Sustainable Land Development Code Hearing Officer Meeting - May 14 2026 (Part 1)

The Santa Fe County Sustainable Land Development Code Hearing Officer meeting on May 14, 2026, addressed three cases involving land use variances and conditional use permits. The first case involved a variance request by Carlos and Marcos Portillo to split a 2.5-acre parcel into two 1.25-acre lots, which staff recommended denying due to lack of justification under the code. The hearing officer noted a similar prior variance was initially denied but later approved on appeal. The second and third cases, heard together, involved Grayson Shafer's request for a conditional use permit to build an accessory dwelling unit (ADU) with a loft area exceeding the one-story height limit. Staff recommended approval of both the conditional use permit and the variance, subject to conditions. The applicant emphasized the architectural and family needs driving the request. No public opposition was recorded for any case. The hearing officer will issue written recommendations within 15 business days.