Rio Rancho council approves Cielo Bonito master plan and companion rezoning
Loading...
Summary
The council approved R15 (Cielo Bonito master plan) and companion zoning ordinance O2 after developer revisions reducing lots and adding parkland; staff said a traffic study found no mitigation needs and planning staff recommended approval.
The Rio Rancho governing body approved a master plan and zoning change for the Cielo Bonito subdivision after the developer scaled back the project and answered council questions about traffic and access.
Developer representative Nikosha Shuttlebauer said the revised proposal reduced the subdivision from 351 lots to 270 single-family lots, exceeds the Development Plan Manual ownership requirement (95% vs. 90%), and includes a 2.5-acre central park plus a 1.3-acre linear park. “Our master plan complies and furthers the comp plan goals and policies,” Shuttlebauer said, and she told the council a November traffic impact analysis — based on the larger original layout — did not identify failing levels of service or recommend mitigation at primary access points.
Director of Development Services Amy Rincon told the council that the master plan comes with standard conditions including transportation updates and that the planning and zoning board recommended approval. Rincon said the resolution asks applicants to keep roads surrounding subdivisions paved and noted that if an alternative is proposed the city will evaluate it through variances or development agreements.
Councilors questioned whether a currently unpaved local road called Look Over would be improved. Shuttlebauer said the project proposes that end-of-subdivision connection be emergency-access only and improved for emergency services rather than opened as a full neighborhood thoroughfare. Rincon said staff and the planning board worked with the applicant to address ownership and master-plan concerns raised at earlier hearings.
Council members moved and seconded approval and took a roll-call vote; the council recorded affirmative votes and approved R15 and the companion ordinance O2.
The council also noted that planning staff will require updates to construction drawings and work with the applicant on paving or acceptable alternatives as the subdivision proceeds through preliminary platting. The council’s action allows the developer to proceed toward future platting and permitting steps under the approved master plan and zoning.
