Rio Rancho planning board approves two variances and three plats, citing housing supply and lot constraints

The Rio Rancho Planning & Zoning Board approved a series of land‑use actions on Feb. 24, granting two variances and approving two preliminary plats and one preliminary‑plat amendment intended to increase local housing supply.

Tamara Martinez, planner with the City of Rio Rancho, told the board staff recommended denial of a corner‑side setback variance for Lot 13 at 4280 Addison Drive, saying the lot is not irregular and that a strict application of the 10‑foot corner‑side setback would not deprive the owner of reasonable use of the land. The applicant, Brian Ottagland of Olmiston Hipotas Development Company, asked the board to reduce the corner‑side setback from 10 feet to 5 feet to match an existing public utility easement and preserve 35‑foot‑wide home lots, arguing that a 5‑foot reduction preserves the character of nearby homes. “5 feet may not seem like a lot, but when you're talking about 35‑foot, wide homes, it really makes a difference,” Ottagland said. After briefly clarifying which corner lot the variance would affect, the board moved to approve the variance and passed the motion by roll call.

The board next approved a lot‑width variance for 131 9th Avenue NE at the request of Solano Builders and Construction LLC. Liz Reyes Carlos, planner for the city, said the 0.23‑acre parcel had been plotted in 1967 and that because the applicant owns only a single 50‑foot lot the overlay that would allow merging lots did not apply; staff recommended approval, finding that the lot meets the irregular/narrow‑lot hardship criteria and that approval would not deprive the owner of reasonable use of the land. The motion to approve carried on a roll call vote.

The board also approved the Cleveland Estates Phase 2 preliminary plat, presented by Liz Reyes Carlos and an applicant representative from Cartesian Surveys. The 1.8154‑acre plat (Paseo Gateway Tract 17A) proposes 116 single‑family lots, seven tracts and approximately 2.228 acres of parkland, which staff said meets the 2.03‑acre park requirement. An applicant representative, Amber of Cartesian Surveys, said the project is proceeding with an active building permit for the primary residence and will address engineering comments prior to final plat approval. The board voted to approve the preliminary plat.

On a larger subdivision item, planners presented a preliminary plat amendment for the Santorini portion of the Arrowhead East master plan. Tim Dvorak (city planner) and Sergio Lozoya of Terra West said the amendment keeps the development within the previously approved master‑plan boundary and land uses while modestly increasing the single‑family supply by raising lots from 77 to 85, reducing the minimum lot width from 50 feet to 45 feet, adding an HOA tract (raising tract count from 6 to 7), and slightly reducing right‑of‑way dedication (from 4.8357 to 4.8133 acres). Lozoya said the changes “modestly increase the housing supply within the already approved boundary.” A commissioner asked for confirmation that the minimum lot width was 45 feet (it was confirmed), and the board approved the amendment by roll call.

Procedural note: for one item the applicant was not present when the board voted; a commissioner later noted the board should have asked for public comment prior to voting and then checked whether anyone online wished to speak. No public speakers were recorded for the items that were voted on.

The board opened a brief public forum and then adjourned. The approvals are subject to the findings and conditions noted by staff; final engineering review and any staff conditions must be met before final plat filings or building permits are finalized.