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La Academia Dolores Huerta Seeking Special Use Permit To Build New School

La Academia Dolores Huerta charter school needs to be out of their current building at the end of this school year, School Director Octavio Casillas says they have land, funding to build a new school, and now they need a Special Use Permit to build the school in an area zoned for residential property.

“We need to be out of the current building that we’re in period,” Casillas said. “And for the 13 years that we’ve been at the Dennison building, we’ve been actively seeking a building. And we haven’t had any luck because there are no vacant buildings in Las Cruces that meet the criteria put in place by the state so the schools can occupy it.”

Naomi Schmidt lives near the area they are hoping to build the school, and says she’s concerned about traffic safety.

“The biggest one is safety and mainly the increase in traffic,” Schmidt said. “And we’re concerned about traffic, safety stuff for students and as pedestrians coming to school and for the residents, and for the people dropping them off.”

The Las Cruces Extra-Territorial Zoning Commission tabled the decision until a traffic impact analysis can be fully completed with solutions to mitigate traffic concerns. Octavio Casillas says they are working to fix the problem.

“Now that I do know it’s a problem,” Casillas said. “I’m going to work very close with the New Mexico Department of Transportation, the county commission, the county engineer, and Ted Scanlon the guy that completed the Traffic Impact Analysis. I’m going to make sure to be present at every meeting, so that I ensure that we meet every criteria they require.”

Casillas says a school in the area will be beneficial to the surrounding community.

“It’s going to be beautiful for the community to have a school by day, a community center by night or evening,” Casillas said. “The weekends it’s going to have soccer fields, baseball field, and basketball courts where the kids can go and play. So, it’s going to give kids a place where they can belong and do something healthy after school hours and during school hours it’s going to be the most amazing place for kids.”

The zoning commission will take up the issue again next month.
 

Samantha Sonner was a multimedia reporter for KRWG- TV/FM.