Planning and Zoning Board Meeting - March 24, 2026

The Rio Rancho Planning and Zoning Board met on March 24, 2026 at 6:00 PM in City Council Chambers. The board approved a consent calendar, heard three public hearing items, and voted on multiple requests including plat extensions, variances, and a preliminary plat. Key decisions included approval of a preliminary plat extension for High Range 5, approval of a variance for a CMU wall encroachment (with conditions), and approvals for two subdivision variances and a preliminary plat for the Northern Exposure subdivision.

Consent Calendar

• The board approved the consent calendar (motion by Chair Richardson, second by Vice Chair Gabaldon) via roll call: all members present voted yes. The consent calendar included the February 2026 Planning and Zoning Monthly Summary Plat Report and the February 2026 Monthly Building Activity Report.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Item 4 – Preliminary Plat Extension (High Range 5): Howard Birdsong, a resident at 3506 Covert Wagon Road NE, spoke in opposition to the extension. He argued that LGI Homes failed to properly install barriers to prevent sand from entering the adjacent High Range neighborhood during phase one, causing dirt and mud in landscaping and a nearby park. He requested the board delay the extension until the issue is resolved. No other public comments were made for this item.
• Item 5 – Variance (CMU Wall): Applicant Adam Bangeter (Green Summit Landscape Management) spoke in favor of the variance, explaining that the 6-foot CMU wall was accidentally built 4 feet from the front property line instead of the required 10 feet due to a contractor error. He offered to raise the wall to 8 feet, comply with site triangle requirements, plant additional trees, and work with utilities. No public comments were made for or against the item.
• Items 6, 7, 8 – Subdivision Variances and Preliminary Plat (Northern Exposure): Jared Liker (Huitt-Zollars Inc.) spoke in support of all three items. He argued that the two dead-end stub streets (Avalanche Drive and Arctic Avenue) comply with International Fire Code D 103.4 (allowable length <150 feet without turnaround) and that the stub streets are needed for future utility loop connections and stormwater management. He noted that the Fire Department had no adverse comments. No public comments were made for or against these items.

Discussion Items

• Item 4 – Preliminary Plat Extension (High Range 5): Staff planner Liz Ruiz Carlos presented the request (case 22-210-0002) for a third extension of the High Range 5 preliminary plat, originally approved on June 14, 2022, and previously extended in May 2023, April 2024, and amended in September 2024 and March 2025. The plat covers 75.2046 acres zoned R-1, creating 340 single-family residential lots (166 in phase one). The applicant (Douglas Chubin, Coe & Van Loo Consultants) stated that improvement plans for phase two would be resubmitted within 10 business days, and the final plat is expected by June 2026. Staff recommended approval. The board approved the motion (5-0 roll call).

• Item 5 – Variance (CMU Wall): Staff planner Tim Dvorak presented the request from Green Summit Landscape Management for a variance to allow a 6-foot CMU wall to remain within the C-2 commercial front setback (built 4 feet from property line instead of required 10 feet). The wall was permitted at 8 feet but constructed at 6 feet. Staff recommended denial due to safety concerns (site triangle), encroachment into utility easements (10-foot public utility, 15-foot PNM, 25-foot drainage), and failure to meet variance criteria. The applicant stated the error was unintentional. Board discussion focused on the site triangle and PNM easement. Commissioner Gabaldon emphasized safety and easement issues. The board voted 3-2 (Hardesty and Gabaldon no; Hankins, Kofchur, Richardson yes) to approve the variance with conditions (including raising the wall to 8 feet, obtaining utility encroachment agreements, and addressing site triangle compliance).

• Items 6, 7, 8 – Subdivision Variances and Preliminary Plat (Northern Exposure): Staff planner Michelle Costilla presented all three items together. The applicant seeks approval for a preliminary plat creating 72 single-family residential lots on property located between Northern Boulevard, 9th Avenue, and 3rd Street, zoned R-1. Two subdivision variances are requested to allow dead-end stub streets (Avalanche Drive and Arctic Avenue) exceeding the 500-foot maximum length allowed under Chapter 155.41(M). Staff recommended approval for the Arctic Avenue variance (due to logical layout for stormwater access) and denial for the Avalanche Drive variance (preferring a connection to 9th Avenue). The board approved both variances (6-0 for item 6 and 6-0 for item 7) and the preliminary plat (5-0, with one abstention implied by roll call noted as all yes).

Key Outcomes

• Item 4 – Preliminary Plat Extension Approved (5-0): The board approved a one-year extension for the High Range 5 preliminary plat, allowing LGI Homes to finalize improvement plans and submit the final plat by June 2026.
• Item 5 – Variance Approved (3-2): The board approved a variance for the CMU wall encroachment, subject to conditions: wall must be raised to 8 feet, site triangle must be cleared, and the applicant must obtain encroachment agreements from utility providers (PNM, public utility, drainage).
• Item 6 – Subdivision Variance (Avalanche Drive) Approved (6-0): The board approved the variance to allow a dead-end stub street for Avalanche Drive, despite staff's recommendation for denial, based on the applicant's justification for future utility loop connectivity.
• Item 7 – Subdivision Variance (Arctic Avenue) Approved (6-0): The board approved the variance for a dead-end stub street for Arctic Avenue, consistent with staff recommendation.
• Item 8 – Preliminary Plat (Northern Exposure) Approved (5-0): The board approved the preliminary plat for 72 single-family lots, with findings and conditions including coordination with SKAFCA for drainage and utility access.
• The board adjourned after no public forum comments.