New Mexico Statutes Chapter 3. Municipalities § 3-21-14. Adoption of county zoning ordinances

A. Ordinances authorized under Section 3-21-13 NMSA 1978 may be proposed by any member of the board of county commissioners but shall not be submitted to the board for final passage until after publication.

B. A majority of the board members may order publication of the title and a general summary of a proposed ordinance in a newspaper of general circulation in the county at least once a week for two consecutive weeks prior to the date of the meeting of the board at which the ordinance is to be submitted for final passage. The date of the meeting shall be included in the published notice. The style and form of the ordinance shall be determined by the board.

C. A proposed ordinance shall be passed only by a majority vote of all the members of the board of county commissioners, and an existing ordinance shall be repealed by the same vote.

D. The original copy of the ordinance together with the proof of publication and supporting maps shall be filed in a book kept for that purpose and authenticated by the signature of the county clerk. The county clerk shall keep the book together with supporting maps in his office. The title and a general summary of the ordinance shall be published in a newspaper of general circulation in the county once each week for two consecutive weeks, the last date of publication being not less than fifteen nor more than thirty days prior to the effective date of the ordinance. No ordinance shall take effect until at least fifteen days after the last date of publication. It is a sufficient defense to any prosecution for violation of an ordinance to show that no publication was made. Copies of the proposed ordinance shall be made available to interested persons during normal and regular business hours of the county clerk upon request and payment of a reasonable charge, beginning with the date of publication and continuing to the date of consideration by the board of county commissioners.

E. Whenever the book of ordinances is introduced as evidence, the Rules of Civil Procedure shall govern.