Rio Rancho council rejects Cielo Bonito rezoning after debate over holdouts, traffic and missing master plan

The Rio Rancho Governing Body voted on Aug. 14 to deny an ordinance that would have rezoned roughly 53.942 acres in the Paseo Gateway West area from transitional zoning (TZ) to R‑3 mixed residential.

The proposal, submitted by the Cielo Bonito development team, would have allowed R‑3 uses on property north of Cielo Azul Elementary School. Amy Rincon, Rio Rancho director of development services, told the governing body the application covers 53.942 acres and that R‑3 permits single‑family detached, single‑family attached and multi‑family development “which would allow up to 26 units per acre with the approval of a conditional use permit.”

Council members raised repeated concerns about the applicant’s lack of a master plan, the number and location of “holdout” lots not…