Rio Rancho Governing Body approves rezoning to preserve Black Arroyo Wildlife Park as open space

The Rio Rancho Governing Body unanimously approved an ordinance at its Aug. 22 meeting to rezone a 75-acre property south of Southern Boulevard into open space, officially designating the land as part of the Black Arroyo Wildlife Park.

The land, which is located near Southern and Unser boulevards, was previously zoned as residential. Over many years, the Southern Sandoval County Arroyo Flood Control Authority (SSCAFCA) acquired and assembled the fragmented, half-acre lots to prevent development and maintain the natural integrity of the arroyo. This move is seen as a significant step toward ensuring that the area remains a protected space for public enjoyment.

“I know that SSCAFCA has been assembling this property for years to bring it under one control,” Rio Rancho Mayor Gregg Hull said. “I'm grateful to SSCAFCA for the work they've done to assemble all this property to keep people from building in that area.”

Amy Rincon, Rio Rancho Director of Development Services, provided details about the ordinance during the meeting. She said that the property, which follows the course of the Black Arroyo, had been consolidated by SSCAFCA into a single parcel and that the rezoning from residential (R-1) and a small portion of commercial (C-2) to open space was recommended by the Planning and Zoning Board.

“SSCAFCA has previously combined all of these individual properties into one larger piece, and now they’re asking to rezone it to open space,” Rincon said.

The Black Arroyo Wildlife Park is already accessible to the public, offering trails and bridges for walking and exploring the natural landscape. As part of its ongoing commitment to enhancing the park, SSCAFCA plans to seek state and federal grants to fund upgrades, including the addition of benches, vegetation and shade structures along the trails.

Hull said SSCAFCA has been working on this project for over a decade and the long-term benefits of preserving the land as open space will benefit many residents.

“I'm grateful that SSCAFCA has really focused on this for the last many, many years. I think they've been trying to pull all this together for at least 10-12 years, if not longer,” Hull said. “It's a great amenity to the city of Rio Rancho, and I think it's a tremendous use of the tax dollars for the citizens of Sandoval County, that it benefits and encourages people to go out there and walk along the trail. It's actually a nice little trail to walk along, but assembling all this property and keeping homes from being built in that area is appreciated. I think long term, it's going to be what's best for all of Rio Rancho and Sandoval County.”