Showing ordinances that apply to Sandia Knolls, NM
Sandia Knolls is an unincorporated community (population 1,252) in Bernalillo County, New Mexico. Because Sandia Knolls is not an incorporated city, it does not have its own municipal code. Instead, Bernalillo County ordinances apply directly to properties here. The wildlife feeding rules below are the ones that govern your area.
Intentional feeding of deer, bears, coyotes, javelina, and other wildlife is prohibited in Bernalillo County and Albuquerque under nuisance and public-safety provisions. NM Game & Fish Commission Rule 19.31.4 NMAC additionally prohibits feeding that habituates big game. Sandia foothills enforcement is active.
New Mexico Department of Game and Fish rule 19.31.4 NMAC prohibits intentionally placing bait or feed that attracts deer, elk, bears, or cougars in a manner that habituates them to humans, and Albuquerque Animal Welfare Ordinance §9-2-1 treats intentional wildlife feeding that creates a neighborhood nuisance as a public-safety offense. In the Sandia foothills (east of Tramway Blvd) and along arroyos west of the Rio Grande, bear and coyote sightings are common, and Open Space rangers actively enforce feeding bans. Unsecured trash, pet food left overnight on patios, fallen fruit not cleaned up, and ground-level bird feeders accessible to bears are all considered attractants that can trigger a warning or citation even if feeding was not intentional. NMDGF recommends bear-resistant trash containers in the foothills. Hummingbird feeders, thistle-seed tube feeders, and suet out of bear reach are generally allowed except during active bear advisories.
NMDGF citations for feeding big game: up to $500 and possible misdemeanor under NMSA §17-2-7. Albuquerque nuisance citations start at $50 and escalate with repeat offenses. During declared bear advisories, fines may be doubled and unsecured attractants cited separately.
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