Agriculture in the Village of Corrales

A conservation easement is an agreement between a landowner and a land trust or government agency. The landowner agrees that the land cannot be developed and must remain as open space or farmland in perpetuity. The fundamental purpose of conservation easements in Corrales is to preserve the historical and agrarian character of the Village. Corrales has been a farming community since its earliest beginnings due to its proximity to the Rio Grande and its fertile soil. The open space and rural feel are primary reason why Corrales is such a desirable place to live as well as a tourist destination.

Yes. There are several prime farmland properties with interested property owners at this time. The Farmland Preservation and Agriculture Commission is inviting any interested landowners to contact them for more information on preserving their farmland with a Conservation Easement. You may contact any of the Commission members:

Lisa Brown, chair - lisadb [at] q.com

John Perea - johnperea [at] aol.com

Stacia Spragg-Braude - sspragg [at] yahoo.com

Sam Thompson - samandjohnthompson [at] gmail.com

Yes. A donation may be eligible for certain tax benefits. Contact one of the Farmland Preservation and Agriculture Commission members for more details.

Lisa Brown, chair - lisadb [at] q.com

John Perea - johnperea [at] aol.com

Sam Thompson - samandjohnthompson [at] gmail.com

Linda Walsh - lwalshnm [at] comcast.net

Yes. The Conservation Easement will remain with the property and will continue to be enforced even if ownership of the property changes.

No. The Village Administration takes a look at the tax rates at the time any bond question is considered, and makes sure a new General Obligation Bond will not raise the Village's portion of the property tax rate. The property tax rate can still be increased at the county level, but the Village works to keep its rate consistent from year to year.

An appraiser determines the value of a conservation easement. The appraiser will determine the full value of the property if developed vs. the value of the property restricted by the Conservation Easement. The difference in the two appraisal values determines the price of the easement.

At this time, ten parcels totaling more than 68 acres of land are protected under Conservation Easements in the Village of Corrales.

In general, no, as the land remains private property. However, some property owners have allowed trails, wildlife viewing platforms and other access to the public.

A landowner can place a Conservation Easement on open land to protect that land from undesired development.

The landowner may receive tax benefits for placing land in conservation.

A conservation easement purchases the development rights - not the land itself - from the property owner. This easement stays with the property even if the property is sold. Conservation easements provide a permanence in the landscape that other interests in land cannot do. Action we take now will be enjoyed by us and by future generations forever.

Think about our history, our heritage, and what makes Corrales different. Our farmland means we have a local source of food. We have open space that provides habitat for wildlife and when migrating birds fly overhead or the beneficial insects thriving there visit our gardens, we can see them even when we're not observing the fields. Beyond that, preserved farmland provides natural flood control and aquifer recharge, conserving our water.

Conservation easement land is designed to benefit the community by keeping land open and available for agriculture and wildlife habitat.

It is financially beneficial to Corrales to maintain open space and farmland, as it attracts tourists to businesses and maintains the historic character of the Village, while increasing the value of surrounding properties. 

An authorized New Mexico land trust.

The Village owns the Juan Gonzales Bas Field, which is protected under a Conservation Easement. This 5.5 acres of prime agricultural land constitutes some of the last historic, culturally significant parcels of farmland and open space located in the center of Village.