Zoning Overlays & Bonuses in Las Cruces, NM (2026)
2 verified zoning overlays & bonuses rules for Las Cruces, New Mexico, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Density Bonus Law
In the University District Overlay along University Avenue, Las Cruces lets developers build to 36 dwelling units per acre by right, rising to 54 units per acre in the University Avenue Zone if the project designs in usable outdoor space the city accepts. The Transition Zone caps out lower, at 10 to 24 units per acre by right, with no comparable density bonus tier.
Las Cruces University District Density Bonus
Some RestrictionsLas Cruces, NM, Land Development Code § 38-44(J)(1)(a), (J)(2)(a) (University District Overlay, block/lot/density standards for UAZ and TZ)
Density Up to 36 units per acre by right and up to 54 units per acre provided that outdoor space is appropriately designed into the project as defined herein and deemed acceptable by the city. Accessory units and guest dwellings are excluded from this calculation. ... Density Ten minimum to 24 maximum units per acre by right. Accessory units and guest dwellings are excluded from this calculation.
Downtown Design Guide
The Las Cruces Downtown Development Code, Section 38-43, sets one rulebook for the Downtown (DT), Main Street (MS), and General Urban (GU) transect districts instead of leaving downtown redevelopment to the citywide zoning code. Every site or building plan submitted downtown must document nine elements, from site plan and building specs to signage, parking, landscaping, and streetscape, before the Community Development Department will approve it.
Las Cruces Downtown Development Code Design Guide
Some RestrictionsLas Cruces, NM, Land Development Code § 38-43(A), (D) (Downtown Development Code, purpose and design plan submission requirements)
The Downtown Development Code is designed to foster infill redevelopment in a mixed-use pattern as part of a vibrant, diverse, downtown... This Section is intended to promote traditional urban form and a lively mix of uses, allowing for shopfronts, sidewalk cafes, and other commercial uses at the street level, with wide sidewalks and shade trees, overlooked by upper story residences and offices...
Looking for Doña Ana County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Las Cruces city rules.
Zoning Overlays & Bonuses in Doña Ana County →