Hearing officer to review Portillio family’s request to split 2.5‑acre parcel in Santa Fe County

Hearing Officer Taylor Hartstein opened a public hearing May 16 to consider a variance request by members of the Portillio family to split a roughly 2.5‑acre parcel into two 1.25‑acre lots, despite a residential estate zoning standard that allows one dwelling per 2.5 acres.

Destiny Romero, Building and Development Review Specialist Senior for Santa Fe County, told the hearing the application seeks relief from chapter 8 (table 8‑10 dimensional standards) and that staff’s review shows the “facts presented do not support the request for a variance.” Romero said staff concluded the applicants had not satisfied the variance criteria in SLDC section 4.9.7.4 and therefore recommended denial; she also entered a set of conditions into the record to indicate what conditions staff would impose if the officer nonetheless found approval warranted.

The applicants, Marcos and Arthur Portillio, framed the request as a family land transfer. Marcos Portillio said the land was “gifted to me and my brother by my grandparents” and described a multigenerational intent to keep family members living nearby. Arthur Portillio described the parcel’s history, saying the family originally owned about 20 acres and that 15 acres were preserved within the family when other acreage was sold.

Hartstein asked staff to clarify a related precedent: Romero reported that an earlier family‑transfer request for James and Miguel Portillio was denied by a hearing officer in January 2025 but later approved by the planning commission in February 2025. Hartstein said he may review that record when drafting his written recommendation.

No members of the public registered to speak on the Portillio matter. The applicants indicated they would accept the conditions proposed by staff. Hartstein took the matter under advisement and said he would issue a written recommendation with findings of fact and conclusions of law within 15 business days.

The hearing did not produce a final decision on the variance; the officer’s forthcoming written recommendation will determine whether the case proceeds to the planning commission for further action.