Tularosa Weighs Community Solar Lease on Village Land

A solar developer wants an option to lease about 35 acres of village-owned land in Tularosa for a community solar project, and the village's Planning and Zoning Commission spent much of its October 13, 2026, meeting asking questions about the deal. The commission did not vote; its job is to gather facts for the Village Council. The draft agreement has gone to the village attorney for review before anything reaches the council.

If you own a home or land around Tularosa, this is a good one to keep an eye on.

What is being proposed?

According to 2nd Life Media's report on the October 13 Tularosa Planning and Zoning meeting, a company called Reactivate is seeking an option to lease about 35 acres of village land for a community solar project. A senior developer for the company told commissioners it is a subsidiary of Invenergy.

The developer said the project would fall under the New Mexico Community Solar Program and, by his account, would be sized at up to 4.95 megawatts, which usually takes 22 to 30 acres. The final size would depend on a PNM capacity study that could take months, and he said the company hopes to have it running in about three and a half years if approved.

What is community solar?

Community solar lets people subscribe to a share of a nearby solar project instead of putting panels on their own roof. You can read about the program on the New Mexico Public Regulation Commission's community solar page.

Commissioners asked whether Tularosa residents would get priority to subscribe and how much they might save. The developer said that was outside his role and agreed to bring someone who could answer.

What changes did commissioners ask for?

Commissioners pointed out template errors in the draft, which described land in Doña Ana County and cited Colorado law. The developer called those template mistakes and said a corrected New Mexico version would come before any village vote.

They also asked to remove or change several clauses, including a waiver of setback requirements, a non-compete that would limit the village's own future solar projects, a confidentiality clause and a rule about deducting salvage value from decommissioning costs. They asked for a decommissioning bond and village consent before the lease could be passed to another company.

What else came up about solar in Tularosa?

The commission also discussed earlier community solar proposals from a different company and said the village has not found agendas, minutes or applications on file for them. Commissioners asked that company to submit special use and zoning applications, and said the matter will go to the Village Council.

What does this mean for homeowners and buyers?

Large land leases can shape how an area grows, so it is worth knowing what is planned near a home you own or want to buy. Projects like this go through public meetings, which means residents can follow along and speak up before decisions are made.

Tularosa is a lovely small town just north of Alamogordo, and I cover it in my Alamogordo neighborhoods guide. For a bigger picture of growth planning in our area, see my post on the Let's Grow Alamo comprehensive plan.

Frequently Asked Questions

Facts in this post come from 2nd Life Media Alamogordo Town News' report on the October 13, 2026, Tularosa Planning and Zoning Commission meeting and the New Mexico Public Regulation Commission. Information is current as of 18 October 2026.