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Residents Petition Against New Zoning Code in Las Cruces
In Las Cruces, a grassroots movement is underway, with residents canvassing to gather signatures in hopes of halting the implementation of a new zoning code named Realize Las Cruces, passed by the city council in February by a 6-1 vote. The new code aims to replace the binary zoning system with a more flexible, character-based development, but has faced opposition for encouraging high-density apartments and mixed-use developments in residential areas. Opponents, led by Sarah Smith from the Coalition of Conservatives in Action, need 3,240 signatures to potentially bring the decision to a November vote, arguing the new code could raise housing costs and change the community character. The city defends the reform as a four-year effort to encourage creative development and solve existing zoning limitations.