The ES-CA Board passed a Resolution forming the Land-Use Protection Trust (LPT) which will establish and manage an account fund separate from the ES-CA general membership fund. The LPT Board will accept funds from interested individuals and organizations, whether ES-CA member or not, and expend funds to protect ES-CA residents property value, health, safety and general welfare. The LPT Board will be established by, and serve under the oversight of, the full ES-CA Board. The Board elected to transfer $1,000 from the general fund to establish the LPT fund.
The LPT will establish a Mission Statement that will guide its use of funds for issues in the ES-CA area such as strengthening of zoning laws and their enforcement, and towards restraining special interests such as gravel mines that are not in harmony with the predominant land uses .
The LPT Resolution states : The lands within the ES-CA boundaries have regularly faced threats to property values caused by special interests such as gravel mines that are not in harmony or conformance with the predominant land uses, the Placitas Area Plan, and expectations of residents. For various reasons the County is not fully enforcing its land use zoning ordinances intended to preserve the health, safety and welfare of its residents. In order to be effective, and for the preservation of property value in the ES-CA area, funding is needed for legal services, lobbying, etc., and without drawing from the ES-CA general operations fund that would threaten ES-CA’s general effectiveness and long term sustainability. Sections 4.1 and 7.5 of ES-CA’s by-laws allow for the setting up of special banking accounts and give the Board the authority to appoint trustees to oversee such accounts.