Rio Rancho council approves renewable-energy overlay and 80-acre lease for community solar at Loma Barbone

The Rio Rancho City Council on Tuesday approved a resolution amending the Loma Barbone master plan to add a renewable-energy overlay and separately adopted an ordinance placing an overlay zoning district over an 80-acre State Land Office parcel to allow a community solar project.

The council voted to adopt Resolution R107 as amended and Ordinance O25, clearing the way for development of a community solar array proposed by Affordable Solar and its partners on land the New Mexico State Land Office has leased for that purpose. Councilors approved a Planning and Zoning Board amendment adding a 100-foot setback from the north and west property lines to the fence line around the future solar development before adopting R107.

The amendment matters because it sets the initial siting buffer around the approved lease area; the broader master-plan addendum covers the full 600-acre Loma Barbone master plan area but the overlay and zoning change apply to the smaller 80-acre lease parcel. Director Rincon introduced the items and said staff and the Planning and Zoning Board had reviewed them. Lori Moy, a consultant with Select Row LLC who said she is the agent for the applicant, and Dylan Connolly, director of commercial solar development for Affordable Solar, presented the project and regulatory background.

Affordable Solar representatives told the council the facility will be a community solar project under New Mexico law that allows projects to serve low-income households. “We just turned on the first community solar project in the state yesterday,” Connolly said, adding the company is the developer and that Grid Works will serve as builder and long-term co-owner with Affordable Solar.

Councilors and applicants described the State Land Office role: the land is owned by the New Mexico State Land Office, which the presenters said places renewable-energy overlays on state parcels and leases them to private developers to generate revenue for beneficiaries including public schools and universities. Connolly and Moy said the State Land Office conducted a lease process that includes a 10-week public advertising period. “There’s a 10 week advertising period, as well. So that, I think that’s part of the public notice that they use for the state land office,” Connolly said.

Members of the public spoke during the hearing. Casey Robinson opposed the project and raised allegations about Affordable Solar’s past political donations: “A quick Google search on Affordable Solar will tell you this is a pay to play company,” Robinson said. Another commenter, Elsa (Elise) Hernandez Allen, identified herself as a property owner whose parcel is within 100 feet of the site and asked whether the lease would affect her ability to build, sell or pay taxes on her property: “Is it gonna affect our taxes? Is it gonna affect our ability to build or maybe in the future to sell?”

Council discussion focused on outreach, tribal consultation and potential effects on nearby property values. Applicants said they had mailed notice to parcel owners within 100 feet of the 600-acre master-plan boundary and held an open house in August; Moy said the project team had consulted with the State Land Office and had added an eastern buffer based on consultation with Santa Ana Pueblo. Council members also asked city staff about whether the solar lease would affect local tax assessments; staff told the council the project is privately financed and should have no direct effect on property tax mill levies or create a new assessment on neighboring parcels.

The Planning and Zoning Board recommended approval for both the master-plan addendum and the overlay, with a 5–1 vote on the master-plan amendment that included the 100-foot setback language. Councilor Culbreth moved the council amendment to add the 100-foot setback on the north and west property lines to the fence line surrounding the future solar energy development; the amendment carried unanimously. After that amendment, the council approved R107 as amended and then approved Ordinance O25.

Votes at a glance: the council approved Resolution R107 (master-plan addendum for renewable energy), as amended to include a 100-foot setback on the north and west property lines; the amendment was adopted and R107 passed by roll call. The council then approved Ordinance O25 (zoning overlay for the 80-acre renewable energy lease area). On O25 the roll-call recorded Councilor Tyler voting no; other councilors voted yes and the ordinance passed.

What happens next: applicants said a site plan will be reviewed in a future submittal and the developer plans at least one additional public open house on the site plan before it returns to the council. The master-plan addendum is intended to allow an interim renewable-energy use — presented as potentially lasting decades — while retaining the underlying long-range land-use designations for the Loma Barbone area.

Key details clarified during the meeting: the 80-acre lease area is within a larger 600-acre master-plan area; the solar field itself will be smaller than the full 80-acre lease; the State Land Office used a competitive lease process with a 10-week advertisement requirement; the overlay establishes use, setback, siting and permitting standards specific to renewable energy projects; the developer and builder said they would be long-term owners and operators; and applicants emphasized outreach including mail notice to parcels within 100 feet and an August open house.

Councilors and staff said the project should not change local property tax mill levies because it is privately financed and not funded by property taxes. The City will review a site plan and permit applications before construction and the State Land Office will proceed with longer-term lease steps per its statute and processes.