Good evening, welcome to a planning zoning board meeting for May the 12th 2026.

Please house all electronic devices while attending planning zone and board meeting.

If you would please stand with me for pledges of allegiance.

Okay, for the record, I will call, I would take roll by calling each plan and zoning board members' name.

Please acknowledge your present boss and present.

Kevin Kulcher.

Present.

Robert Gabadon.

Present by Azim.

Andrea Hankins.

Present.

Lisa Hardesty.

Present.

Okay.

A couple of housekeeper items I like to cover first.

In person attendees, please fill out the speaker form if you wish to speak.

Only individuals who have signed up would be permitted to speak.

If you have yet to fill out a form, now's the time to do so.

Provide it to the recorder to my left.

Virtual attendees, please send a chat message to the host or use the raised hand feature.

If you want to provide public comment, when I recognize you to speak, you will have the ability to enable audio and video.

Okay.

For the consent calendar.

Can I get a motion to approve consent calendar?

Motion to approve.

Can I get a second?

Second.

Call the rule.

Chairman Richardson?

Yes.

Commissioner Kaufcher?

Yes.

Vice Chair Gabaldon?

Yes.

Commissioner Hankins?

Yes.

Commissioner Hardesy.

Yes.

Motion pass.

Thank you.

Okay.

The next one is the recognized April 28th.

Plans on a board meeting minutes.

Number two, uh staff presentation reports and comments.

Is there anything there that we need to discuss?

Mr.

Chair, these are your standard monthly reports.

Um they are non-action items, but I will stand for any questions.

Okay, thank you.

Okay.

Moving to public hearings.

Item number five was withdrawn variants.

And a motion to kind of get a motion to accept the withdrawal variants.

Motion to withdraw variants.

Item number five.

Can I get a second?

Second.

Any comments from the board.

No.

Carl.

Vice Chair Gabbleton.

Yes.

Commissioner Hardesy.

Yes.

Commissioner Hankins?

Yes.

Chairman Richardson?

Yes.

Commissioner Calfcher.

Yes.

Item has been withdrawn.

Okay.

Item number six.

Postponement.

Um's uh motion to accept postponement for item number six.

Motion to postpone item number six to the date of May 26, 2026.

Okay.

Can I get second?

Second.

Okay.

Any comments from the board.

I hear none.

I see none.

Call the role.

Commissioner Hardesty.

Yes.

Chairman Richardson?

Yes.

Commissioner Kaufcher?

Yes.

Vice Chair Gabaldon.

Yes.

Commissioner Hankins.

Yes.

Motion has been postponed.

Okay, moving on to item number seven, which is also a postponement.

Um motion to approve.

Postpone.

Motion to postpone item number seven to a date certain of May 26th.

Can I give a second?

Second.

And comments from the board.

I hear none.

See now.

Call the rule.

Commissioner Hankins.

Yes.

Commissioner Caucher.

Yes.

Vice Chair Gabbledon.

Yes.

Commissioner Hardesty.

Yes.

Chairman Richardson.

Yes.

Item has been postponed.

Okay.

Moving on to item number eight is the variance.

Staff contact is Michelle Costell and staff recommends denial with findings.

Good evening, Mr.

Chairman, members of the board.

Michelle Castilla, Planner with the City of Rear Rancho.

This item is a request for a variance to the R1 single family residential 15-foot rear setback requirement as outlined in the rear ranch of municipal code section 154.50 to allow for an existing square 400 square foot cacebo to encroach five feet into the rear setback at the property located at 6409 Nissau Road Northeast.

Legally described as Unit 20, block 104, lot 3.

The subject property is located on a residential road in the Vista and Trata area.

It's on R1 single family residential, portance number 73, enactment 94-71, and it's located within the Vista Intrata overlay zone.

The property is approximately 80 feet wide and uh 0.47 acres.

While on patrol code enforcement officer observed that the property had a newly built structure in the backyard with no permit on record, the applicant was instructed to obtain a permit for the structure.

The applicant has submitted a building permit identified as permit number 26-3165, and the permit is currently in review due to the encroachment into the rear setback, which requires a variance approval.

The rear of the property contains a five-foot public utility easement and the existing structure is not encroaching into the PUE.

SA recommends the planning and zoning board find that the lot is not irregular in shape, narrow, shallow, or steep, and does not have an exceptional physical condition that is preventing the applicant from complying with chapter 154.

The property appears to have ample amount of space in the rear yard, so the strict application of the minimum rear setback requirement would not result in a hardship that would deprive the owner of reasonable use of their land.

Although it may be that the request will not infringe on existing neighbors and it would not affect the overall aesthetic appeal in the neighborhood.

Staff finds that it's imposed hardship that could have been avoided if the proper permitting procedures were followed.

Um therefore staff recommends the dial and I will stand for any questions.

Thank you.

Is the applicant present?

Okay, is there anyone?

Sorry.

Uh good afternoon.

Thank you, Mr.

Chairman, for allowing me to speak.

Uh I want to just add one piece of information that is missing.

Actually, when we bought the lot in 2019, it was built by Jules Holmes.

Uh the lot size back then was 0.5 acres.

And by uh the time we purchased the property.

Uh the uh excuse me for one second.

Sorry about that.

Were you able to did you state your name and your address?

Oh, sorry.

Uh uh my name is is Hakeem Jabala.

I live at 6409, Nassale Road Northeast.

Okay, you may continue.

Okay.

Thank you.

So in 2019, the lot size was 0.5 acres, and then the city decided to build Lincoln Avenue, and we they purchased some of the land from the landowner prior to us, a sunset, I think sunset bank.

And by 2019, where the home was built, and the rear wall was built.

This it and it was permitted by the city.

Uh the city came back to us to take down the rear wall and to move it five feet inside the property.

Hence today, the lot size is 0.48, and we lost roughly about five feet from where the original wall was that was built before, and we had to take it down and move it and build it again.

So when the when the slab was poured, it was poured in 2019.

Uh so hence the difference of the five feet is a result of the wall being moved.

I thought I would let you know that piece of information since the city didn't provide it.

Okay, thank you for coming.

Thank you.

Is there anyone present who wish to speak for against item number eight?

Is anyone present who wish to speak for against item number eight?

Is there anyone virtual who wish to speak for against item number eight?

Okay.

And close the public comment.

Motion to approve item number eight.

Motion to approve item number eight.

And we do this in an affirmative.

Okay.

Oh, okay.

Second.

Okay.

And a discussion from the board.

Any discussion from the board.

I have a question for the applicant.

Sir, you had mentioned that the wall was previously five feet further out than it currently is, right?

Yes.

So was that due to the road construction on Lincoln when it linked up with Paseo Volcan?

Uh correct.

There were a lot of changes on the planning for the link for the stretch of Lincoln.

And was that wall moved because of right-of-way acquisition by the city, or was your wall in the wrong location at that time?

Uh the wall was moved because of the roundabout.

In the in the original plans, there was no roundabout with Chaiote.

And the building, I think the construction or the design of the roundabout meant that three lots, including ours moving to Chayote, we had to give way to allow for the band that turned to come around from Chaiote heading down Lincoln Avenue.

Okay.

But did they contact you about acquiring additional frontage for that road?

Or do you know if no, I don't uh I don't recall.

I just recalled the wall because that was a little bit of uh a surprise for us.

Thank you.

Thank you.

I have an additional question, sir.

Yeah.

It's okay.

And did I understand correctly?

You said that the slab was poured back in 2019.

And so you've just added the covering to the structure.

Yeah, yeah.

This uh I mean, uh as everyone in this room is aware by 2019 the whole country kind of closed down because of COVID.

So we couldn't do anything until about two years ago.

So the actual slab was poured in 2019.

Okay, thank you.

Thank you.

Okay, and further discussion from the board.

Any further discussion from the board.

Okay.

Motion to approve item number eight.

No, I'm sorry, we're already done there.

I'm sorry.

I'm getting behind myself.

Ummissioner Kopcher.

Yes.

Vice Chair Gabbleton.

Yes.

Commissioner Hankins.

Yes.

Chairman Richardson.

Yes.

Commissioner Hardesy.

Yes.

Motion passed.

Okay.

Moving on to item number nine.

Uh is a variance.

And staff contacted Tim Navoric and staff recommends approval with findings and conditions.

Thank you, Mr.

Chairman, members of the board.

Tim Dvorak, pointer with the city of Rio Rancho.

Um the item before you this evening is a variance request to allow for an above-ground electric utility connection at the property of 1613 33rd Street Southeast.

Um this is specifically a request to chapter 154.608, um, which does require that all utilities be underground.

Um the subject property itself is legally described as Rio Rancho Estates Unit 16, block 15, lot 61, and is zoned R1 single family residential per ordinance number 81-15.

Um property itself is located on 33rd Street Southeast, a residential road, and all surrounding properties are zoned R1 single family residential.

Um specifically, uh the applicant is again proposing um electrical service to this property by either overhead connection or an owner installed pole.

Um specifically Chapter 154.608 states that all utility service and distribution lines shall be placed underground.

Given this provision above, it is a city requirement for electrical service to be connected via underground installation.

Um the subject request is associated with electrical building permit number 26-454, dated January 16th, 2026.

Uh the applicant also previously submitted for a single family home under building permit number 25-7634.

That was dated July 23rd, 2025, issued August 22nd, 2025.

Uh the applicant has also submitted examples of overhead utility connections in this area, um, included with the attachment that they provided.

Uh this is one of the examples in that document, and as well as the site plan for the permitted home.

Uh staff evaluation.

So um staff finds that the while the lot is not exceptional in size or shape, um, this area of the city does have an exceptional physical uh physical condition of predominantly using overhead utility lines due to this age of the development and the surrounding properties that have been established.

Staff does find that this would result in practical difficulty and unnecessary hardship for the applicant.

As such, staff recommends approval with findings and conditions, and I'll stand for any questions.

Thank you.

Is the applicant present?

Come forward, state your name and your address.

Hi there, McXavier Salazar.

This is Alfonso Salazar.

We're uh requesting a variance on 1613 33rd Street.

Okay, proceed.

Um I'm requesting a variance to allow electrical service via an via either an overhead connection or owner installed pole for my project in lieu of the required underground pedestal installation.

Um this request is based on existing infrastructure and multiple recent approvals within the same neighborhood.

We're overhead service and pole-based insulations are the established standard.

Um we have provided multiple examples.

Um we've actually built two properties in the last about 1.5 years.

Um we did one with overhead, we did one with uh owner-owned poll.

Um so there are no pedestals installations present in this neighborhood and requiring one for this project would create a condition inconsistent with both existing infrastructure and recent development patterns.

Um requested variants will not negatively impact public safety, utility function, or neighborhood aesthetics, and will maintain consistency with surrounding properties.

Um based on these factors, I respectively request approval for overhead service on our owner installed poll.

Okay.

Would you like to speak?

Yeah, okay.

Thank you.

Okay.

Uh is anyone present who wishes to speak for against item number nine.

Is there anyone present who wish to speak for against item number nine?

Is anyone virtual who wish to speak for against it number nine?

Okay.

So now closed.

Uh motion to approve item number nine.

Motion to approve number nine.

Second.

You got that okay.

Um, any comments from the board.

Any comments from the board.

Okay.

Call to roll.

Chairman Richardson.

Yes.

Commissioner Hankins.

Yes.

Commissioner Hardesy.

Yes.

Commissioner Kaufcher.

Yes.

Vice Chair Gabbledon.

Yes.

Motion passed.

Okay.

Thank you.

Okay, moving on to item number 10 is the site plan.

Um, this is a site plan.

Is the applicant present?

Okay, before we do that, I think Liz.

Yeah.

Uh thank you, Mr.

Chairman, members of the board.

Michelle Castilla, planner at the city of Rio Rancho.

This item is a request for approval of a site plan for a bank at the property legally described as Commerce Center Commercial at Enchanted Hills, block B lot 1A, and it's addressed as 4551 Safe Flight Boulevard Northeast.

Subject property is approximately 1.54 acres and is zoned SU special use per ordinance number 24, enactment number 92-23.

The ordinance states that all C1 retail commercial uses are permissive and conditional uses require a conditional use permit included in the C1 permissible uses per section 154.24B.

Our banks and other financial institutions, which matches the proposed use.43, additionally, all zone SU zoned property must have a site plan approved by the governing body, and the proposed site plan will also is also scheduled to be heard by the governing body on May 14th, 2026.

The building is 4,900 square feet and is one story high.

There will be two shared access points with Home Depot, which is located off of Safe Life Boulevard.

And the site plan conforms to the Rio Rancho Code and Ordinances, Section 154.43, and staff recommends that the planning board planning and zoning board recommend approval to the site plan of the site plan to the governing body.

And with that, I'll send for any questions.

Okay, thank you.

Is the applicant present?

State your name and your address.

Thank you, Mr.

Chair.

Uh, my name is Sergio Lazilla.

My address is 5571 Midway Park Place.

May proceed.

Thank you for your time in hearing this application today.

Uh, as was previously stated, we are applying for a site plan for a Sandia Area Federal Credit Union.

Here's the site located off New Mexico 550 and Safe Light Boulevard, right next to the Home Depot.

The site is on special use uh with uh R6 located nearby, which is comprised mostly of apartments, and here is the site plan as stated before.

It's uh just under 5,000 square feet in area, uh, has two access points.

Uh it's a bank that will be providing in-person services along with drive up services and ATM.

Here's some renderings of the proposed bank.

Shows some elevations and different use.

The bank fits the established character of the area, which is largely commercial with some residential nearby.

Uh it is a perfect location to serve the Enchanted Hills residents and residents of Rio Rancho.

It'll provide potential employment opportunities, and it is in the appropriate location.

We have reviewed the conditions and comments from staff, and we will work with staff to get those addressed.

And we are in agreement with staff's recommendation of approval, and we respectfully request approval from the planning and zoning board.

And with that, I stand for questions.

And also I have uh Romble Hannan here.

Uh if there are any questions that are more on the technical engineering side.

Thank you.

Comment.

Okay, is anyone present who wishes to speak for or against item number 10?

C1 present and wishes to speak for or against item number 10.

Zen 1 virtual who wishes to speak for against item number 10.

Okay.

Motion to approve item number 10.

Motion to approve item number 10.

Can we go second?

Second.

And a discussion from the board.

And a discussion from the board.

Jeff uh one question for you.

Um looks like at the end of the packet.

The like your grading and drainage plan, your fire one plan, they're a little different than the proposed site plan that precede the renderings.

Is that just using like an old footprint of the other rear rancha location as a placeholder?

Uh thank you, uh Chair Richardson, and thank you, uh, Chair Coftur, for your question.

Uh, I'm not sure what the differences are.

It could be the uh the placement of the site as far as the true north.

I know some of them had it.

It just looks like it's got different like uh site circulations on it with like your with the parking layouts and whatnot.

Can we throw it back up?

Do we have those?

Um Mr.

Chairman, uh, we do not have a visual of that on the presentation.

I apologize.

I just assume that like the rendered one that's with the Larson car package is is the one that's being that one.

I'm just saying that like at the tail end of the packet, it looks like the grading and drainage plan.

There's there's there's just a different site layout.

Okay, yeah.

Well, uh, thank you for your uh question.

We'll work that out with staff and ensure that uh the one that is shown here on the screen is the one that is up for approval.

Right.

And I'll get that clarified uh before Thursday.

Thank you.

Appreciate it, thank you.

Okay, and just an additional comment from the board.

I hear it on a sea non-cultural.

Vice Chair Gabbledon.

Yes.

Commissioner Hardesey.

Yes.

Commissioner Hankins, yes.

Chairman Richardson?

Yes.

Commissioner Coffer.

Yes.

Motion pass.

Okay.

Thank you.

You're welcome.

Moving on to item number 11.

Zone map amendment.

Contact is Ben Isaac and staff recommends approval with finance and conditions.

Thank you.

Good evening, Mr.

Chairman and members of the board.

Ben Isaacs, municipal planner with the city of Rio Rancho.

The item before you is a zone map amendment request to change the zoning classification of a property from R1 to C1.

The applicant, Gospel Light Baptist Church of Rio Rancho, through their agent community design solutions, is requesting approval of a zone map amendment for the property legally described as Unit 10, block 33, lot 98A.

The property consists of approximately 0.95 acres and is zoned R1 single family residential per ordinance number 8364, which was adopted in 1983.

The subject property is located at 1600 Southern Boulevard Southeast, a principal arterial and a butts residential and open space land uses.

And so what we we see this application as really implementing already adopted policy documents by the city.

To the south is open space owned and maintained by Skafka for the Lisbon Drainage Channel.

And to the far east is self-stored, you hole self-storage.

Having said that, I stand for any questions or comments.

Okay, thank you.

Zone present who wish to speak for or against item number 11.

Wish to speak for or against item number 11.

Zero one virtual wish to speak for or against item number 11.

Okay.

Motion to approve item number 11.

Motion to approve item number 11.

Can you second?

Second.

Okay, any discussion from the board?

Any discussion from the board?

Here now, C9, call the role.

Commissioner Hardesi.

Yes.

Chairman Richardson?

Yes.

Commissioner Coftor?

Yes.

Vice Chair Gabblet?

Yes.

Commissioner Hankins.

Yes.

Motion passed.

Thank you.

Thank you, Mr.

Chair.

Okay.

Discussion and discussion deliberations.

Any comments from the board?

Public forum is now open.

Is there anyone who wish to speak from the public?

No.

Okay.

Can I get a motion to adjourn?

Motion to adjourn.

Okay, second.

Second.

All right.

Good evening.