Court Opinion

ID: 9535063
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-07 04:45:08.258305+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T13:33:09.860445
License: Public Domain

STOWERS, Justice, specially concurring. I concur with the result reached in this opinion. However, I disagree with the treatment of the concept of reasonableness as found in Point 3. This opinion incorrectly incorporates a reasonableness standard into all future annexation decisions. A reasonableness test is not required by the law. NMSA 1978, Section 3-7-15 (Repl.Pamp. 1981) provides, in pertinent part: A. At the public hearing held for the purpose of determining if the territory proposed to be annexed to the municipality shall be annexed to the municipality, the municipal boundary commission shall determine if the territory proposed to be annexed: (1) is contiguous to the municipality; and (2) may be provided with municipal services by the municipality to which the territory is proposed to be annexed. B. If the municipal boundary commission determines that the conditions set forth in this section are met, the commission shall order annexed to the municipality the territory petitioned to be annexed to the municipality. A plain reading of this statute shows that there are but two determinations to be made by the Municipal Boundary Commission. The statute fails to mention reasonableness as a test and the Commission was correct in not considering reasonableness per se as an element of the annexation decision. The statutes empowering municipalities to enlarge or diminish their boundaries are to be liberally construed in favor of a municipality’s action. Leavell v. Town of Texico, 63 N.M. 233, 316 P.2d 247 (1957). Moreover, this Court must give special weight and credence to the experience, technical competence, and specialized knowledge of administrative commissions. Grace v. Oil Conservation Commission, 87 N.M. 205, 531 P.2d 939 (1975). In the present case, the fact that the annexation may not be reasonable to the parties whose land is being annexed is not an issue and is not the test under the laws of the State of New Mexico. Here, the Municipal Boundary Commission was correct in not making a finding on the issue of reasonableness and applied the proper legal standard in making its order of annexation.