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Promote a Sustainable Community
Agriculture
AgriGate of Santa Fe County connects food producers, buyers, and the community to optimize resources. Upgrades to the AgriGate website in 2021 improved users’ experiences and expanded the reach of the platform.
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The Food Policy Council (FPC) 2021 Resolution was adopted to prioritize investment and collaboration to develop new farming, distribution and food aggregation, and infrastructure requests at the state legislature.
Lodger ’s Tax Tourism
Tourism marketing is funded in part by the Lodger’s Tax collected by the County. Fiscal year 2021 was the highest Lodger’s Tax collection in the history of the SFC Lodger’s tax collection.
Santa Fe County Lodger’s Tax Performance by FY:
• 2017: 3% increase
• 2018: 23% increase
• 2019: 6% increase
• Thru March 2020: 12% increase over
PreCovid-19
• 2021: 10% increase over FY19 Pre
Covid-19
Santa Fe County Tourism is a proud partner of the New Mexico Tourism Department and has been a New Mexico True Community since 2015.
The Santa Fe County Experience mobile app, designed to showcase local businesses, outdoor adventures and day trips, was launched in 2021. It allows visitors to quickly plan trips and locals to explore their home like never before.
Santa Fe County Tourism launched a Virtual Press Familiarization Media Tour which is a great opportunity to showcase Santa Fe County assets and stories with local, regional and national media outlets.
Affordable Housing Improvements
The Housing Division completed a $1 million Energy Performance Contract with ICAST, retrofitting all 199 public housing units with high efficiency appliances, SMART thermostats, and solar panels.
The Housing Division was awarded a HUD Capital Fund Program Safety & Security Grant to provide for security upgrades at the Santa Cruz Public Housing Development. Only 10% of applicants for this grant received funding. The County allocated $1.5 million of American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds to acquire and renovate the Lamplighter Inn in Santa Fe for affordable housing.
The project has committed partners including, Anchorum St. Vincent, the State of NM, and the City of Santa Fe. The project will add 58 affordable long-term housing units within the next 12 months. Over 1,000 permits were processed by the Growth Management Department in 2021: 275 for new homes and 176 new lots were subdivided. The number of permits has increased significantly over the last several years.
Background work was completed to implement an online permitting application system to increase efficiency and improve customer service.
Permits insure that projects are sustainable and preserve the character of our unique community.
Lamplighter Inn Conversion Project
Building Permits
Promote a SUSTAINABLE Community
Electric Vehicles
The Vehicle Utilization Review Board voted to prioritize approval of low-emission, plug-in vehicles in the County’s FY23 budget requests. One new electric vehicle (EV) was added to the County fleet in 2021.
An (EV) charging station with two ports was installed in 2021 bringing the total to nine. The Sustainability Office provides a wide variety of electric vehicle resourc es to residents.
Greenhouse Gas Reduction
The County committed to the Race to Zero Pledge with a goal of 60% reduction of emissions from County facilities by 2025 and 60% reduction in buildings countywide by 2030.
Greenhouse Gas Em issions Inventory was approved by BCC, and a Reduction Plan was drafted, committing County to net zero GHG emissions by 2050.
SLCD Updates
Cannabis Ordinance 2021-003 was approved in response to the legalization of recreational marijuana, addressing recreational production, manufacturing, sale and consumption.
An Energy Efficiency Ordinance 2021-02 was adopted updating the Fire and Building Code and the energy efficiency section of the SLDC to require new residential structures to comply with the 2018 New Mexico Residential Energy Conservation Code and nonresidential structures to comply with the 2018 International Energy Conservation Code.
In 2021, Santa Fe County reorganized its resources to create the Community Development Department. The new department includes the Sustainability, Affordable Housing, Economic Development, Film and Tourism divisions. At the heart of the work of the Community Development Department is a commitment to creating an equitable, sustainable community for all Santa Fe County residents.
