Title
Incorporated County of Los Alamos Ordinance No. 742; An Ordinance to Lease Certain County-Owned Land to the Los Alamos Dog Obedience Club, Inc.
Recommended Action
I move that Council adopt Incorporated County of Los Alamos Ordinance No. 742; An Ordinance to Lease Certain County-Owned Land to the Los Alamos Dog Obedience Club, Inc.; I further move that, upon passage, the Ordinance be published in summary form.
County Manager's Recommendation
The County Manager recommends that Council adopt this Ordinance.
Body
Staff is recommending that the County continue to lease land at 246 East Road to the Los Alamos Dog Obedience Club Inc. (LADOC). Article II Section 203.1.(f) of the County Charter requires the lease of land to be done by ordinance.
Since 1973, LADOC has occupied its current facility at 246 East Road under various contractual agreements with the County. The existing land lease is set to expire on June 30, 2025. Under the terms of the proposed new lease, the leased area will be reduced from approximately 5,733 square feet to 3,150 square feet, now limited to the building footprint and excluding the previously leased fenced dog exercise yard (see Attachment A). This reduction is intended to make additional space available for Animal Control operations to better support shelter animals. A market analysis conducted by Hippauf Dry & Connelly, dated September 13, 2024, assessed the fair market value of the property. The proposed new lease term is five years, with an expiration date of June 30, 2030.
This County-owned property may be leased in accordance with NMSA 1978 Section 3-54-1(A) . The Ordinance is not subject to referendum. Los Alamos County Code Section 14-31(6) allows lease of the property after publication of the proposed lease.
Alternatives
Council could choose not to lease the land to the LADOC and direct the staff to cancel this Ordinance. Staff would then need to work with the LADOC to schedule the removal of LADOC's building from County land within 90 days of the lease expiration. Staff would then need to determine whether to RFP for services to benefit shelter dogs, such as reduced rate obedience trainings, and whether to include use of the property in that RFP.
Council could also choose to lengthen or shorten the term of the lease from the proposed 5-year time frame.
Fiscal and Staff Impact/Planned Item
The LADOC owns the existing building at 249 East Road and the County owns the land. The County is not responsible for any repairs or maintenance of the building. Under the proposed lease, the County will receive ground lease payments of $233.33 per month with a 3% escalation clause each year. The proposed monthly rental amount is based on the value of the property established in a market report prepared by Hippauf Dry & Connelly on September 13, 2024. Minimal staff time will be required to ensure LADOC complies with the terms of the ground lease.
Attachments
A - Notice of Publication
B - Incorporated County of Los Alamos Ordinance No. 742