In 2014, Edgewood Town Council adopted the “Edgewood Commons” master plan for Section 16. This section, owned and controlled by the NM State Land Office, is a one square mile parcel in the heart of Edgewood, bounded on the east by NM 344, on the west by Horton Rd. and between Dinkle Road and Venus Road.
Several public school sites occupy three corners of the parcel (Edgewood Middle School, former Edgewood Elementary School, and a designated location for a future high school).
Working with numerous public and private entities, local efforts were made by several administrations to begin bringing desired services and resources to this section. By 2020, the parcel also includes: Santa Fe County Fire Station, First Choice Community Healthcare, and several Town of Edgewood facilities (Town Hall, Community Library, Animal Control, Municipal Court, and Venus Park).
Continuing efforts will be needed to fulfill the vision for Edgewood Commons.
History
Through public meetings, the Edgewood community generated proposed land uses and goals:
Locate schools, shopping, offices, medical facilities, and homes in a manner that is accessible and convenient.
Enable residents to reach their destinations not just by automobile but also by walking along trails, horseback riding, or bicycling.
Provide employment opportunities that will allow residents to work close to home or even in their homes.
Create a strong, definitive focal point of community, medical, and governmental uses, an area of employment opportunity for the town, and a community gathering place.
Development Principles
The master plan for Edgewood Commons was intended as the beginning of a many years-long project that would help shape the character and pattern of growth in Edgewood.
The Edgewood Commons Master Plan blends the traditional rural character of Edgewood with a vision for the new town center. The town plaza will be the place for the community at large to congregate for meetings, festivals, holidays, and other public events.
A master plan establishes a framework of uses, design principles, and codes that will guide future decisions about development. A master plan, by nature, must be a flexible plan. The plan provides a framework but does not provide all the details for how to “get there.” Successive subdivision, institutional, and business plans will fill out the picture with more detail on the exact specifications of the development.
This Edgewood Commons plan is based on five principles:
1. Mixed use Development: To plan for a community that is not just houses but also schools, stores, medical facilities, offices, a municipal center, and parks.
2. Transportation Choices: To make Edgewood a place where one can walk, bike, ride a horse, or drive a car to all destinations.
3. Environmental Soundness: To preserve natural features and respect historical traditions.
4. Public Spaces: To create a municipal and civic place with public parks and other places to congregate in, such as restaurants and a community hall.
5. One Part of a Larger Community: To acknowledge and respect the character of adjacent neighborhoods, provide for surrounding neighbors’ easy access to the amenities and public spaces of Edgewood Commons, and create trail connections where appropriate to regional trail systems.