Planning panel recommends special-use zoning for East Mountain Cowboy Church after neighbors cite traffic, noise and lighting concerns

The Town of Edgewood Planning and Zoning Commission voted March 5 to recommend that Tract A2 — a 20.24-acre parcel addressed as 2234 U.S. Route 66 (NM-333) and associated with the East Mountain Cowboy Church — be rezoned from commercial (C2) to special use (SU).

The recommendation followed a presentation by Tim Odin, agent for the church, who said the application would rezone only Tract A2 (20 acres) to SU to allow construction of a proposed 10,000-square-foot church building and related site improvements, while Tract A1 (the remaining 40 acres) would remain C2. "We're only asking to reszone the 20 acres where the church and arena will be," Odin said during his presentation.

Neighbors who live near the arena told the commission they want clearer, enforceable limits on event operations. "Those event lights go off at 9:00. Will that change now that they're going to be a special-use property?" asked Julian Lee, a resident living across from the arena. Residents and an event-management professional who spoke at the hearing described recurring weekend events that draw large crowds, heavy vehicle and trailer traffic, bright arena lighting, dust, and noise that they say has affected quality of life.

Amanda Wilks, who described more than 15 years in the events industry, asked the commission to use the authority under Edgewood’s special-use provisions to impose stricter conditions — for example, traffic-control requirements when attendance is large, clarified noise enforcement, and limits on certain activities. She cited the ordinance language that "special conditions may be imposed by the town governing body giving consideration to any recommendation of the planning and zoning commission" and urged the commission to require current, accurate evidence of event frequency and scale when setting conditions.

Manager Brandon Gilchrist and other staff told the commission that some concerns (outdoor lighting, dark-sky compliance, noise and nuisance standards) are covered by existing town ordinances and by the town’s development-standards and site-plan review process for any new construction. Staff also noted that under current rules a traffic study is not required as part of a special-use zoning request. Gilchrist also confirmed procedural limits for the hearing: testimony from Ms. Wilks was later stricken from the hearing record because her residence was determined to be outside the town’s affected-party notification radius for this quasi-judicial hearing.

Pastor Kurt Miller of East Mountain Cowboy Church described the arena’s role in the ministry and disputed claims that the church was operating outside guidance. "We did exactly what we were told to do," Miller said, recounting how staff previously advised the church on development steps and saying the facility has been used for outreach. He also said mounted-shooting events use non-live ammunition and that the church has conducted decibel and lighting tests that showed compliance with town ordinances.

Commissioners discussed whether "assembly" uses permitted in the C2 zone encompass churches and noted ambiguity in the ordinance text. Commissioners listed staff-recommended conditions they expected to remain applicable, including compliance with town development standards, required site-plan review before new construction, dark-sky lighting requirements, and applicable noise and nuisance rules. Several commissioners said events and ordinance-enforcement issues that go beyond zoning decisions are matters for the town manager and town governing body.

Commissioner West moved to recommend approval of the zone change from C2 to SU for Tract A2, and Commissioner Hutchinson seconded. The body voted unanimously to recommend approval. The commission recorded the property as Township 10 North, Range 7 East, Section 36, Tract A2 (20.24 acres), parcel number 91009028. The commission emphasized that a special-use designation carries conditions tied to development standards and that future site development requires site-plan review and building permits.

The commission closed the hearing after recording the recommendation. Staff and the town manager said they will follow up on recordkeeping and enforcement questions raised during testimony and encouraged neighbors to work with the town manager and planning staff on ordinance and enforcement clarifications. The commission set its next regular meeting for March 19, 2026, and adjourned at 8:40 p.m.