RR board recommends approval of housing, shopping development on former golf course

RIO RANCHO — Following a public hearing Tuesday, the Rio Rancho Planning and Zoning Board recommended the city council approve an entrepreneur’s zoning request and plan to turn land that was a golf course into a sprawling development of homes and a town center.

RR Mesa LLC, through its agent, Consensus Planning, Inc., brought the Chamisa Hills Master Plan to the board, which reviewed the plan Tuesday before sending it to the Rio Rancho Governing Body (city council) for a public hearing on May 8. The board also recommended a rezone of several parcels — with few amendments — of the former golf course to make it possible for the developers to implement aspects of their plan.

The board’s recommendation was unanimous, with member Robert Gabaldon, representing District 4, and Salvatore Tortorici, an at-large member, both recusing themselves due to property they owned where the development could be.

The recommendation marked the second time in four years that a developer tried to build on the former golf course, which closed in 2016 with its clubhouse destroyed by arson three years later. That developer, not RR Mesa LLC, was unsuccessful. In 2022, Albuquerque entrepreneur Steven Chavez acquired the land and hired Consensus Planning and others to help him develop the master plan.

Board member Lisa Hardisty noted during Tuesday’s meeting that regardless of how she and her fellow members voted, the plan and rezone still needed approval from the city council before going into effect. Still, in order to help them decide on whether to make a recommendation to the council, board members poured over numerous written comments from community members giving feedback on the proposed master plan.

“There’s a lot of, ‘We’re tired of seeing the dirt (from the former golf course).’ We’re also hearing the side, too: ‘Please do something with this — but not that,’” Hardisty said. “I just want to recognize we hear everyone; this is a challenge, obviously.”

The development, spanning 281 acres, would be located at 500 Country Club Drive SE, the site of the Rio Rancho Golf Course and Clubhouse, according to a copy of the master plan found on the city’s website. The plan includes single-family and townhome subdivisions, a city park, walking trails and “The La Joya de Rio” (Jewel of Rio Rancho) town center, according to the plan. It also includes “Chamisa Hills Business Park,” providing retail and office space along High Resort Boulevard.

Jim Strozier, co-founder Consensus Planning, presented the master plan during Tuesday’s meeting. He said such a plan establishes a framework for a project and is an “aspirational” document inspired by the city’s comprehensive plan. The master plan does not, however, prepare subdivision plans or site plans that are required in order to actually do any development within the master plan area.

“We’re very excited to this project before you. There has been a lot of work that has gone into getting it to this point,” Strozier told commissioners following his presentation. “I’m somewhat sorry it has taken this long to get to this point, but we feel good that we have a master plan and a document that sets the right tone for what could and should happen with these projects.”

Stozier then yielded the floor to the commissioners and members of the public who had signed up to speak out on the master plan. There were no comments in favor of it; only those opposed, city officials said.

Some residents claimed they were never notified of the public hearing, despite city officials Tuesday outlining how they followed public meeting law, including placing legal notices in the newspaper and placing signs throughout the community.

The residents who spoke brought up numerous concerns, ranging from how the proposed development would impact traffic and Rio Rancho overall. Some even took aim at Strozier, Chavez and the planning commission.

Wayne Pichon, board member of the North Nine Neighborhood Association, said Chavez failed to keep the area free of speeding cars, which generate dust. When residents requested Chavez place “no trespassing” signs, he did, Pichon said. But in Pichon’s opinion the signs were about the size of “postage stamps.”

“You tell me, if this is the way someone is going to maintain property, how can you possibly trust this person?” Pichon said, after holding one of the signs up to show meeting attendees how ineffective they were.

Rio Rancho resident Tom Wagner, who also spoke during the public comment period, said in an interview following the meeting that the master plan will only go forward if there is a true commitment from Chavez, whom Wagner chided for not attending Tuesday’s meeting.

“All these guys — I hate to use the expression — but they’re all just pissing in the wind,” Wagner said. “I’ve seen this so many times.”

He does not believe the former golf course will be developed because any plan will face complaints from residents.

“Some of which I agree — multi-story (buildings) takes away from what this once was,” Wagner said. “Right now, we have the mountains that have been the main visual attraction. Anything that takes away from that is just ridiculous.”

Strozier declined request for comment following the meeting and referred inquiries to Chavez, who was not immediately available for comment.