First 2026 village meeting discusses lot coverage reduction

CORRALES — There is still no resolution on a debated issue in Corrales: lot coverage.

The council postponed an ordinance vote Jan. 6 to reduce the coverage percentage from 35% to 25% after an hour and a half of public comment and discussion from councilors. The discussion was the first meeting of 2026, overseen by newly sworn in Mayor Fred Hashimoto.

First, the council heard from 23 members of the public both for and against the lot coverage reduction. The main concern was about maintaining the village's character by reducing the coverage allowance, but some argued their rights were being violated.

Carmen Martinez-Tittmann was for the reduction and spoke on behalf of several in the community.

"I represent part of the broader community of residents who support rural character, smaller building footprints and preservation of our precious community," she said from Zoom.

She added that the identity of Corrales has been prevalent for centuries.

"This place tells us who we are and who we are not," she said.

She stated Corrales is a place that prioritizes long-term public interests, open landscapes, agricultural traditions, dark skies and modest building footprints, which is detailed in the comprehensive plan.

Cliff Spirock, who said he was with a land-serving firm, was against the ordinance change.

"I think what's being missed in this, looking at this ordinance, is all the existing properties and all the private roads. One of these private properties for people that don't even know it aren't going to be able to come in and get a site plan, build a porch, do anything else. We are also the ones that get hired for a lot of the surveying. It would be a very difficult thing to survey for planning and zoning to find and do building permits," he said. 

One man was completely against any ordinances that impact private land.

Bob Eichhorst argued that every ordinance passed by the council takes away residents' property rights.

"How much control do you have over everybody's property? I'm not going to say you guys are Marxist, but that is a Marxist idea, that you control all the property, and we're just tenants doing what you tell us to do? If that's the case, are you going to tell us what crops we can grow? Are you going to tell us how many kids we can have? It's none of your damn business," he said.

He complained that he can't put up a solid fence, stating the Main Street requires his yard be visible on Corrales Road.

"No, it's my view. It's not their view. I could care less who's driving up down this road. They don't have the right to look in my property," he said.

Returning resident Dwayne Brown was in favor of the size change.

"Corrales doesn't look the way it did in the early 1980s, and I don't expect it to, but I think you're on exactly the right track here to reduce the size of buildings and houses that can be built from that 35% to 25%," he said.

After some discussion among the councilors, they determined that the ordinance vote would be postponed so the ordinance could be fine-tuned.

Councilor Zach Burkett opposed this idea, saying the issue had already been discussed multiple times and postponing the item only stalls things. 

Ultimately, it was suggested that the ordinance be refined before another vote.

Watch the full meeting on the Village of Corrales YouTube.