The latest master plan to redevelop Club Rio Rancho has ruffled some feathers among people who live nearby.
RIO RANCHO, N.M. — It’s been years since anyone has had a tee time at Club Rio Rancho. The golf course closed in 2016 but recent plans to redevelop the area are striking a chord with nearby residents.
“I don’t hear people saying, ‘Nobody can build you can never touch this area.’ I just hear them say, ‘Do it smart and honor the people that did pay premium for their homes in their day,’” said Paul Joy, a concerned Rio Rancho resident.
The Chamisa Hills Master Plan includes 110 lots, in addition to three neighborhoods on the old golf course. Aside from single-use homes there would also be some trail space and retail shops.
Residents we spoke with are concerned after a recent Planning and Zoning Meeting where the board approved the plan and the zone amendment without a traffic or drainage study.
“On this side over here, is supposed to be where the city’s sewage and drain system is it’s at capacity so it can’t take anymore,” said Michael Farrell, a fellow concerned resident. “So, we want to see the details. ‘Hey, show us what you are going to do to not have it flood our areas.’”
“The speed limit is 25 mph, well I’d be happy at 35 mph, so I’ve always known that traffic was a problem here,” Joy said.
Now that the master plan has been approved by planning and zoning it heads to the governing body on May 8.
“I just want to recognize we know, we hear everyone, but this is a challenge obviously. Again, I highly doubt there is a singular solution in which everyone will agree,” said Lisa Hardisty, the Planning & Zoning, District 6 representative during their April 8 meeting.
Residents said they want to make sure their voice is heard. A petition on change.org is circulating the neighborhood and they are ready to pack the upcoming city council meeting.
“If they had a town hall to let people voice their opinion, I feel like this has been rushed so fast all of a sudden,” Farrell said. “You have planning and zoning for one month and then a month later you have the governing body meeting? That’s not normal.”
We reached out to the city to see if they were aware of the petition and had any comment. A spokesperson for the city replied with this statement:
“The Governing Body cannot discuss these items in advance of the public hearing on May 8th, and City staff will not comment of these items outside of the public hearing either.”
DJ Kamal Mustafa
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