The Santa Fe County Commission voted unanimously at a June 25 meeting to deny the Town of Edgewood’s request for the donation of the Equestrian Center property.
In July 2023, the Town of Edgewood submitted a formal request asking Santa Fe County to donate the Edgewood Open Space and Equestrian Center at 91 and 97 West Frontage Road to the town. The 30-acre property was opened for use in 2013 and contains an outdoor arena and 3 miles of trails.
At the June 25 meeting, County Open Lands, Trails and Parks Advisory Committee (COLTPAC) Team Leader Adeline Murthy said that rather than donating the property, the committee recommended the county offer the Town of Edgewood a low-cost lease. She said that after evaluating the request and researching the property, COLTPAC also visited the site.
COLTPAC documents state, “Management of the property has been the responsibility of the Town and/or [Santa Fe] County at different times. Most recently, the County assumed management of the property in 2020. Equestrian users COLTPAC members spoke with are generally pleased with the current management of the facility.”
According to a July 18, 2023, letter from former Edgewood Town Manager Jerret Perry to COLTPAC requesting the donation of the property, Edgewood officials plan to use the property to host events and allow travelers and local residents to enjoy outdoor activity by having access to horse trailer storage.
“The town has a vested interest in this property as it plays an important role in the comprehensive plan to establish continuity regarding our trail system, Santa Fe Public Land access and promotion of our Equestrian Town Culture,” the letter stated.
The letter went on to say that the “town is 100% committed to providing maintenance costs and resources in the budget to assure fidelity and expectations to the vision of this property.”
According to Murthy’s presentation, after evaluating the Edgewood property, COLTPAC requested additional information on the town’s plans and budget resources and did not get a response within the requested timeline.
COLTPAC documents state, “The resolution the Town [of Edgewood] adopted establishing its desire to have the property donated to the Town does not explicitly state that the Town will pay for the transaction costs associated with the conveyance of the property.”
The Santa Fe County Commission unanimously agreed with all of COLTPAC’s recommendations, and Commissioner Camilla Bustamante said that she is pleased with the way that Santa Fe County has managed the Equestrian Center property.
“This was not just a decision that was made without deep consideration of the benefits and what the asset means to the county,” Bustamante said.
According to Edgewood Community Liaison Linda Burke, town officials have not abandoned the idea and are continuing to work with Santa Fe County and hope to come to a decision that is beneficial for everyone involved.