Rio Rancho residents sign petition opposing new development on former golf course

RIO RANCHO — Hundreds of residents have signed a petition urging the Rio Rancho Governing Board to reject a developer’s plan for housing and retail development on the site of a former golf course.

The petition, which had 231 signatories on change.org as of April 29, asks the governing body to hold a town hall with “fair and full participation” and require reports on engineering, flood control and traffic safety before it considers approving the Chamisa Hills Master Plan and its zoning amendments. On April 8, the Rio Rancho Planning and Zoning Board voted to recommend that the council approve the plan, which awaits a vote from the governing body May 8.

“No one is standing up for us. Now, it’s up to all of us, on both sides of the course, to protect our homes, our streets and our families,” stated the petition, led by resident Michael Farrell.

The petition was referring to residents who live on both sides of the former Rio Rancho Golf Course and Clubhouse, which closed in 2016 before the clubhouse burned down due to arson three years later. Following a developer’s failed attempt to redevelop the property, Albuquerque-based entrepreneur Steve Chavez purchased the former golf course and clubhouse and created the Chamisa Hills Master Plan, a 281-acre development that includes single-family and town home subdivisions, a city park, walking trails, the “La Joya de Rio” (Jewel of Rio Rancho) town center and a business park.

Albuquerque-based Consensus Planning assisted in drafting the plan, and a representative from the firm spoke at the April 8 public hearing. The Planning and Zoning Board’s recommendation to the council and two members’ recusal during the meeting is, in part, what inspired to Farrell create the petition with a group of residents.

“Somebody mentioned, ‘Should we get a petition?’ and (the group) goes, ‘Yes!’” Farrell said. “It wasn’t a planned thing. This was just as organic as it gets.”

Farrell told the Observer that residents who signed the petition aren’t necessarily against the plan. They want what he described as “smart growth.”

“Growth is very important; we know it’s needed,” Farrell said. “But (let’s have) a little more transparency. Let people be heard.”

He and other residents encourage the city to engage in studies regarding the plan’s impact prior to approval.

“(District 4 Councilor) Paul Wymer is an (architect), but does he understand this? (District 5 Councilor) Karissa Culbreath is a scientist. Does she understand it?” Farrell said. “I know they’re all smart. I think that if they really heard all the information, I think they’d understand. They’re elected officials. Hopefully, they do their best for us.”

A spokesperson for the city wrote in an email to the Observer that members of the governing body cannot discuss the plan or the petition in advance of the May 8 meeting because those items fall under public hearings. The governing body’s rules of procedure state, in part, that members are not allowed to “initiate, permit or consider a communication directly or indirectly with a party or the party’s representative outside of the hearing.”

The plan’s chief developer, Steven Chavez, issued a written statement to the Observer Monday, stating that the Chamisa Hills Master Plan came together after consulting with city officials and residents.

“In a nutshell, it is very challenging for anyone to take a chance on a risky project like this. The old saying of ‘You will never please everyone’ really does apply here,” Chavez wrote. “Everyone has ideas on what they want to see on this privately held property, but no one wants to participate financially to help us get there. Today’s world of social media provides an easy, accessible and unvetted platform for criticism and negativity to those who do not understand the complex components of balance to make a development like this work.”

In a phone interview Tuesday, Chavez added that the plan is “something special” and if the governing body does not approve it, he knows other developers who will take on the project.

Farrell said in an interview he is hopeful the council will read the petition and act on residents’ wishes.

“But when I put money on it — no,” Farrell said with a laugh.