Council approves 128-unit built-to-rent community in Unit 10 after residents raise traffic and school concerns

Rio Rancho City Council on an affirmative roll-call vote approved a conditional use permit for a 128-unit built-to-rent multifamily development on a 10.33-acre site at the northwest corner of 19th Street and Black Arroyo, legally described as Unit 10, Block 81, lots 1 through 20.

The project — proposed at 13 dwelling units per acre and described by the applicant as an "amenity-rich built-to-rent community" with detached, carriage-style and townhouse-format rental units — drew extensive public comment on traffic, sidewalks and school capacity before the council voted to uphold the Planning and Zoning Board's approval.

The developer and project team told the council the layout intentionally steps density down toward existing single-family neighborhoods and that the site plan meets R-3 zoning limits. Amy Rincon, director of Development Services, told the council multifamily is an allowed conditional use in the R-3 district provided site plan and density limits are met. Applicant Jim Strozier, principal with Consensus Planning, said the proposal includes 128 units on 10.33 acres (13 units per acre), will provide 264 off-street parking spaces and keep building heights at two stories along the western edge adjacent to R-4 zoning.

Why it matters: the property was rezoned before the Unit 10 Specific Area Plan was adopted; the area is a planned growth node and the decision affects traffic circulation, school planning and the character of adjacent neighborhoods. Opponents said the project is out of scale with surrounding half-acre lots and will increase vehicle trips and pressure on a nearby elementary school. Supporters and staff said the proposal sits within zoning allowances and brings infrastructure improvements that otherwise would not be built.

Most significant facts and conditions

- Project scale and site design: The applicant said 128 units will be built across 10.33 acres (13 dwelling units per acre). Unit types include single-story "carriage" units, two-story single-family-style units and attached townhome-style units. The plan places single-story units along the west edge facing existing residences.

- Parking and density: The developer proposes 264 parking spaces, which staff noted is 31 spaces more than the city's off-street parking requirement for the project.

- Traffic and circulation commitments: The applicant and nearby commercial property owner have been coordinating with the City of Rio Rancho and the City of Albuquerque to advance two roadway improvements: (1) the Pavilion Way extension to improve alignment at Wellspring/22nd, and (2) a proposed left-in movement at Black Arroyo that requires regional review (Mid-Region Council of Governments/COG). The project team said a scoped traffic study has been initiated with Tierra West traffic consultant Terry Brown and that coordination with Albuquerque and Rio Rancho staff is underway.

- Alternatives and comparative yields: Staff and applicants described what the site could yield under other permissive uses in R-3 zoning: a rough staff estimate of up to about 105 single-family lots under a conservative subdivision scenario, and potentially as many as roughly 200 attached units if developed as small-lot attached housing. Staff emphasized those permissive paths would not require the conditional-use approvals being considered tonight.

Public concerns and developer responses

Residents who live near the site said the area lacks sidewalks, that existing bus-stop and pedestrian conditions create safety risks for children, and that local elementary schools are at or near capacity. Appellant Arnie Veers said he lives within feet of the lots and asked the council to limit development to the existing lot pattern (20 single-family lots). Multiple speakers cited vehicle counts and said the development would add more than 1,200 daily vehicle trips; one resident noted existing neighborhood trips of roughly 909 vehicle trips per day based on 101 existing homes.

The applicant, represented by Jim Strozier and consultant Tierra West, said the project would build sidewalks and perimeter roadway improvements where the site fronts existing streets; the team emphasized that the Pavilion Way extension and coordination to obtain a left-in at Black Arroyo are part of the project's mitigation strategy. The applicant said those improvements — and the fact the developer is offering to work with adjacent landowners and the two cities — would improve existing conditions rather than make them worse.

Council discussion and vote

Councilors asked staff and the applicant detailed questions about zoning, conditional-use criteria and the scope of required site improvements. Amy Rincon explained the R-3 district permits multifamily as a conditional use up to 26 units per acre, that the site plan and conditional-use criteria in Chapter 1504 and the zoning code (Chapter 154) guide staff review, and that the Unit 10 overlay includes enhanced buffer standards. Staff also confirmed the site was rezoned to R-3 in 2014 and that the Unit 10 plan and overlay were adopted later (2016 and 2018, per staff presentation).

Several councilors praised the design approach that places single-story units along the western edge and noted the developer's coordination with adjoining property owners and city staff on roadway improvements. Other councilors and residents urged caution and additional mitigation for traffic and school impacts.

On a roll-call vote, the council voted to uphold the Planning and Zoning Board's decision and approve the conditional use permit. The roll call recorded affirmative votes from Councilors Weimer, Linnentine, Dabson, List, Tyler and Culbreth; the motion passed unanimously as recorded by the clerk.

Outstanding and follow-up items

- Staff: the council's approval is of the CUP; the site plan and any final conditions will be reviewed in subsequent site-plan and permitting stages.

- Traffic study: a scoping and traffic impact analysis was reported as initiated; the applicant's traffic consultant and city staff plan further technical review and regional coordination to pursue the Black Arroyo left-in through the COG process.

- School district: Rio Rancho Public Schools had an opportunity to comment; staff reported no school comment was submitted in the record for this item.

- Appeal/variance status: two variance appeals tied to wall height and setback (A1 and A2) were withdrawn by the appellant after the CUP passed; the public hearing on those appeals was closed and no action on the variances was required.

Ending note

Council action clears the conditional-use entitlement but leaves technical design and mitigation to subsequent site-plan and permitting review, and the applicant and city staff indicated further traffic analysis and interagency coordination will continue.