All City of Santa Fe offices and facilities will be closed on Monday, October 12, in observance of Indigenous Peoples’ Day.
Learn More →

Planning and Land Use

Archaeological Review Committee (ARC) Hearing

The Archaeological Review Committee (ARC) is a technical review committee that reviews archaeological studies required by the City’s three archaeological review districts.

The purpose of the archaeological review districts is to:

  1. Recognize the value of archaeological resources from all periods of history and prehistory, including prehistoric Native American settlements, Spanish colonization and settlement, and settlement, and developments under Mexican and American governments;
  2. Provide the means for identifying archaeological sites by requiring surveys and test excavations, depending on the district, through the development review and construction permit process;
  3. Provide how archaeological sites may be evaluated for their potential contribution to cultural, educational, historical, economic, and scientific concerns;
  4. Establish a procedure for the treatment of archaeological resources on private and public land, thereby mitigating the information loss from the sometimes unavoidable destruction of archaeological resources and providing for the treatment of those resources that can be preserved; and
  5. Provide methods for the emergency treatment of archaeological resources found through unexpected discovery.

For Archaeological Review Districts, visit the City’s GIS map and navigate to the layers and turn on the 'Archaeological Review Districts' layer. The ARC meets every first Thursday of the month except for holiday weeks.

2026 ARC Calendar

ARC Application

List of Approved Archaeologists and Historians

 

ARC Liaison
Lauren Vagts, Senior Planner
historicpreservation@santafenm.gov

 

Archaeological Review Committee Members

Archaeological Review Committee (ARC) Hearing Table
Committee Members Representation
David C. Eck (Chair) Archaeologist
Shelby Mageson Archaeologist
Vacant Archaeologist
Gayla Bechtol Historian
Tom Treece Business Owner

Communication With Archaeological Review Committee members

Archaeological Review Committee is a quasi-judicial body. The law prohibits discussing or communicating with ARC members regarding pending land use development applications. Members of the public are invited and encouraged to attend ARC hearings to provide public comments.