Clovis makes $1.25 million land purchase

CLOVIS — It took the Clovis city commission less than 13 minutes to spend $1.25 million Thursday night, as the body handled a pair of land deals in a short special meeting.

After a short introduction and explanation from Mayor David Lansford on both, commissioners immediately moved to what would be 7-0 votes. All commissioners but Fidel Madrid attended; Commissioner Sandra Taylor-Sawyer participated by phone.

The first transaction was $1.25 million, plus closing costs, to Sam and Julie Snell for 633 acres of land west of the now-closed Curry Road R adjacent to Cannon Air Force Base.

The city’s intent is to use the land as an industrial park for the development of solar energy and other eligible economic development projects.

Lansford said the land purchase would allow Cannon to potentially expand its size if desired, but at least have neighboring industries that are aligned with its priorities. He said having a solar farm on the land could help Cannon meet an Air Force goal to have 25 percent of its energy consumption to come from renewable energy sources by 2025.

Additionally, Lansford said, the purchase gives the city all of the associated water rights. He likened the purchase to one Clovis made in 2014 with farmer J.L. Wall for about $1.86 million.

“The bottom line is,” Lansford said, “in regard to water, we don’t want that area ‘de-watered.’”

The purchase was recommended by a unanimous vote of the city’s economic incentive board. The board had questions about potential water contamination from Cannon, but Lansford said the base had since relayed information that those wells were not affected.

The commission also approved transferring two lots to Curry County on the 800 block of Main Street, across the street from the Adult Detention Center. The land will be converted into parking and green space.

The county must submit design plans to the city’s building safety department, come up with project funding within 12 months and complete construction within two years or the property will revert to the city. The city retains rights to a billboard located on the property until the county takes it down.

The commission’s next regular meeting is set for 5:15 p.m. Thursday at the North Annex of the Clovis-Carver Public Library.