Planning, zoning, and development rules are changing now!
Be informed — Be involved
In February, the Taos County Commission adopted a new Comprehensive Plan, replacing the 2018 version. In April, the County Planning Department published a draft Unified Development Code to replace the 2018 Land Use Regulations.
These documents include a number of major changes to how land can be used and developed in Taos County.
Now is the time to understand and discuss the new Comprehensive Plan and the draft Unified Development Code. They will affect everyone in Taos County in various ways.
Comprehensive Plan and Unified Development Code
The Comprehensive Plan explains the Taos County Commission’s vision for how the county should evolve over the next several years. The new 2026 Comprehensive Plan is a “living document” which can be updated according to a policy laid down by the commission. You can find the Comprehensive Plan and other information about it on the Taos County website.
The Unified Development Code — as of April 2026, in its first published draft — replaces the Land Use Regulations which previously controlled how land is developed in the unincorporated areas of Taos County. (“Unincorporated areas” are anywhere other than an incorporated town such as the town of Taos, or Pueblo land, or Federal or State land. Most of Taos County is unincorporated. Besides Taos, the only incorporated towns are Questa, Red River, and Taos Ski Valley.) The Land Use Regulations currently determine zoning, requirements for building permits, and other aspects of using land, though in many places additional rules apply. If the Unified Development Code is adopted, it will replace the Land Use Regulations.
You can find the Unified Development Code draft on the Taos County website.
What is Taos County Neighborhoods
There are a lot of neighborhoods in Taos County.
From centuries-old Taos Pueblo, to traditional Spanish vecinos, to artist settlements, to the newer neighborhoods that have grown up since statehood; from farms and ranches and small villages to incorporated towns; from adobes to Earthships — residents of Taos County have created thousands of small communities suited to their particular geographies and cultures. And each neighborhood has its own unique character.
We think that’s important, and that’s why we’ve formed Taos County Neighborhoods (TCN) to educate residents about opportunities for and challenges to our neighborhoods, and help neighborhoods organize for discussion and action. TCN includes representatives from the Neighborhood Associations of Lower Des Montes, Upper Las Colonias, Stagecoach, and Ranchos de Taos, but we welcome anyone in Taos County.
Our mission statement: Protecting the uniqueness of the neighborhoods of Taos County. Our guiding principle? We don’t want to say what your neighborhood should be — we want you to be able to decide.
Taos County Neighborhoods is an informal, volunteer organization, with no officers, dues, or budget. Joining is free and without obligation.
For more information you can contact taosneighborhoods@gmail.com.
Upcoming events and activities
At Taos County Neighborhoods, we’re working on print and online campaigns to spread the word about the new Comprehensive Plan, Unified Development Code, and what they may mean for neighborhoods around the county.
We intend to hold in-person meetings anywhere in the county where people are interested in hearing about and discussing these topics. More information on that will be coming soon.
Lower Des Montes Neighborhood Association 