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Board recommends approval of Los Diamantes master-plan and zone-map amendments to allow commercial uses including self-storage
Summary
The board recommended approval of updates to the Los Diamantes master plan and a zone-map change from BP to C-2 for about 36 acres, allowing uses such as self-storage and drive-through restaurant pickup; the applicant said the changes respond to administrative direction and market needs.
The Rio Rancho Planning and Zoning Board voted to recommend approval to the governing body of a master-plan amendment and a companion zone-map amendment for the Los Diamantes area.
Tim Dvorak, planner with the city, said the proposed master-plan amendment covers roughly 190 acres near the northwest corner of Westside Boulevard SE and Los Diamantes Drive SE and carries forward many materials from a previous submittal. He described two primary changes: a map update that reclassifies the business-park area to allow additional commercial uses, and minor text edits (setbacks, building entry and roadway designation). Staff recommended the board recommend approval to the governing body with findings and conditions.
Jim Strozier, principal with Consensus Planning and the applicant’s representative, said the application was repackaged after city administration signaled the accompanying zoning-text amendment would need to go through initiative and referendum procedures. Strozier said the current approach pivots to a zone-map amendment and added design regulations to permit self-storage as a primary use in the business-park area and to align building-mounted signage with recent city sign-code updates. He said the change would permit uses such as restaurants with drive-up or pickup windows, and added that the applicant considered alternative upzoning options before selecting C-2.
Chris Benson, city planner, explained the zone-map amendment request would change about 36.16 acres from BP (Business Park) to C-2 (wholesale and warehousing commercial), which authorizes a broader set of permissive land uses while remaining generally consistent with the master-plan intent. No members of the public spoke on the items during the meeting. The board moved to recommend approval and the motions passed by roll call.
The items will proceed to the governing body for final action; staff recommended findings and conditions will accompany the board’s recommendations.
