Rio Rancho approves Cleveland Heights master plan and rezones parcels to R4 to expand housing

The City of Rio Rancho Planning and Zoning Board on July 8 approved three linked actions to separate state‑owned parcels from the existing Paseo Gateway master plan, create a new Cleveland Heights master plan and rezone several parcels to R4 to allow medium‑density single‑family development.

Planner Liz Ruiz Carlos of the City of Rio Rancho told the board the requests, brought by Paseo Gateway LLC and the New Mexico State Land Office and represented by Consensus Planning, would enable additional housing and create “stable and consistent” single‑family land use across the affected area. The proposals were presented together and voted on as separate agenda items; the board approved each vote during the July 8 meeting.

Why it matters: Staff said the changes would add housing capacity in a growing area, align zoning and lot patterns across adjoining tracts, and—by subdividing state land parcels into a separately managed master plan—potentially speed development on those parcels. The area sits adjacent to Cleveland High School and is bounded on the east by Iris Road NE; staff noted prior drainage and traffic…