Rio Rancho approves three site plans: HTO drive-through, AutoZone, Chase Bank
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Summary
The governing body approved three commercial site plans—an HTO drive-through, an AutoZone and a Chase Bank pad site—after staff presentations and brief council questions about traffic, queuing and off-site access. A public commenter opposed the Chase Bank based on banking-practice concerns.
The City of Rio Rancho governing body voted unanimously to approve three separate site plans for commercial developments: an HTO drive-through (D37), an AutoZone (D38) and a Chase Bank pad site (D39).
Amy Rincon, director of development services, presented each application and told the governing body that staff had reviewed the plans and recommended approval. For the HTO drive-through near Sarah and NM 528, Rincon said staff reviewed site circulation, grading and landscape plans and “finds and recommends that the board does approve this site plan.” Councilors asked about logo treatment and about traffic and queuing during the store’s opening; Rincon said staff will work with the applicant on variable-message signs and on queuing options along the internal drive and Grande Boulevard to reduce spillover onto adjacent streets.
The AutoZone plan covered a pad near Northern and Loma Colorado, adjacent to a Lowe’s. Rincon said some parking and landscaping shown on the concept drawings lie outside the existing lot lines and will require an access agreement with the neighboring parcel. An applicant representative completed an oath on the record during the hearing. Rincon told council that staff found the AutoZone plan in compliance with the relevant site-plan standards but that an access agreement and easement language would be required as a condition of approval.
A public commenter, Casey Robinson, opposed the Chase Bank site in the village area and urged the city to prioritize credit unions instead. Robinson said in public comment, “Chase Bank has been found guilty of giving higher mortgage rates to African American and Hispanic customers of the same credit profile” and listed other corporate compliance complaints; those claims were presented as his view and were not contested by the council during the meeting.
Votes: each site plan carried by voice and roll-call vote with the governing body recording unanimous approval for D37, D38 and D39.
Why it matters: the three approvals clear the way for new commercial investment at busy corners across Rio Rancho; council discussion focused on traffic management during openings and on the need for proper off-site access agreements to protect neighboring parcels.