The Rio Rancho City Council will consider final approval of the contentious Chamisa Hills Master Plan during its regular meeting on Thursday at 6 p.m., marking the third time the governing body has weighed the controversial development proposal.
The council will vote on Resolution R47, which would adopt the master plan for the 281-acre mixed-use development on the former Rio Rancho Golf Course site. Companion Ordinance O14 would rezone portions of the Chamisa Hills Country Club area from special-use planned residential development to various classifications.
The project has been postponed twice since May, most recently at the Aug. 14 meeting when the council unanimously delayed the vote to Sept. 11 at the request of city staff who needed more time to review materials submitted by developer Steve Chavez’s RR Mesa LLC.
Mesa del Sol representatives have expressed frustration with previous delays, saying the project reflects more than two years of planning and community input, and have suggested they may consider selling the property if the approval process continues to stall.
The Chamisa Hills vote represents one of Rio Rancho’s most controversial land use decisions in recent years, with the former golf course site having sat largely unused since the course closed in 2016 and was damaged by fire in 2019.
The proposed development would transform the closed golf course at 500 Country Club Drive SE into a mixed-use project featuring more than 300 homes, a business park, retail space and a town center called “La Joya de Rio.”
Under the master plan, residential space would expand from 62 to 131 acres, increasing the potential for homes from 195 to 302 units across three main areas: Luxview Estates, with 110 single-family homes; Sierra Vista, featuring 38 senior housing units; and the combined Vida Moderna and Nueva Esperanza neighborhoods, which would include 154 homes and townhomes.
The extensive agenda includes volumes of documentation related to the Chamisa Hills proposal, including multiple public comment submissions received in August and early September, staff comments on various iterations of the master plan, and amendments to findings and conditions of approval.
Public opposition continues
Residents have raised concerns about traffic congestion, drainage issues, open space maintenance funding and a proposed Public Improvement District that could generate about $625,000 annually through property taxes. The PID has drawn particular scrutiny from neighbors worried about potential tax assessments.
Other resident concerns include increased traffic on already congested roads, emergency access routes and the broad commercial zoning that could allow various business types beyond the promised medical offices.
The public hearing process allows residents to register with the City Clerk up to 15 minutes before the meeting begins to address the council on the Chamisa Hills items.
Other major items
The council will also consider two significant personnel matters under Discussion and Deliberation. Item D51 seeks advice and consent for a new collective bargaining agreement with the Rio Rancho Police and Communications Association covering 2025-2028, while Resolution R102 would authorize budget adjustments to fund the agreement.
Six budget adjustment resolutions on the consent calendar would authorize increases to various city funds, including general obligation bond debt service, fire protection, E-911 grants and state appropriations capital funds.
Meeting details
The meeting begins at 6 p.m. in the Council Chambers at Rio Rancho City Hall. The session will be streamed live on the city website at rrnm.gov/2303/Watch-and-Download-City-Meetings and available via Zoom using meeting ID 833 3815 7719 with passcode 554297.