[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6491228,"mediaKeyId","5602536-34ac809c61b416b93d5d558cd514c51f","parentId",5602536,"title","Rio Rancho outlines facilities master plan including Fire Station 8, training center and multi‑gen campus","audioSeconds",1684,"startMs",74705,"endMs",1759090,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5602536-34ac809c61b416b93d5d558cd514c51f&start=74&end=1759","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5602536-34ac809c61b416b93d5d558cd514c51f/thumbnail_74705.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6491228/Rio-Rancho/Sandoval-County/New-Mexico/Rio-Rancho-outlines-facilities-master-plan-including-Fire-Station-8-training-center-and-multigen-campus","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6491228-c05cee2a54a216949de603a5e0a51788/orig.mp4?Expires=1770873724&Signature=oNJa2zsHn5Chib2IJL9rjmJp90dEUZwmdQSKd0EDu-hn4Cp4MLJ33iIFuRx3NdQu0Zm17M08Nrj2~GWH9t8mCNogeW1uuAlNKo2U6hlqV6rGwz2vY4aPtI3z5rFcjcWojWgs2MqEwIIoTgOEW6LqqwXHPjBBK7NSXy6V24cQ04MnvII9sq3kVgapjnWY9pg3-gjgmHD-3qsUn6AcpRFRUypepPC2794qVR8~-H1r6I25RQyJpjunFjAgcf5I32k4~dhfUlgR3HN1lJ2WpJj--IVTMK0kWPaJ2UHxBuw6ApqgKF7zLz4IdYbScj~QhV~JmFQFVEReF3T2myOJk3SqGA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Rio Rancho","date","2025-08-19T15:00:00Z","article","Rio Rancho city staff gave an update at a work session on a multi‑year facilities master plan that identifies five major projects and sequencing tied to debt retirement and potential repurposing of a gross‑receipts‑tax (GRT) increment.

\"The purpose of the facility's master plan is to identify and plan for the needs based on growth and the strategic plan,\" Ryan Chavez said as he opened the presentation and summarized the outreach and inventory work that informed the plan.

The presentation front‑loaded Fire Station 8 and a separate training facility. Deputy Chief James Williams said Station 8 will sit near the intersection of Veranda and Capizone Boulevard on about 1.35 acres and include roughly 15,000 square feet of building envelope. \"We're sitting at roughly about 12 to $14,000,000,\" Williams said on the station budget; he added the city has received a $5 million state appropriation and would cover the remaining $7 million to $10 million from a GRT bond. Williams said the station design includes four apparatus bays, space for 12 bunk rooms for future growth and initial staffing of five personnel. He said 60% drawings are under review, with bidding and a likely ground‑breaking in 2026 if the design and procurement schedule hold.

Williams described a co‑located training facility adjacent to Station 5 with a burn prop and tower intended to reduce reliance on off‑site training. He estimated the training facility at roughly 14,000 square feet and said funding sources for construction will be identified later.

City staff also presented a planned operational annex and consolidated streets and right‑of‑way facility on 22 acres the city already owns at Kim and Idelia; staff said they plan to purchase an additional five acres to bring the total to about 27. The presentation noted the current streets and right‑of‑way and fleet facilities are leased — for example, the county recently offered only a five‑year extension on a previous 25‑year arrangement — which prompted the push to a city‑owned campus. Project components described include a heavy‑equipment fleet shop, a fueling station, materials storage, offices and warehousing. Staff expect a 30% design submittal soon and a design completion target in early 2026 so phased construction could begin in a future budget cycle.

Director Peterson presented a conceptual plan for a multi‑generational recreation facility on the Shining Star preschool site. The concept includes multipurpose courts for basketball, volleyball and pickleball; a stage/performance space with adjacent storage; locker rooms; a fitness center with rooftop views; an indoor running track; and outdoor amenity areas. \"This is our project estimate. It came in at $104,000,000 for this facility,\" Peterson said, and staff said they plan phased delivery with roughly $25 million chunks beginning with the core building and some parking.

Deputy Chief Romero briefed the governing body on a police headquarters feasibility and site‑selection study. Romero said the department is operating from a retrofitted manufacturing building that is no longer adequate for growing dispatch, records, court and evidence functions. Consultants are studying the existing Quantum Avenue site and two Unser corridor sites, and one option would be to relocate municipal court into a standalone building at an older office property if feasible. Romero said the study is about a quarter complete, with design anticipated in fiscal 2027 if a path forward is chosen.

City staff emphasized sequencing tied to debt retirement and the possibility of repurposing a higher‑education GRT earmark when it sunsets in FY 2028; Chavez said an estimated five‑year forecast shows the increment could be nearly $6,000,000 per year when reauthorized and repurposed for facilities and staffing needs. Staff also described additional needs beyond the five major projects, including a potential city hall annex, a northern outdoor pool, dog park and wastewater contractor facilities.

No formal decisions or votes were taken at the work session; staff presented timelines, cost estimates and next steps and answered council questions about site layouts, skate park relocation, interim staffing and opportunities to repurpose retiring debt.

The presentation concluded with staff offering to return with further details on funding options and phasing for council consideration in upcoming budget and planning cycles.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Rio Rancho - Governing Body Work Session","oneSentenceSummary","Rio Rancho city staff gave a work‑session update on a facilities master plan that lists five major projects and ties sequencing to debt retirement and a possible reauthorization of a gross‑receipts‑tax increment.","taxTitle","Rio Rancho, Sandoval County, New Mexico","taxId",2726,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6491219,"City staff weigh options as wet summer drives spike in weed complaints",1872,3170230,5042350,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5602536-34ac809c61b416b93d5d558cd514c51f&start=3170&end=5042","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5602536-34ac809c61b416b93d5d558cd514c51f/thumbnail_3170230.jpg","/articles/6491219/Rio-Rancho/Sandoval-County/New-Mexico/City-staff-weigh-options-as-wet-summer-drives-spike-in-weed-complaints","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6491219-db959e975b09e2be46f76c127d103309/orig.mp4?Expires=1770873724&Signature=Za~2htSN1vnJR7oPijTZKnp2ERko6JG4fpDegnPSbwUQcrNZzKRmEcFvWXYVYkMH-kR64V73DOwCiKRwyE0d29P15DaHqktSb7OQMI1WfVvSnr3xYYQbxodJ0MzUQQhKjsT-45f7QRfPLKUIfOCQp4v0NuajzlDPQErQ7BhyTED3N6-Q0Lf8iCE4MLF5z0sFyXtk3oMuK5tgblmR4fKsAs0pxMBse4meA1Kh1Sec15RgKMfeXj6BTdltu14YxI7aXmAclFb-9-6KHts7nm1s3xYA4JuG0HpQN4i1qU3H~3KUBIaRkzhiCcd9b9a6XkK7HkS-Nl10dWPzvswq~m94fw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","City staff told the governing body that an unusually wet summer has produced a large increase in weed and debris complaints and outlined current responsibilities, operational capacity and potential policy and capital responses.

\"All exterior property areas which have been altered from their natural state or developed in any way shall be kept free from dead, dry vegetation, tumbleweeds, bushes and tall grass and trees,\" Amy of Development Services read from the municipal code in describing property‑owner responsibilities; she emphasized that the ordinance assigns responsibility for road‑fronting strips on most local residential streets to adjacent property owners while the city maintains collectors, arterials and city‑owned land.

Staff described an online weed‑mitigation map they use to triage complaints and said they route issues on state or other agency property to the relevant agency. Streets and right‑of‑way staff said many city maintenance functions are performed by a mix of in‑house crews and contractors, noted a 63% vacancy rate for laborers doing mitigation work, and warned that the pool of qualified private contractors in the Rio Rancho area is small; staff named Yellowstone as the current contractor that bid the city contract and said a second regional firm, Green Summit, also exists locally.

The presentation quantified private maintenance strips at about 122.77 acres and an additional roughly 128 acres held by an outside flood/drainage authority (identified in the presentation as AMRAP) for a combined area of roughly 251 acres that is not the city's maintenance responsibility under current code. Staff estimated the annual cost to add the private side‑yard acreage to city maintenance at roughly $500,000 to $1 million per year; adding the large drainage parcels would raise annual maintenance and capital needs by additional millions and could require significant one‑time capital upgrades to those drainage parcels.

Staff offered a menu of targeted, incremental options rather than a single sweeping change: finish landscaping of unfinished medians on city property to reduce seasonal weed growth, review and stabilize landscaping at city facilities to reduce sediment runoff, require stronger erosion and seeding practices in development stormwater permits, and pursue targeted capital fixes where runoff creates repeated weed problems. Staff suggested policy ideas to consider if the governing body wants to expand the city's maintenance universe: clear boundaries to avoid future creep, different approaches for HOA versus non‑HOA areas, and requirements for wall openings or gated access in new developments to give maintenance crews safe, practical access.

Councilors asked about specific streets (for example, whether Wexford is a collector and thus city responsibility) and about stronger enforcement tools for large landowners; staff said Wexford is currently a residential roadway but is in process with DOT for potential reclassification as a collector, and that the city will continue to use outreach, courtesy notices and, if necessary, municipal court citations to seek compliance under existing code.

No ordinance changes were adopted at the meeting. Staff said they would continue public education, include the weeds topic in upcoming newsletters, and bring the issue back for further discussion during the September planning calendar if the governing body desires a formal review of expanded maintenance responsibilities.","City staff and councilors reviewed weed‑mitigation responsibilities, maps of areas adjacent to private lots, contractor capacity and potential policy options including limited expansion of city maintenance, targeted capital fixes and public outreach.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6491224,"Rio Rancho councilor proposes review of horse limits in E‑1 residential zoning",552,1798475,2351250,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5602536-34ac809c61b416b93d5d558cd514c51f&start=1798&end=2351","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5602536-34ac809c61b416b93d5d558cd514c51f/thumbnail_1798475.jpg","/articles/6491224/Rio-Rancho/Sandoval-County/New-Mexico/Rio-Rancho-councilor-proposes-review-of-horse-limits-in-E1-residential-zoning","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6491224-2d003475291bfcd06de85db168a81fde/orig.mp4?Expires=1770873724&Signature=NffCWQyGop0~w9-KfUW-NF4beBcCzGA9gk8pYjLNEt3w6hSqCC6i2c1WDcsYKQq~HFA2kiLZ-pYi8UT~X-PBMpt3npbNN2FAFcbMkFF07y3FDqZyQyZq5XgAS2KeQ3vWZBuBuvf-9jLE5okkzKJQZA4HT6mkLucVxexlBM908~CAEvaMqUt~vtpMnTGIyg48OKjrPRxwBLLhXYNHaeudmd6dxjoipE1m8SvOFHvslMWd7bELptxbR7-rLnnhAaTvp9-5wWogzs1XJ4PsGVDJ6U4CXYqDbSwHGSc5uBS1iWzYkR-Ehs93MFz29z~5GZUWob28IqseLnTMiGEygPmiAg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Councilor Dapson introduced a request at a Rio Rancho work session for staff to prepare materials to consider amending the municipal code governing horses in E‑1 residential zoning so a homeowner could keep up to two horses on a one‑acre parcel.

Dapson said the request followed a citizen complaint and a subsequent code enforcement notice after a resident was found keeping three horses on an acre lot where the municipal code currently allows one horse per acre and requires a half‑acre for each additional horse. \"I'm proposing to change 1 0 1 54.05 of the municipal cord for e 1 zoning in the following manner. The minimum lot size for up to 2 horses is 1 acre,\" Dapson said.

Staff summarized existing code provisions and a transfer‑of‑stable‑rights process. Amy, a planning staff member, said the municipal code allows a property owner to transfer stabling rights to an abutting or nearby property under a specific process implemented in 2019; she told the governing body that only one transfer had been fully completed to date because neighbor consent is required. Amy also provided a comparative survey showing that Albuquerque and Bernalillo permit one horse per 10,000 square feet (less than an acre) while Las Cruces permits roughly 9,000 square feet, and some municipalities have no limits.

Councilors raised concerns about unintended consequences. Several councilors and staff warned that relaxing acreage requirements for horses on E‑1 lots could create pressure to extend similar allowances to half‑acre R‑1 lots, and that an ordinance change could trigger requests to reconsider limits for other animals. Councilor Weimer asked whether changing the rule would negate an active complaint; staff said the existing complaint would still be handled under current code and that the homeowner would need to make interim arrangements regardless of future changes.

Councilors and staff recommended public outreach and stress‑testing scenarios before forwarding an ordinance to the Planning and Zoning Commission. Amy said it would be useful to hold community meetings in affected neighborhoods and to run planners' scenario analyses on how a code change would affect other zoning districts and the use of the existing transfer‑of‑stable‑rights provision.

No formal motion or vote was taken; staff said they would follow up with Councilor Dapson to explore outreach options and gather more detailed parcel and ownership data for affected neighborhoods.","Councilor Dapson asked staff to prepare materials to pursue an ordinance change that would allow up to two horses per one‑acre lot in E‑1 zoning; staff and councilors urged community outreach and stress‑testing before any code change.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Rio Rancho outlines facilities master plan including Fire Station 8, training center and multi‑gen campus

City staff weigh options as wet summer drives spike in weed complaints

Rio Rancho councilor proposes review of horse limits in E‑1 residential zoning