraged on these streets to facilitate traffic flow.
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13th Street at Main Street (looking south)
Figure 13. Artesia Street Classification Map
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Arterial streets are specifically designed to carry throughtraffic. Arterials should provide fast and safe movement from
one section of the community to another and connect to
highways servicing the city. These streets should be
continuous in order to attract faster through-traffic, and
should not pass through residential neighborhoods. Medians
should be considered on some arterial streets for landscaping,
and to give vehicles and pedestrians refuge when crossing the
street or making left-hand turns.
Highways are designed to carry the maximum amount of
traffic in the safest possible manner. Their function is to
connect cities by the quickest and most convenient route.
Most highways should provide ample rights-of-way to be
converted to limited access freeways in the future. However,
highways that connect small rural communities, such as
Highway 82, should not be converted to four-lane roads or
limited access highways until required.
Freeways are the ultimate mode of ground transportation and
are very important to the economic development of the
sections of the country they serve. The closest freeways to
Artesia are Interstate 40 at Santa Rosa, Interstate 25 at Las
Cruces, and Interstate 20 at Midland, TX.
2. Other Transportation Modes
In addition to private vehicles (automobiles), transportation to,
from, and within the city is possible via public transit service
and specialized transportation services.
Public Transit Service consists of a fixed route service
operating on fixed schedules, at a fixed rate. TNM & O
Coaches, Inc. (Texas, New Mexico, and Oklahoma) provides
long-distance bus service to and from Artesia to destinations
in New Mexico and Texas. At present, there is no other public
transit service in Artesia.
Specialized Transportation Service consists of mini-buses
that the Artesia Senior Citizens Center provides as a service
for the convenience of its clients. The Senior Center is operated
by the City of Artesia. The transportation service is provided
on an on-call basis and transports senior citizens to the Center
or other local destinations.
The Artesia Good Samaritan Home, a retirement and nursing
home, also provides transportation services for its residents.
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Taxi Service is not currently available in the city. Several taxi
companies have attempted to operate in the city, but have not
succeeded. Some kind of subsidy may be needed to help them
operate in Artesia.
Rail Service is not currently available in the city for passenger
service. However, the AT&SF Railway, which once offered
passenger service, still provides daily freight service.
The primary framework of the City of Artesia ground
transportation system consists of two US Highways, which are
Highway 82 and Highway 285. In addition, there are multiple
local, collector, and arterial streets, which keep the city
interconnected. Interconnection of these streets is crucial for
proper traffic flow within Artesia and for travel to and from
unincorporated areas near the city.
C. Airport
The Artesia Municipal Airport was originally constructed in
1942 as an auxiliary landing field for Walker Air Force Base
near Roswell. Walker Air Force Base was a strategic air
command base until its closure in 1964. It was given to the
City of Roswell and is now the Roswell Industrial Air Center.
During World War II, the landing field was used to train B-25
bomber flight crews. The Artesia Municipal Airport was
obtained by the City of Artesia on April 8, 1943, and
designated as a general aviation (GA) airport. The property
consists of 1,440 acres.
1. Services Provided
The airport has been important to the growth and
development of Artesia, handling an annual average of 10,500
flight operations from 1993 to 2005 (Federal Aviation
Administration Terminal Area Forecasts, FAA TAF). In 2010,
total operations at the airport were 11,550. Currently, there are
28 aircraft based at the airport.
Local business people and the Federal Law Enforcement
Training Center (FLETC) are the main users. There is also air
travel demand from oil drilling, dairy and refinery-related
businesses. In the past, the airport has provided scheduled
commercial commuter air ambulance service. This service is
not currently available. There is interest in expanding charter
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plane service for FLETC-related trips. At a future time, it is
hoped that commercial flights may be instituted.
Acquisition of the former College of Artesia by FLETC in 1989
gave a new importance to the airport. Thousands of students
come to Artesia each year for an average two-week training
course. Currently, Roswell, Carlsbad, and Hobbs are the
closest commercial airports; however, most students arrive at
the Sunport in Albuquerque or the El Paso Airport and either
drive or ride a bus to Artesia. FLETC employees and other
Federal officials frequently fly to Artesia in government
aircraft.
City officials have met with several air carriers to determine
their interest in providing service to Artesia. They have not
been successful so far, but these efforts should continue. It
should be noted that commercial service would also require
serious financial backing by the City for additional
improvements such as an Airport Rescue and Fire Fighting
(ARFF) vehicle, an ARFF Building (Fire Station) and
personnel, significant terminal renovations, security upgrades,
and improved airfield pavement as well as the required
utilities.
Commercial flights to and from Roswell and Carlsbad usually
include several passengers destined for or originating in
Artesia. Records should be kept of trips to strengthen the case
for air service to Artesia.
Runways
The Artesia Municipal Airport currently has two active
runways: Runway 3-21, which is 6,300 feet long and 150 feet
wide, and Runway 12-30, which is 5,390 feet long and 150 feet
wide. Both runways contain medium intensity runway
lighting systems (MIRL).
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Figure 14. Existing Airport Facilities in Artesia
Figure 15. Airport Layout Plan for Artesia Municipal Airport
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Taxiways
The taxiways are 50 feet wide, except for Taxiway T-5, which
uses the abandoned Runway 8-26 to reach the approach end of
Runway 03.
The airport contains adequate parking apron areas and tiedowns for aircraft that is either transient or currently based at
the airport. Larger aircraft would require more maneuvering
space and stronger pavement.
Terminal Building
The existing airport terminal, built in 1983, contains
approximately 1,600 square feet. No major improvements
have been made to the building. Bids have been awarded for
the remodel of the terminal including the restrooms, commons
area and offices.
The airport is partially fenced and security needs to be
upgraded. The airport is currently served by a septic system.
Sewer service should be provided when the airport has
scheduled service.
Other Facilities
Other facilities include the fuel service and several individual
and T-Hangars. The airport is equipped with a non-directional
beacon (which is owned by the City of Artesia and is inspected
annually by the FAA), a pulsating visual approach slope
indicator (PLASI) on all approaches, and an automated
weather observation system (AWOS-IIIPT), which provides
continuous computer-generated voice weather reports that are
also broadcast on a dedicated radio frequency (126.725) and
can be accessed by phone 575-748-2103. There are published
GPA approaches on Runway 12 and Runway 21.
Airport Zoning
The airspace for existing runways is not currently impeded by
private development. Efforts should be made to protect
nearby areas and prevent future development that is sensitive
to airport noise and lights from being located too close to the
airport. Ensuring land use compatibility in the airport
surrounding area is crucial to preserving the long-term
viability of the airport. Since the community is tending to
expand towards the west and north, not far from the airport,
care should be taken to protect the approach and take-off
areas of aircraft.
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3. Planned Improvements
The City is planning a major improvement program to
rehabilitate or extend the existing runways and taxiways,
reconstruct and extend the parking aprons, and extend the
security fence around airport property. Extension of one or
more runways by 800 to 1,000 feet would accommodate jet
aircraft the size of Boeing 737s. The longer runway would
potentially allow for larger charter or commercial service
aircraft and for larger planes used in FLETC training.
The long-range plan for the airport includes building a new
terminal building, larger apron, and vehicle parking facilities
on the entrance road (southeast of current terminal). These
additions will be convenient for commercial passengers and
separate them from fixed base operations. These plans are
currently shown on the latest airport master plan.
The improvement program, estimated costs and possible start
dates are not shown here. Rather, the airport staff should be
consulted for the most current Capital Improvement Program
(CIP). The CIP is prepared by the airport and submitted
annually to the FAA and NMAD. Each year the CIP is
updated to remove the projects completed and re-prioritize
future projects. A current CIP can be obtained from the airport
or NMAD.
Currently the CIP is focused on rehabilitating the pavement
on Runway 12-30, which includes the edge lighting system.
Three phases of work are programmed totaling $4 million. It is
unlikely that this amount of funding from FAA can be
obtained in one year. Following this, the CIP is focused on
general airfield maintenance, and then plans for the
Runway 3-21 extension process are scheduled for years 2015 to
2017.
Generally, the airport is limited to annual funding from the
General Fund in the amount of $150,000. This funding can be
rolled over to the next year and banked in order to secure a
larger project.
For larger projects, the airport can compete for state
apportionment funds. However the competition for state
apportionment funds can be intense, and solid project
justification will be needed. Finally, the airport can compete
regionally in the FAA discretionary fund category.
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D.
Information Technology
In 2007 the City of Artesia undertook a project that would
connect all City buildings together to create a single network
for transmitting data and voice. This project used both fiber
and wireless technology to connect all City buildings. As new
facilities have been constructed, the network has been
expanded to add those new facilities to the network.
Currently there are 14 buildings on the network. Ten buildings
are connected by a redundant fiber ring and the remaining
four more remote or smaller locations are connected
wirelessly. Part of the fiber ring was extended to connect the
Regional Dispatch Authority (REDA) to both the Artesia
Police Department and the Eddy County Sherriff’s substation
located in Artesia. This allows both law enforcement agencies
quick access to all of the records created by REDA’s record
management system.
Short-term future plans include adding the new Library and
Animal Shelter on to the network. Longer-term plans include
replacing the wireless connections at the Airport, Wastewater
Plant, Solid Waste Transfer Station and cemetery with fiber as
these facilities grow.
The fiber ring consists of 48 strands of fiber installed either
overhead or underground with the largest concentration of
fiber in the downtown area. Currently only two of the 48
strands are being used. This provides the City of Artesia with
ample potential for future growth. Moreover, this excess
capacity could be leased to another entity or a business,
providing the City with a revenue opportunity.
To provide for recovery of the City’s data in the event of a
disaster, the City IT Department routinely backs up all
electronic data and stores this information on tape. In
addition, a backup storage device was installed at the Public
Safety Complex in 2012. This device creates a duplicate copy
of all of the data this is stored at the primary location, City
Hall. This allows the IT Department to quickly recover any
data that might be lost if disaster was to strike City Hall.
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E.
Goals and Strategies
This section presents a series of goals and strategies to help
guide the City of Artesia in addressing needs for improvement
of the existing public infrastructure facilities, including the
storm drainage system, the transportation system, and the
airport. The applicable goals and actions are listed below.
Drainage System – Goal 1. Maintain and improve the
existing drainage system and structures.
Strategy a. Implement a cleaning program to remove
vegetation and obstructions from existing
components of the drainage system. Field
observations during the preparation of the
Drainage Master Plan (2010) proved that a
majority of the drainage structures (culverts,
curb inlets, and storm grates) were heavily
obstructed with debris and silt, eliminating
their ability to convey storm water run-off.
Strategy b. Ensure the proper maintenance of Eagle Draw
up stream by the City and downstream (east of
NM 285) by agreement with the flood
commission.
Strategy c. Institute best management practices addressing
erosion, run-off, sedimentation, dust, and storm
water management.
Drainage System – Goal 2. Expand the drainage system and
construct new components.
Strategy a. Complete the storm drainage line on South
1st Street.
Strategy b. Design and construct a Regional Detention
Pond east of the Artesia Airport (contingent on
FAA approval).
Strategy c. Incorporate storm drain improvements into
other CIP projects.
Strategy d. Include provisions in the storm drainage control
plan to manage the storm drainage impacts of
new developments through zoning, subdivision
regulations,
and
rigorous
scrutiny
of
development plans.
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Transportation System – Goal 1. Improve the existing
transportation system and its components.
Strategy a. Maintain and continue to improve the
highways and arterial streets as the primary
network of Artesia’s traffic circulation system.
Strategy b. Interconnect local streets to ensure that the
transportation network consists of many routes
accommodating lower-volume traffic.
Strategy c. Improve the condition of some existing streets;
re-paving and sealing is needed at some
locations.
Strategy d. Consider having the City take over
improvements to and maintenance of the
existing sidewalk system to provide a better and
safer environment for pedestrians and
residents.
Strategy e. Implement traffic-calming measures for some
local streets and collector streets to reduce auto
speeds to safe and acceptable levels.
Strategy f. Direct more attention to the needs of bicycle
travelers:
 Designate most bicycles routes on local
streets and establish bicycle lanes to be on
collector and arterial streets only as needed.
 Develop a trails and bikeways master plan.
Transportation System – Goal 2. Develop a well-balanced
transportation system that will provide for the safe and
efficient movement of people and goods to, from and within
Artesia.
Strategy a. Develop local public transportation alternatives.
Possible alternatives include: 1) create a local
bus system; 2) expand the existing van service
for senior citizens to outside the city limits; 3)
support a private taxi company through
economic development.
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Airport – Goal 1. Protect the airspace in the immediate
airport area and beneath the runway approaches.
Strategy a. Restrict the development of tall structures in the
area surrounding the airport to protect the
airspace and minimize future conflicts.
Strategy b. Avoid the development of facilities near the
airport that might attract large numbers of birds
or other vectors (e.g. landfills, permanent water
pools, or agricultural processing plants with
outdoor storage of grain or seeds).
Airport – Goal 2. Ensure development of compatible land
uses around the airport.
Strategy a. Establish planning and zoning to ensure the
development of compatible land uses in areas of
high noise exposure and low aircraft overflights.
Strategy b. Develop an airport approach zoning for both
the city and unincorporated areas.
Strategy c. Develop a plan for annexing the area near the
airport; there currently is no county zoning and
the area is largely unincorporated. If general
urban development, particularly higher end
residential, is allowed in proximity to the
airport, it may conflict with an increase in
airport use. Annexation of the area surrounding
the airport would allow city policies and
regulations to manage and safeguard the
airport.
Strategy d. If possible, the City should acquire one house,
which encroaches on its property near the entry
to the airport.
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Page 102
Chapter 8: Water and Wastewater
Chapter 8: Water and
Waste water
For the continued growth and development of the City of
Artesia, public infrastructure, including the water and
wastewater systems, must be properly maintained and
improved to meet future needs. Water supply and delivery and
adequate wastewater treatment are essential to maintain
public health and a safe environment in the community.
A.
Water
The City of Artesia is nestled in the center of southeastern
New Mexico in Eddy County. The City has an average
elevation of 3,380 feet above sea level with land that varies
from flat to gently rolling hills. The area has a semi-arid
climate with an average yearly rainfall of less than 12 inches.
The City is surrounded by approximately 30,000 acres of
irrigated farmlands, which include annual and permanent
pasture in the valley. Being situated in a desert climate, water
is a limited resource, and the City is taking steps to ensure
water supplies will be available to meet future demands. Due
to growth in the city, numerous upgrades to the water system
have been made in the past decade. A Water Master Plan was
completed in 2010, which makes recommendations for
continued improvement of the water system.
1. Water Supply
Artesia relies on groundwater as its source of supply for the
community. The City currently does not provide, or receive,
supplemental water from any other municipality or
cooperative system. Seven wells located throughout town are
integrated into the City’s water supply system. The oldest well
(Standpipe well) was drilled in 1943, and the most recent well
(Lonesome Well #2) was drilled in 2009 and placed in service
in 2010. This new well is expected to supply 1,500 gallons per
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minute. The City has also taken a number of wells out of
service: the Chisum Street Well, the Hospital Well, and the
Menefee Well. Each of the City’s wells, excluding Lonesome
Wells #1 and #2, pumps directly into the City’s water system.
The existing wells draw water from the Roswell Artesian
Basin, which supplies water to much of the lower Pecos Valley,
which includes Roswell, Artesia, Dexter, Lake Arthur and
Hagerman. The aquifer is replenished by the Pecos River and
groundwater inflow.
The topography of the city and existing location of water
storage tanks have allowed the City to meet the supply and
demand of its residents and businesses through gravity flow,
without the use of pumping stations.
The City’s system operates within two (2) pressure zones; the
Upper and Lower Pressure Zones. Artesia is currently
experiencing pressure and supply irregularities within the
southwestern portions of the city; more specifically, the
subdivisions between 20th and 26th Street directly north of
Hermosa Avenue. Other areas of concern have been identified
along the western-most reaches of the lower pressure zone.
Commercial developments have expressed the need for
pressure increases to meet both supply and fire flow
requirements.
During a fire hydrant flow test conducted in 2010, a number of
the hydrants (approximately 15%) throughout the city were
noted as needing repair or a new hydrant assembly.
Additionally, there are areas within Artesia which do not meet
the criteria for hydrant spacing as outlined by the Insurance
Services Office (ISO). These areas should have additional
hydrants installed as recommended to provide the subject
areas with the appropriate coverage.
2. Water Storage
The City has four above-ground water tanks for a total storage
capacity of 5.4 million gallons, with the majority of it located
on the west side of town. As a consequence, the city lacks
adequate water storage in the central and eastern areas, which
is supplemented by water wells.
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The City’s above-ground storage facilities include three (3)
welded-steel ground storage tanks and one (1) spherical
elevated storage tank.
3. Water Distribution
Artesia’s water system is composed of a network of nearly
40 miles of waterlines ranging from 4 inches to 18 inches in
diameter. The system extends from the west, 1.5 miles beyond
the Artesia Municipal Airport, to its eastern boundary at the
Navajo Refinery. The majority of the lines are polyvinyl
chloride (PVC) or high density polyethylene (HDPE), but like
many older water systems, some of the existing lines are
ductile iron, asbestos cement, concrete cylinder and cast iron.
Large portions of the established areas within the city,
primarily the eastern sections, are characterized by small
diameter cast iron waterlines. The majority of these lines are
4 inches in diameter and have been in service in excess of 50
years. Due to the lack of lining, these waterlines are expected
to be heavily corroded, resulting in less water supply and
reduced pressures.
Since 2000, the City has installed or replaced almost 82,000 feet
of waterlines. In 2009, the City had unaccounted-for water of
only 1.7 percent, which is extremely low for a municipality.
Starting in 2009, the City’s Design and Construction Standards
for Infrastructure dictate the use of high density polyethylene
(HDPE) pipe for all new waterlines. HDPE water systems
have a longer service life than traditional PVC and reduce the
amount of leaks.
4. Water Treatment
The City does not currently treat the groundwater before it is
distributed throughout the water system. It is advisable to
consider a long-range goal of disinfection of the water as a
precaution against bacterial contamination. At a minimum, the
City should have a plan for how to implement disinfection in
the event that state or federal regulations require treatment.
Some areas of concern have been identified in previous reports
related to potential contamination and safety issues.
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Similarly, Artesia does not currently have a wellhead
protection and education program to help protect
groundwater quality that could be impacted by spills, leaks,
accidents or other forms of contamination of the surrounding
land. Groundwater quality should continue to be monitored
closely, and treatment will be addressed as required.
5. Water Rights
The City has 7,440.28 acre-feet/year of water rights in the
Roswell Artesian Basin. In 2009, the City diverted 5,260 acrefeet of groundwater. Although the City has sufficient water
rights to meet existing needs, the City contracted with the
consulting firm Daniel B. Stephens & Associates to develop a
Water Conservation Plan to achieve two goals: 1) Ensure that
supplies are available to meet future water demands, and 2)
Prevent or delay the need for expensive capital expenditures
for developing new water supplies and acquiring additional
water rights.
According to the Water Conservation Plan, the residential
demand in 2005 was 176 gallons per capita per day (gpcd),
which was within the range of other cities in the arid
southwest. The Water Conservation Plan proposed steps
towards reducing water consumption, but such measures
have not yet been implemented.
B.
Wastewater
The City of Artesia sanitary sewer system can be traced back
almost a century ago (around 1917), when the first sanitary
district was formed in the City. Development since then has
continued, and the system today comprises approximately 32
miles of sewer collection lines, five lift stations, and a recentlyupgraded wastewater treatment plant. A Sanitary Sewer
Master Plan was prepared for the City in 2010.
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1. Sanitary Sewer Collection System
The wastewater collection system consists primarily of gravity
sewer lines, which range in size from 8 to 27 inches. The lines
are, for the most part, PVC and HDPE pipes with some older
lines made of vitrous clay. In addition to the gravity piping
network, there are also lift stations and forcemains. The
majority of the sanitary sewer collection system in the city has
been sized for peak flows, with the 24-inch diameter
interceptor that conveys raw sewage to the treatment plant
having a capacity of approximately 8.3 million gallons per day
(MGD).
Beginning in 2009, the City’s Design and Construction
Standards for Infrastructure dictate the use of high density
polyethylene (HDPE) pipe for sewer lines in an effort to create
a system that is less susceptible to leaks. This was a major step
taken by the City which allows for a more standardized
approach to design and construction. It will benefit the City
during maintenance and rehabilitation of existing systems and
future development.
Although the city’s population has remained fairly stable over
recent years, the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center
(FLETC) has contributed to an increase in sanitary sewer
flows. In addition to an increase in sewer flows, the sanitary
sewer system has experienced periodic surcharges of flows
due to undersized pipes and pipes with inadequate slopes,
inclusion of developed areas formerly on septic tank systems,
and deterioration of sewer lines and manholes due to aging
infrastructure. Artesia’s current regulations state that if a user
on a septic system within the city limits is within 200 feet of a
sewer line, the user is required to connect to the City’s system.
This regulation will be applied to all future annexations.
Since 2007, the City has spent almost 9 million on sewer line
upgrades on two large projects. These improvements include
the installation of 8-inch thru 27-inch PVC trunk lines and
concrete manholes in 2007 and installation of 8-inch thru
20-inch HDPE trunk lines in 2009.
The City has recently adopted a plan for on-going sewer line
flushing. The flushing will occur throughout the year, with
the goal that every gravity sewer line in the City be flushed
once every five years. Additionally, during preventative
maintenance and capital improvement projects, sanitary sewer
lines will be inspected via CCTV for issues such as
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penetrations in the pipe, infiltration of ground water, and
weak connections. If issues are discovered, the lines should be
repaired or replaced.
2. Wastewater Treatment Plant
The sanitary sewer flows generated within the city limits are
conveyed to the wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) through
a network of gravity lines and lift stations with corresponding
forcemains. The treatment plant is located about 1.5 miles east
of the developed area of Artesia, on the northeast corner of
State Routes 229 and 327 (Richey Avenue and Haldeman
Road).
The existing plant was built in 1960, rehabilitated in 1980, and
expanded and renovated in 2002 and 2010. Recently, the City
has spent over 12 million on upgrading the treatment plant,
increasing the capacity to 2.6 MGD average day flow and
improving functionality.
Wastewater first goes through the headworks, which consists
of two mechanical bar screens. It then enters one of two
biological treatment basins, which is followed by secondary
clarifiers to allow for settling and separation of liquid and
solids. Effluent from the clarifiers is disinfected by means of
ultraviolet light.
Sludge settled in the clarifiers and wasted from the process
was previously discharged into the sludge drying beds. There
are two drying beds and a dedicated composting/storage area
at the plant. However, since 2011, mechanical dewatering by
means of a belt filter press has been used. The dewatered
sludge is sent to the sludge processing pad. The end product,
compost, is used for agricultural applications.
The WWTP is assigned the NPDES permit number
NM0022268, issued by the Environmental Protection Agency
(EPA). When discharging under this permit, effluent from the
plant flows into the Pecos River. However, discharges to the
river are sporadic in nature due to the long growing season in
Artesia, as most of the effluent is used for irrigation. The
facility is also permitted by the New Mexico Environment
Department (Permit DP-258) to use reclaimed wastewater for
irrigation at several locations, as described in the effluent
reuse section of this Comprehensive Plan.
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3. Effluent Reuse
In the arid southwest, many communities use the treated
effluent from the wastewater treatment plant to water golf
courses, parks, and ballfields. Artesia began reusing effluent
almost 30 years ago and currently uses 100 percent of the
treated effluent during the summer months to irrigate the
Artesia Country Club and city parks, ultimately saving
potable water.
The disinfected effluent from the WWTP is used to irrigate 160
acres of property associated with the WWTP for sprinkler
irrigation. Effluent is also discharged into a clay-lined lagoon
for storage from which reclaimed wastewater is pumped to a
storage lagoon at Artesia Country Club and then to one claylined storage lagoon and one synthetically-lined storage
lagoon at JC Park. Reclaimed wastewater discharged from
these storage lagoons is used to irrigate parks, athletic fields,
landscaping and school yards.
C. Goals and Strategies
This section presents a series of goals and strategies to help
guide the City of Artesia in addressing existing vulnerabilities
of the water and wastewater systems. The mitigation actions
identified in this section reflect the vulnerabilities discussed
previously by identifying measures that may help the City
avoid, prevent and reduce system failures. Because the
wastewater treatment plant was recently upgraded, no goals
or strategies for improvement have been identified at this
time.
The applicable goals and actions of the Water and Wastewater
Systems Plan are listed below and adopted as goals and
strategies of the Artesia Comprehensive Plan.
Water System Goal 1. Reduce the possibility of water supply
interruptions.
Strategy a. Evaluate and fix pressure and flow issues west
of 13th Street and in the southwestern portions of
the City (subdivisions between 20th and 26th
Street north of Hermosa Avenue).
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Strategy b. Evaluate existing valves to determine
functionality for isolating water lines and
repair/replace as required.
Strategy c. Evaluate and fix flow issues at the Industrial
Park.
Strategy d. Study the need for and construct a storage tank
in the Industrial Park, including possible
development of a well in the area.
Water System Goal 2. Continue with improvements program
to the existing water system.
Strategy a. Replace aging, small diameter cast iron
waterlines that are predominate in eastern
sections of the City.
Strategy b. Continue to implement the Infrastructure
Recovery Program and replace aging waterlines
with street improvement projects. Ensure new
waterlines are high density polyethylene
(HDPE) per the updated City Standards.
Strategy c. Continue the fire hydrant replacement program
and install new hydrants in areas lacking
appropriate coverage.
Water System Goal 3. Expand water system service.
Strategy a. Expand water system infrastructure to the south
part of town: 13th, Catalina, and Monterrey
Way.
Water System Goal 4. Prevent potential water quality issues.
Strategy a. Consider a long-term goal of water disinfection
as a precaution against bacterial contamination.
At a minimum, the City should have a plan for
how to implement disinfection in the event the
state or federal regulations require treatment.
Strategy b. Implement a wellhead protection and education
program to help protect groundwater quality
that could be impacted by spills, leaks,
accidents or other forms of contamination of the
surrounding land.
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Water System Goal 5. Reduce the possibility of a deficiency
in water rights.
Strategy a. Acquire 2,500 AFY of additional water rights.
Strategy b. Implement the steps outlined in the City’s
Water Conservation Plan.
Wastewater System Goal 1. Continue with the
improvements program to the sanitary sewer collection
system.
Strategy a. Implement an improvements program to
address major concerns related to the collection
system, which are the existing sanitary sewer
lines and manholes that have been in place for
over 40 years.
Strategy b. Identify and implement replacement projects
for undersized pipes and pipes with inadequate
slopes.
Strategy c. Prior to any roadway improvements, inspect
sanitary sewer lines by video camera and,
depending on the findings, replace with either
polyvinyl chloride (PVC) or high density
polyethylene (HDPE).
Strategy d. Replace undersized/outdated piping during
new construction of roadways or overlay
projects and install protective coatings on
deteriorating manholes.
Wastewater System Goal 2. Extend the service area of the
sanitary sewer collection system.
Strategy a. Include developed areas formerly on septic tank
systems.
Strategy b. Extend sanitary sewer lines to the western and
southern portions of Artesia, just outside of
the City’s limits.
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Page 112
Chapter 9: Hazard Mitigation
Chapter 9:
Hazard Miti gatio n
The purpose of the Hazard Mitigation Chapter of the
plan is to identify the risks of hazards and recommend
mitigation activities that will reduce losses to people
and property affected by the natural and human-caused
hazards that face Artesia and surrounding areas.
A.
Hazards
Hazards that have historically been of concern in the Artesia
area are, in order of priority as identified by the Eddy County
Hazard Mitigation Plan:
1. Severe Weather
Like the rest of Eddy County, severe weather is a high risk in
Artesia. Specific hazards associated with severe weather
include thunderstorms, lightning, hail, high winds and
tornadoes. Each of these events can cause school and business
closures, as well as disruptions in transportation systems,
electric power, telecommunications, and emergency services.
There is also concern about potential damage to historic
buildings that do not meet current building codes.
2. Human-Caused Hazards
Human-caused hazards include hazardous materials releases,
nuclear facility accidents, and terrorism (medium risk in
Artesia). Based on the US Environmental Protection Agency
(EPA) data, there are a number of facilities that deal with
hazardous waste in Eddy County. Four major transportation
routes, including the railroad, are used to transport hazardous
materials. One potential human-caused hazard specific to
Artesia is a fire, explosion or release of hazardous materials
from the Holly Frontier/Navajo oil refinery. To deal with such
a hazard, the City of Artesia and Holly Frontier/Navajo
facility currently have an Emergency Response Plan in place.
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Artesia can raise awareness of specific hazardous materials
and educate the public about specific aspects of these
operations. Possible mitigation actions include public
education, evacuation drills and response exercises, and
warning systems. In addition, future development can be
guided so that new facilities do not pose a threat to anticipated
development.
3. Flooding
Eddy County has suffered damage from numerous major
floods and localized flash flooding repeatedly since 1893.
Flash floods occur suddenly after a brief but intense
downpour. They move quickly and end abruptly. Although
the durations are usually brief, the damages can be quite
severe, especially in areas with more concentrated
populations. Although flash floods are more likely to occur in
places with steep slopes and narrow stream valleys, or along
small tributary streams, they are also likely to occur in urban
areas, parking lots and other impervious surfaces that shed
water rapidly. In rugged, hilly, and steep terrain, the highvelocity flows and short warning time make flash floods
hazardous and very destructive. Extensive erosion damage
can also occur with major flooding, resulting in access
disruption, road closures, driving hazards, drainage facility
damage and blockage, and sedimentation.
4. Wildfire
There is a low risk of wildfire in the city limits of Artesia,
although wildfire is a high priority in less developed parts of
Eddy County. Vegetation reduction practices are
recommended in areas near Artesia where the potential for
wildfires is high.
5. Drought
Artesia’s climate is semi-arid, which causes extended periods
of scant flow in area rivers and streams. A decrease in
precipitation can create drought conditions in a relatively
short time. The critical facilities connected to the City’s
municipal water system need water for multiple purposes,
from potable water to fire suppression. Critical facilities near
the periphery of the city limits may be connected private
systems that are not as reliable as the municipal system.
Because groundwater in Artesia is typically recharged by
surface water from the Pecos River, a continuation of the
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current drought and lower water levels in the Pecos River will
lower the water table even further and require deeper wells.
Deeper groundwater requires more intensive treatment to
filter out arsenic and minerals. Artesia recycles treated effluent
for public irrigation to reduce pressure on groundwater
supplies. Improvements to the Double Eagle well field and
line extensions are intended to improve the City’s water
supply.
With or without a prolonged drought, agricultural users of
water in the County will come under increasing pressure to
sell or lease water rights to developing urban areas. Long-term
solutions for coping with a limited water supply will require
increased cooperation between urban users and agricultural
users. It will also require increased cooperation between
municipal water systems and water cooperatives.
A prolonged drought also increases the probability of other
hazards. While these affect primarily rural areas, Artesia could
also be impacted by hazards such as wildfires, erosion, flash
flooding, and dust storms. The Mitigation Planning Team has
identified drought as a priority hazard in Eddy County.
Best practices in mitigating the impacts of drought include
early assessment, public education, and water conservation
programs.
6. Earthquakes
Although the majority of the earthquakes in New Mexico
occur in the area of the Rio Grande rift, there has been a small
cluster of earthquakes south of Artesia in Eddy County.
Atomic bomb testing caused three earthquakes in New
Mexico, including underground explosions near Artesia in
1961 and east of Farmington in 1967.
In times of heavy rains and high water levels, possible dam
failure would inundate the developed communities located
downstream. However, dams are not on the mitigation
planning team’s priority list because the County is currently in
a state of drought and the large dams in the state are below 60
percent capacity. Due to the severe drought conditions, it will
be several years before the dams upstream of Artesia could
pose a risk to the community.
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B.
Mitigation Tools
The City has a range of tools that it can use to mitigate
potential hazards. A number of priorities from the 2006 Eddy
County Hazard Mitigation Plan already have been addressed
by Artesia. In accordance with the plan, the City of Artesia’s
Early Warning System (EWS) was upgraded in 2008 to include
10 siren heads distributed throughout the city and inside
FLETC. The EWS also augments the radio, television
notification system. The City is currently in the process of
reviewing possible additional siren requirements as the
City grows and expands.
Additional mitigation tools are described below.
1. Building Codes
The City’s building codes follow the state’s general standards
and could be tailored to fit specific hazards.
2. Land Use Regulations
The City of Artesia has adopted and continues on a regular
basis to update its land use regulations, which include the City
zoning code and subdivision regulations.
3. Flood Damage Prevention Ordinance
The City adopted a local floodplain ordinance as part of its
requirement to participate in the NFIP. The purpose of the
ordinance is to protect life and property and minimize losses
due to flood conditions in certain areas. Through
administration of the ordinance, the City ensures that new
construction or substantial improvements to existing
structures located in the 100-year floodplain are built to
minimize flood damage and do not impede the flow of water
in the event of a flood.
4. Water Conservation, Emergency Response and Drought
Management Ordinance
The City’s water conservation ordinance establishes water
conservation measures and establishes a response
management plan for drought and other emergency situations
affecting the quality or quantity of the City's potable water
supply.
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5. Comprehensive Plan
The City Comprehensive Plan focuses on the City of Artesia.
The City of Artesia adopted its most recent Plan in 2004, and
the plan is updated by this document. The Plan examines
development trends and provides general policy guidelines.
The Plan emphasizes the need to strengthen City/County
cooperation on development decisions and provision of
infrastructure. Many of the goals and objectives of the
Comprehensive Plan reinforce the mitigation strategies
proposed in this document, especially in terms of minimizing
development in the floodplains and conserving and protecting
water supplies.
6. Training
The Waste Isolation Pilot Plant’s (WIPP) States and Tribal
Education Program (STEP) trains emergency response
professionals along WIPP routes. This US Department of
Energy (DOE) training focuses on emergency responders who
may potentially respond to accidents involving WIPP waste
shipments.
7. Public Education
The City provides public information on emergency
preparedness and response and other potential hazards on its
web site.
The agencies that manage emergencies in Artesia and the
surrounding area are the Eddy County Office of Emergency
Management, the Artesia Fire Department, and the Artesia
Police Department. These agencies work together to
coordinate their activities through the Eddy County Office of
Emergency Management and the Mitigation Planning Team.
C. Goals and Strategies
This section presents a series of goals, objectives, and
mitigation actions to help guide the City of Artesia in
addressing existing vulnerabilities to hazards. The mitigation
actions identified in this section reflect the vulnerabilities
discussed previously by identifying measures that may help
the City avoid, prevent, and reduce damage from hazards.
Page 117
The applicable goals and actions of the Hazard Mitigation
Plan are listed below and adopted as goals and strategies of
the Artesia Comprehensive Plan.
Hazard Mitigation Goal 1. Reduce possibility of injury and
death due to severe weather.
Strategy a. Continue to participate in the countywide
reverse 911 system to notify specific
communities about an imminent hazard threat.
Consider possible ways to notify households
that use only cell phones.
Strategy b. Evaluate and inspect critical facilities that are
also
historic
structures
to
determine
vulnerability to severe weather, particularly
high winds.
Strategy c. Contribute structure data records to the Eddy
County GIS to provide information about
property values, construction types, etc., that
will help the County manage the potential
impacts of severe weather.
Hazard Mitigation Goal 2. Reduce the possibility of damage
and loss to existing community assets including structures,
critical facilities, and infrastructure due to flooding.
Strategy a. Participate in updates of flood maps for Artesia.
Hazard Mitigation Goal 3. Reduce possibility of damage and
loss due to drought.
Strategy a. Continue efforts to conserve water and protect
existing water supplies.
Strategy b. Continue efforts to encourage residents to use
water-saving landscaping techniques.
Strategy c. Develop a plan to address water use in new
development.
Strategy d. Maintain and periodically update the Water
Conservation, Emergency Response and
Drought Management Ordinance to include
best practices in water conservation and
municipal response to drought.
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Strategy e. Continue to expand the use of treated effluent
for non-potable uses such as public landscape
irrigation.
Strategy f. Monitor drilling activity near municipal water
supply wells.
Hazard Mitigation Goal 4. Protect the general population
and reduce the possibility of damage and loss to existing
community assets, including structures, critical facilities,
and infrastructure due to human-caused hazards such as
hazardous materials incidents.
Strategy a. Increase the number of fire, police, and
emergency medical personnel to enhance the
response capability for facilities with special
populations, such as nursing homes, senior
centers, and daycare centers.
Strategy b. Update City department Emergency Operations
Plans to include adherence to Homeland
Security rules and regulations
Strategy c. Increase awareness of human-caused hazards
and actions to take during an emergency.
 Seek ways (newspaper articles, the City’s
website, etc.) to inform individuals and
business owners about how to prepare for
hazardous material releases.
Hazard Mitigation Goal 6. Reduce possibility of damage and
loss to existing community assets including structures,
critical facilities, and infrastructure due to earthquakes.
Strategy a. Assess vulnerability of critical facilities to
earthquake hazards.
Hazard Mitigation Goal 7. Promote disaster-resistant future
development.
Strategy a. Encourage and facilitate the development or
revision of the comprehensive plan and zoning
ordinance to limit development in high-hazard
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areas and improve the ability to identify
vulnerable structures.
Strategy b. Distribute and promote the inclusion of the
vulnerability analysis information as part of
periodic Plan review and revisions.
Hazard Mitigation Goal 8. Ensure that future modifications
to the City’s building codes provide protection for new
construction and substantial renovations from the effects of
identified hazards.
Strategy a. Enforce City regulations to limit development
in the floodplain.
Strategy b. Incorporate hazard mitigation into regular
municipal operations.
Hazard Mitigation Goal 9. Promote hazard mitigation as a
public value in recognition of its importance to the health,
safety, and welfare of the population.
Strategy a. Provide public education to increase awareness
of hazards and opportunities for mitigation.
Strategy b. Identify and publicize success stories as part of
a consistent public relations program.
Hazard Mitigation Goal 10. Promote partnerships with other
municipalities and the County to continue to develop a
county-wide approach to identifying and implementing
mitigation actions.
Strategy a. Continue to participate in regular meetings with
the Mitigation Planning Team to discuss issues
and progress related to the implementation of
the Eddy County Hazard Mitigation Plan.
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Hazard Mitigation Goal 11. Ensure that records vital to City
operations are protected and accessible in case of a disaster.
Strategy a. Develop a continuity of operations plan that
identifies critical records and specifies how they
will be protected and be accessible during a
disaster.
Hazard Mitigation Goal 12. Update Artesia’s part of the
County Hazard Mitigation Plan every five years.
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D.
Implementation
As part of County-wide hazard mitigation efforts, the
Mitigation Planning Team developed a prioritized list of
mitigation actions to reduce vulnerability to natural and
human-caused hazards. Specific actions and an
implementation strategy include details about organization
responsibilities, estimated costs, possible funding sources, and
timelines for implementation. The following table includes a
description of the mitigation actions that are recommended in
this Plan for the City of Artesia, listed in the order of priority
as determined by the Mitigation Planning Team.
City of Artesia Mitigation Actions
Hazard
Priority
Funding Sources
Timeframe
Upgrade early warning systems to
warn residents of severe weather
and other imminent hazards to
supplement public service
announcements.
All
1
Office of Domestic
Preparedness, Department
of Public Safety, FEMA
Hazard
Completed
Complete culvert crossing at
Roselawn Avenue.
Flood
Mitigation Proposal Grant
Pre-Disaster Mitigation
Assistance funds, Hazard
Mitigation Grant Program
Technical Assistance funds
administered by NMOEM.
CDBG funds.
2
Eagle Draw Eddy County
Flood Control District, City
of Artesia, Pre-Disaster
Completed
2005
Mitigation Assistance funds
administered by NMOEM,
Hazard Mitigation Grant
Program Technical
Assistance funds
administered by NMOEM.
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City of Artesia Mitigation Actions
Hazard
Priority
Funding Sources
Timeframe
Complete culvert crossing at 10th
Street.
Flood
3
Completed
2005
Program Technical
Assistance funds
administered by NMOEM
Extend storm drainage system
through the city limits.
Flood
4
Continue to expand projects to use
municipal treated effluent for nonpotable uses. Projects completed
include:
Drought
5
Constructed additional re-use pond
west of Jaycee Park with 20
million gallon capacity (2006).
Eagle Draw, Golf Course, Roberts
Park and Mac Chase Complex
use treated effluent water for
irrigation.
One hydrant in Navajo Refinery reuses treated effluent.
Expansion of Wastewater
Treatment Plan opens possibility
of an additional retention pond.
Extend low flow concrete channel
from Main Street to 26th Street.
Storm
Drainage
System
Master Plan
in progress
Office of State Engineer,
State legislative funds, PreDisaster Mitigation
Assistance
Ongoing
funds administered by
NMOEM, Hazard
Mitigation Grant Program
Technical Assistance funds
Flood
6
Completed
2005
Program Technical
Assistance funds
Page 123
Page 124
Chapter 10: Appendices
Chapter 10:
Appe ndi ces
A.
Bibliography
American Community Survey, US Census Bureau, 2006-2010.
2010 Census, US Census Bureau, factfinder2.census.gov,
accessed 1/2012.
Artesia 2010 Master Plan for Parks and Landscaping, Grey
Rock Consulting, Inc., July 2010.
Artesia, New Mexico—Wikipedia,
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Artesia,_New_Mexico,
accessed 2/2012.
Artesia Country Club and Golf Course Website,
http://www.artesiacountryclub.com/index.php/golf-course,
accessed 3/2012.
Artesia City Website, http://www.artesianm.gov/, accessed
3/2012.
Artesia, New Mexico Public Library Website,
http://www.artesianmlibrary.org/, accessed 3/2012
Artesia Municipal Airport, Airport Layout Plan Update, 2011.
Prepared by W H Pacific, 2011.
City of Artesia Comprehensive Plan, 2004 Update.
Architectural Research Consultants, Inc. 2004.
City of Artesia Drainage Master Plan, 2010. Smith Engineering
Company. December 2010.
City of Artesia Sanitary Sewer Master Plan, 2010. Smith
Engineering Company. July 2010.
City of Artesia Transportation Master Plan, 2011. Smith
Engineering Company. January 2011.
Page 125
City of Artesia Water Master Plan, 2010. Smith Engineering
Company. July 2010.
City of Artesia Wastewater Treatment Plant National Pollutant
Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Permit No. NPDES
NM0022268. Issued by the Environmental Protection Agency.
ftp://ftp.nmenv.state.nm.us/www/swqb/NPDES/Permits/NM
0022268-Artesia.pdf, accessed June 2012.
City of Artesia Wastewater Treatment Plant Ground Water
Discharge Permit No. DP-258. Issued by the New Mexico
Environment Department Ground Water Quality Bureau.
http://www.nmenv.state.nm.us/gwb/documents/pn2_6-252010/DP-258_ArtesiaWWTP.pdf, accessed June 2012.
Community Housing Laboratory (CHLab), City of Artesia
Housing Analysis (Preliminary), June 14, 2012.
Mitchell, Jeffrey. Artesia MainStreet: Community Economic
Assessment, UNM Bureau of Business and Economic Research
(BBER), 2007.
Page 126
B.
Legal and Administrative
Framework
1. State Statutes Overview
The ability for a municipality to prepare a comprehensive plan
is established in the New Mexico statutes. The following
discussion presents an overview of the legal framework for
"comprehensive" or "master" planning (these terms appear to
be synonymous in the statutes).Selected relevant statutory
provisions and state regulations are quoted and discussed.
The full statutes and state regulations should be consulted
when researching specific questions.
Purpose of a plan: Section 3-19-9 NMSA 1978 addresses the
general purpose of a master plan. Subsection (A) states:. a
municipal planning commission shall prepare and adopt a
master plan for the physical development of the municipality
and the area within the planning and platting jurisdiction of
the municipality which in the planning commission's
judgment bears a relationship to the planning of the
municipality.”
Subjects the plan may address: Section 3-19-9(B) allows that,
in addition to recommendations for the physical development
of the municipality and its planning jurisdiction, the master
plan may also address: streets, bridges, viaducts and
parkways; parks and playgrounds; floodways, waterways and
waterfront development, airports and other ways, grounds,
places and space; public schools, public buildings, and other
public property; public utilities and terminals, whether
publicly owned or privately owned; community centers and
neighborhood units and the replanning of blighted districts
and slum areas; and public ways, grounds, places, spaces,
building properties, utilities or terminals.
Planning authority to develop a plan: The city council may
develop a plan or form a planning commission to develop the
plan.
Section 3-19-1 (a) NMSA 1978 states:
A municipality is a planning authority and may, by ordinance:
A. establish a planning commission;
Page 127
B. delegate to the planning commission:
(1) the power, authority, jurisdiction and duty to enforce
and carry out the provisions of law relating to
planning & platting and zoning; and
(2) other power, authority, jurisdiction and duty incidental
and necessary to carry out the purpose of Sections 319-1 through 3-19-12 NMSA 1978;
C. retain to the governing board as much of this power,
authority, jurisdiction and duty as it desires; and
D. adopt, amend, extend and carry out a general municipal or
master plan which may be referred to as the general or
master plan.
The statute does not specify what the recommendations must
address.
Approval of changes to public property and rights-of-way:
Section 3-19-11 NMSA 1978 addresses the legal status of a
municipality's master plan, including:
(A) After a master plan has been approved and within the area
of the master plan the approval of the planning
commission is necessary to construct, widen, narrow,
remove, extend, relocate, vacate, abandon, acquire or
change the use of any
(1) park, street or their public way, ground, place or space;
(2) public building or structure; or
(3) utility, whether publicly or privately owned.
(B) The failure of the planning commission to act within sixtyfive days after submission of a proposal to it constitutes
approval of the proposal unless the proponent agrees to an
extension of time. If the planning commission disapproves
a proposal, it must state its reasons to the governing body.
The governing body may overrule the planning
commission and approve the proposal by a two-thirds
vote of all its members.
Extraterritorial zoning, planning and subdivision regulations:
The statutes allow for a municipality the size of Artesia to
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zone one mile outside its boundaries. Artesia is also allowed a
three-mile extraterritorial area for planning and platting
(subdivision).
Section 3-21-2(B) NMSA 1978 states:
A municipal zoning authority may adopt a zoning ordinance
applicable to the territory within the municipal boundaries
and, if not within a class A county with a population of more
than three hundred thousand persons according to the last
federal decennial census, shall have concurrent authority with
the county to zone all or any portion of the territory within its
extraterritorial zoning jurisdiction that is within .
(2) one mile of the boundary of any municipality having a
population of one thousand five hundred or more but
less than twenty thousand persons, provided such
territory is not within the boundaries of another
municipality
Section 3-19-5(A) NMSA states:
Each municipality shall have planning and platting
jurisdiction within its municipal boundary. Except as
provided in Subsection B of this section, the planning and
platting jurisdiction of a municipality
(2) having a population of less than twenty-five thousand
persons includes all territory within three miles of its
boundary and not within the boundary of another
municipality.
Community Development Block Grant Regulations (CDBG)
Regarding Preparation of a Comprehensive Plan
The Division of Local Governments of the State of New
Mexico Department of Local Affairs has made funding
available for the city of Artesia's Comprehensive Plan Update.
In the state's Community Development Block Grant (CDBG)
Regulations for Small Cities (dated 2001), Section 2.110.2.11
Eligible Activities/Categories, it is stated: Grant assistance
from the CDBG program must be used for a comprehensive
plan, if a community or county does not have a current
comprehensive plan (adopted or updated within the last five
years) and that includes at a minimum the following six
elements:
(1) Land use
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(2) Housing
(3) Transportation
(4) Infrastructure
(5) Economic development, and
(6) Implementation, a compilation of programs and
specific actions to be completed in a stated sequence.
(7) Development of additional elements of a
comprehensive plan may include but are not limited
to:
a. Drainage
b. Parks, recreation and open space
c. Tourism
d. Growth management
e. Fiscal impact analysis
f.
Intergovernmental cooperation
g. Social services.
Consistency between the comprehensive plan and the
Infrastructure Capital Improvements Plan (lCIP) is evaluated
and given points by the state in review of CDBG grant
applications. Under planning criteria for the application
review and evaluation process, Section 2.110.2.18 (E)(5)
describes the criteria for consistency:
(a) Extent to which the applicant has participated in the
local Infrastructure Capital Improvements Plan (lCIP)
submitted to the Division;
(b) Ranks the project high on the lCIP list of projects; and
references the project, and shows consistency, to the
local comprehensive plan.
Local government applications for CDBG grants to prepare
infrastructure or other types of more detailed plans are
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evaluated and given points for consistency with the
comprehensive plan, as described in the Section 2.110.2.18 (F):
Planning Criteria Category: (1) Consistency (25 points):
documents the degree to which the proposed planning project
is consistent with the applicant's current version of its
comprehensive plan, its infrastructure capital improvement
plan, and its planning region's consolidated plan.
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C. Existing Planning Documents
This section provides a brief overview of the existing general
plans for Artesia. It identifies previously perceived problems
and opportunities; summarizes recommendations for
improvement, development or preservation; and assesses
historic planning trends in the city of Artesia. More specific
documents for parks, water and wastewater, transportation
and other topics are listed in the Bibliography, Chapter 10.
The planning documents reviewed were:






Master Plan for the City of Artesia, 1961
A Report Updating the Comprehensive Plan for
Artesia, 1965
Master Plan for Artesia, 1977
Artesia Comprehensive Plan, 1992 Update
Artesia MainStreet Streetscape Master Plan, 1998
Artesia Comprehensive Plan, 2004 Update
Master Plan for the City of Artesia November, 1961
This plan consisted of six separate documents addressing
various aspects of the city. The plan projected growth for
Artesia due to the increases in oil production and refining. Its
projected 1980 population for Artesia was 30,000 persons.
A Report Updating the Comprehensive Plan for Artesia,
November, 1965
This report was intended to supplement the 1961
Comprehensive Plan, but was prepared to specifically address
the flooding that occurred in 1964.There was an immediate
need to control storm waters through the city of Artesia due to
the flooding dangers associated with the Eagle Draw drainage
area. The primary focus of the Master Plan update was a Flood
Control Plan and the associated improvement projects. Project
recommendations were included for the construction of a
major flood channel for Eagle Draw, including ditch system
improvements, storm sewers and drainage ways and
provisions for relocation of residential and commercial uses.
In addition, other existing conditions and future
considerations were addressed, including:

Artesia had a random pattern of residential
development with an increase in single family and
mobile homes east of the railroad tracks in a primarily
industrial area. New housing was being built
exclusively to the west.
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


There was a need for more commercial space that led
to commercial uses spilling over into residential
neighborhoods, resulting in mixed-use areas.
Artesia felt a need to address the increase in
uncontrolled growth outside the city limits.
Artesia was dedicated to assisting with the opening of
the Rio Pecos College and planning for future
commercial and neighborhood development
surrounding the campus.
The master plan also included amendments to portions of the
zoning and subdivision regulation to accommodate the major
flood channel improvements.
Master Plan for Artesia, November, 1977
The principal purpose of this plan was to provide a single
document for future policy decisions concerning the growth
and development of Artesia. This document was prepared and
adopted in 1977. It was the first major update since the 1961
Master Plan. In many ways, this plan served as a guide for
identifying current issues and future goals by examining past
conditions and planning recommendations that were
identified to meet those conditions.
Observations and Recommendations:
Land Use Plan
The major recommendation of the Master Plan was to
implement the use of a roadway "loop system" as a boundary
for orderly development in Artesia. The loop system includes
16,000 acres of land intended to be the area of potential
development for the city of Artesia, with the provision of
public utilities and city services limited to this designated
area.
Economy

This plan recommended diversification of industries in
order to promote economic stability.
Land Use

Encourage the development of residential areas in the
west and northwest sections of town due to the city's
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


capability to provide adequate sewer service in these
areas without the prohibitive cost of lift stations.
Because of the high demand for housing, future
housing should be developed at three units per acre,
rather than the present one and two units per acre.
Encourage preservation of farmlands east and south of
town.
Heavy industrial development should take place away
from residential areas and should remain to the east of
the railroad tracks, along with lighter industrial uses.
Housing



Provide new housing for all income levels in Artesia,
including affordable housing.
The increase in the number of mobile homes indicates
the need for lower-cost housing.
Encourage the development of new subdivisions with
varying types of housing and price ranges.
Community Facilities - Parks and Recreation Facilities





Require future subdivisions to provide either land or
compensation in lieu of land for park purposes.
Increase the amount of land at Jaycee Park to provide
for an 18-hole golf course or negotiate with Artesia
County Club to add nine holes to the current course
and make it a public course.
Relocate deer pens from the municipal park to Jaycee
Park.
Develop and improve West Acre Park.
Consider irrigating larger parks with treated effluent to
conserve fresh water.
Transportation




Adopt the "loop system" as the boundary for future
development for the city of Artesia.
Open up Tenth Street across Eagle Draw from Mahone
Drive to J.J. Clarke Drive to provide improved traffic
circulation.
Connect Tenth Street to Thirteenth Street in the vicinity
of Bush Avenue to provide improved traffic
circulation.
Consider some form of public transportation,
including either subsidized taxi service or city
operation of two to three minibuses.
Storm Water Drainage or Flood Control Plan
Page 134



Control runoff from Eagle Draw.
Correct deficiencies in developed areas with several
improvement projects listed in the 1965 Storm
Drainage Master Plan and 1977 Southeast Artesia
Storm Drainage Study.
Control drainage impacts of new developments
through zoning and subdivision regulations that
protect existing drainage-ways.
Water Supply and Distribution System

Source of supply


Proceed with plans to purchase new water rights.
Consider adding an additional well.

Water quality

City should chlorinate city water.

Water storage system


Improve water storage capacity.
Add three elevated 1,000,000-gallon water storage
tanks to alleviate present pressure problems and future
development needs.

Water distribution system

Improve existing distribution system to meet the fire
recommendations of the Insurance Service Office.
Provide new fire hydrants as recommended in the 1976
City of Artesia Water Study.
Complete all water line and valve improvements
recommended in water studies.



Wastewater and treatment system

Replace trunk line and upgrade sewer treatment
facility as recommended in the city of Artesia
Wastewater Facilities Study.
Reuse wastewater for irrigation at Artesia Country
Club, Navajo Refinery and several parks.

Zoning

Implement Extraterritorial Zoning.
Page 135
Artesia Comprehensive Plan 1992 Update
This plan update was prepared to take into consideration
growth and changes that occurred since 1977, and, in
particular, to update the assessment of community facilities
and public infrastructure. It adhered to many of the themes,
issues, goals and policies developed in the 1977 plan as well as
in the original 1961 plan, while updating information and
approaches. The 1992 Update was the basis for the 2004
Update.
One of the major recommendations of the 1992 Update was to
implement the use of a roadway "loop system" as a boundary
for the orderly development in Artesia. Another significant
contribution of the plan was a set of detailed
recommendations for the Eagle Draw Parkway. Detailed
recommendations were made regarding all of the municipal
facilities and infrastructure; in particular, for storm water
improvements, water, sanitary sewer, treated wastewater
reuse, street system, and the airport. Zoning code and
subdivision regulations were updated through the planning
project, and recommendations were made for further revisions
to the codes subsequent to the plan.
This plan has served as a useful guide to current planning,
facilities improvements, and applications for grants and loans
over the 12 years since it was written. Many of the
recommendations were implemented. The organization, many
of the concepts, and some of the original language of the 1992
update have been kept in the 2004 Update.
Page 136
Artesia Mainstreet Streetscape Master Plan, 1998
This document was prepared for the MainStreet Association
and accepted by the City Council of Artesia prior to the major
streetscape improvements implemented in 2000-2001 and
various smaller improvements constructed since that time.
The plan describes a vision for MainStreet as: an economically
active and energetic historic downtown; because of its
attractive, clean, shaded, pedestrian-friendly, small-town
atmosphere, people will want to live, visit, shop and work
there.
The "greater downtown area" is delineated in the Master Plan
as Texas Street, Richardson Street, the eastern edge of the
Navajo Refinery, and Seventh Street.
The master plan consists of:
A plant palette established for plantings in this area
A palette of streetscape/hardscape elements, such as for
benches, trash receptacles, tree grates, and streetlights
A planting scheme
A schematic walking trail plan
The Heritage Plaza Conceptual Plan, including estimated
costs for implementing the design
Artesia Master Plan, 2004 Update
The 2004 Update was the basis for 2012 Update and carried
forward many of the goals of the 1977 plan. It focused
primarily on upgrades to water and sewer infrastructure, land
use, community facilities and economic development.
Water, Sewer and Stormwater Priorities






Replace the main sewer collector (done)
Update the utilities master plan (done)
Adopt sewer and water line extension policies
Increase treated effluent storage capacity at Jaycee Park
Complete storm drainage line on S. 1st Street (done)
Develop a backflow protection ordinance to prevent
industrial waste from accidentally entering the City
water distribution system.
Page 137
Land Use and Housing








Revise the City zoning code, Subdivision ordinance,
and include impact fees
Establish City extraterritorial zoning (one mile for
zoning, three miles for subdivision review)
Annex areas adjacent to the city and unincorporated
islands within the city to make the city boundary more
regular
Enhance community entrances
Encourage mixed income and mixed density
residential development (ongoing)
Continue developing a systems of pedestrian trails and
bicycle paths, including Eagle Draw Parkway (in
progress)
Pursue additional funds for affordable public or quasipublic housing
Establish flight protection areas around the airport
Community Services and Facilities





Prepare a public safety facilities master plan (done)
Expand the library or build a replacement (in progress)
Conduct a feasibility study for expanding the Artesia
(Recreation) Center or developing a second center
Develop a trail to the Pecos River from Artesia (no
longer priority)
Expand or relocate the City warehouse
Economic Development





Develop an additional phase of the Artesia Industrial
Park
Plan for an airport industrial park
Implement improvements to Artesia Municipal Airport
(in progress)
Organize periodic strategic economic development
planning events (ongoing through GAEDC)
Develop long-range plan for core downtown area
(done)
Page 138

Acknowledgements - Artesia, NM

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