By Lynn Janes

(Author's note; article written using the minutes provided by the Village of Santa Clara due to technical issues.)

The Village of Santa Clara held a public hearing March 5, 2025. Mayor Arnold Lopez called the meeting to order. Mayor Pro Tem Albert Esparza and Trustees Peter Erickson, Olga Amador and Ralph Trujillo attended. Amador recused herself due to a personal relationship with one of the parties before them. Erickson said he had used their attorney for legal counsel, William Perkins, but could be unbiased.

The council heard the request for a permit application made by Jaime Perez and Mayra Beltran to use two properties for providing mechanical services for vehicles. The two addresses being 703 Bard Street and 704 James Street. The property has been zoned residential and would not be permitted under current ordinances.

Perkins had attended to represent Perez and provided a history of his work and the reason for the request of the variance. Perez had come from Mexico and had been in employment with Jeff Turner up to and after his death. Turner's wife had sold the shop. He worked for a time in Arenas Valley and then started working from home. Perez would be unable to obtain a large loan to create a business elsewhere. Santa Clara does not have a mechanic, and he would be performing an essential business.

Lopez asked if all surrounding property owners had been contacted. Yvonne Gonzales, village attorney and Perkins went over all the names of the people notified. They had notified four of the required persons, but Perez failed to notify five of them. Perkins said the five not notified had been notified for the previously set public hearing to be held February 5, 2025. Gonzales suggested going forward with the hearing but requesting the five unnotified property owners have a time limit to be notified with proof to council.

The council, Gonzales and Perkins agreed that Perez be given until March 10, 2025, 4:30 pm to properly deliver notices to the five remaining surrounding property owners and that those property owners have until March 14, 2025, 4:30 pm to submit a written opinion or verbal opinion to code enforcement.

The council had questions for Perez. Erickson asked how many vehicles he currently had on the property. An aerial map showed 25-30. Perez said that had been an old map and he now only has 5-6 cars. Lopez asked how they had become so piled up in the first place. Perez said he didn't have any help to move them out faster. Esparza asked how he would be disposing of the oil. Perez said he used a company out of El Paso that would be picking it up.

Lopez asked if any complaints had been made about smells. Perez said he had not and had prior permission for years from the neighbors. He does not work into the night and works hours that don't cause a problem. Erickson asked if he has any certification and Perez said he did not. Trujillo asked if he had proper storage for chemicals such as antifreeze and Perez said yes but didn't specify.

Several months ago, Silver City had a junk yard fire and Lopez worried something similar could happen and asked Perez if he had a plan in that event. Perez said he had 4-5 fire extinguishers but would be trying to keep the number of cars down.

Several people had been sworn in to speak on the matter.

Reynaldo Misquez, close property owner, said he didn't have a problem with the business and had no complaints. He further commented that Perez did good work and will just be trying to provide for his family

Arlene Castanon, close property owner, said she didn't mind the business but does smell the gasoline when out in her mother's yard. She did have concerns about the number of cars. At times the family had tried to gather, and they could not find a place to park due to all the cars. She had witnessed an ambulance trying to get to a home and having problems due to the number of cars parked at Perez's.

Larry Montoya, fire chief, has concerns over all the liquids and how they will be stored. He also had concerns about the number of cars and the problems it could create if they did have a fire. If the variance would be granted, he wanted a very detailed pre-plan from Perez.

Rosemary Arciero, code enforcement, said the number of cars owned or not owned by him would be a big hazard. She had tried to have Perez obtain a business license in 2023 and he would not, so she had cited him. The ordinance says the 40-year-old and older cars must have car covers and 40-year-old and newer cars must be registered and insured if on the property.

Gonzales asked Perez if he had complied with the court order. Arciero said a summons for noncompliance of car removal and hearing had happened on March 1, 2025, and he still has about 15-20 cars.

The council asked if he had a fence so the cars could not be seen. Arciero said he had a fence, but one side no longer is up, and cars can be seen. She added that the cars must be worked on in an enclosed space, which he didn't have. Perez said he would like to build a garage but didn't want to spend the money in case the variance would not be granted. Lopez asked if he had a cement pad to work on and Perez said no but would like to put one in.

Arciero had provide the information and application for the variance and business license in 2023, and he had not done anything until now.

Gonzales said the public hearing would be considered open until March 14, 2025, 4:30 pm. The council would vote on the variance in an open public meeting on March 27, 2025.

Perkins provided a final comment. He said Perez would be open to any condition set by the council, fire department and code enforcement, if the variance would be granted. In reference to violations Perez had never been served a judgement and has been trying to fix things.

Lopez had a final comment and said he wanted to move forward and make the right choices that would benefit the public and employees. He added that Perez still had a lot to do on the issue.

Meeting Adjourned