Commission rezones Bottle Drive parcel to C1 to align retail footprint with adjacent stores

The Planning and Zoning Commission approved case Z25-005 on June 27, changing a 1.46-acre parcel at 106 Bottle Drive from MU (mixed use) to C1 (neighborhood commercial). The change permits a larger retail footprint that would align the parcel with adjacent retail properties, including an existing Family Dollar and an O’Reilly Auto Parts.

Staff reported the Family Dollar on the same parcel exceeds the 5,000-square-foot retail limit that the county’s MU designation places on standalone retail structures. That legacy building and subsequent retail development make the C1 designation more consistent with current use and redevelopment expectations. Staff said water and sewer service are available from Lower Rio Grande water systems (applicant may need to confirm capacity) and that the parcel has direct access to Bottle Drive; New Mexico Department of Transportation permitting would apply if DOT-controlled access changes were proposed.

The applicant, developer Jerry Odom, said the request merely aligns zoning with on-the-ground retail and that there is no immediate plan to expand building footprints; the buyer found the MU zoning while conducting due diligence. Staff recommended approval and the commission voted in favor without public opposition recorded at the hearing.

Commissioners found the request met the UDC decision criteria, was not spot zoning, and achieved harmony with surrounding commercial development. The change allows future retail expansion without requiring lot subdivision or a new zoning entitlement for each new retail building up to C1 allowances. Any future building permit or expansion would need to meet standard building, engineering and, if applicable, DOT driveway-permit reviews.