The Rio Rancho City Council voted unanimously to delay action on the Chamisa Hills master plan after a packed meeting filled with resident opposition.
The plan would rezone the former Club Rio Rancho golf course for more than 300 homes, commercial space and business parks — transforming the private course into a dense, mixed-use community. Residents filled the council chambers and overflow room to urge councilors to reconsider, raising concerns about traffic, drainage, open space and neighborhood character.
The council pushed the decision to Aug. 14, setting the stage for more debate on one of the city’s most controversial land use proposals in years.
“I do think that we need to dive into it a little deeper and make sure that we answer all of the questions and get everything as agreeable as we can,” Councilor Bob Tyler said. “Everyone’s not always going to agree on everything. We all know that we’re not going to make everybody happy, but we should at least make an attempt to address the concerns.”
The old Club Rio Rancho golf course, closed since 2016 and damaged by a fire in 2019, was bought in 2022 for $1.35 million by Mesa del Sol Managing Partner Steve Chavez, according to Albuquerque Business First.
The 250-acre site at 500 Country Club Drive SE is now being eyed for redevelopment by a team that includes former Rio Rancho City Manager David Campbell as the Mesa del Sol CEO.
“This affects us profoundly,” said Laura Tabor, a Rio Rancho resident. “I’m concerned about the number of houses that want to be put in. I’m not opposed to the whole thing, I just want to modify it.”
Jim Strozier, co-founder of Albuquerque-based Consensus Planning, presented the Chamisa Hills master plan to the Mesa del Sol council, calling it a “framework” to guide future development—not a final product.
“There are a lot of steps that go before any dirt can be turned, any development can happen,” Strozier said.
According to Strozier, detailed studies like traffic impact, drainage, environmental assessments, landscaping and pedestrian access plans would come later.
The plan changes the former golf course site from mostly residential to a mix of uses, adding more housing and open space. It expands the residential area from 62 to 131 acres and increases the number of homes from 195 to 302.
In addition to over 300 housing units, the project would feature a town center with retail, restaurants, coffee shops, a gym, duplexes and second-floor residential space.
The proposal would rezone the land from a planned residential designation to a mix of open space, parks, retail, mixed-use and residential areas. R-1 zoning would keep a suburban feel with more space and privacy, while R-2 zoning would allow for a denser layout but still focus on single-family homes.
Renamed areas: The North Nine
According to Strozier, the former golf course would be broken up and renamed into new areas.
The former North Nine area would become the East View Heights Open Space, a roughly 62-acre site with walking trails.
Kathy McCormick, a member of the North Nine Neighborhood Association, which has more than 200 members, said her group supports development but has concerns about the Chamisa Hills master plan.
According to McCormick, the plan doesn’t give enough confidence that long-term upkeep and funding are covered, especially for East View Heights. It sets aside $400,000 for trails and landscaping with a five-year bond. If no other money comes through, she said that’s all the bond would cover, and after that, maintenance would fall to a new homeowners association.
She said there are no clear details on how the HOA would be set up, paid for or managed after the bond runs out. She also said Development Services Director Amy Rincon raised similar concerns in a 2024 email, pointing out that the cost to fix up the area could go well beyond what the bond would cover.
The West Nine
The West Nine area would be renamed Luxview Estates and include 110 single-family homes, according to the plan. Conditions added during the planning process limit homes to single-story height and require a 65-foot buffer from existing properties. That buffer would be improved with landscaping and walking trails.
Residents raised several concerns about the Luxview Estates portion of the master plan.
Dave Patterson, who lives in the Enclave neighborhood, flagged a zoning issue with Luxview Estates, saying the area was labeled as R1 residential in one spot and open space in another.
He also called the proposed emergency access road from Luxview to the Enclave confusing and impractical, saying it made “zero sense” for emergency crews who would have to make several turns, then double back. Patterson said the 20-foot-wide, heavy-duty road would likely destroy trees, irrigation lines and a water meter that residents maintain.
Neighbors also raised traffic concerns, saying 110 new homes could add more than 200 drivers to Broadmoor Boulevard, a main road that’s already tough to access during peak hours and heavily used by high school students.
The East Nine
The East Nine area will include three neighborhoods: Sierra Vista, Vida Moderna and Nueva Esperanza.
Sierra Vista will offer 38 senior housing units with road and trail access to the proposed Chamisa Hills town center and is expected to house about 108 residents. Vida Moderna will feature 70 single-family homes aimed at families, with an estimated population of 198. Nueva Esperanza will include 84 townhomes and is expected to have 221 residents.
Community and Commercial Areas
The La Joya de Rio Rancho area, or Jewel of Rio Rancho, sits in the middle of Chamisa Hills where the old golf clubhouse once stood. It’s planned as the mixed-use hub of the project.
According to Strozier, it will be the community’s heart with retail, restaurants, coffee shops, a public plaza and possibly second-story housing. The goal is to create a central gathering spot that connects the north and south sides without becoming a busy through street. A one-way road around the plaza will slow traffic and encourage visitors to stop and enjoy the space.
The town center will be walkable with outdoor dining and views of the Sandias and City Park. Visitors can arrive by car, bike or on foot, with parking behind buildings and along nearby streets.
Strozier said the plan also includes an 11-acre neighborhood park next to the town center, mainly an open field for kids’ activities.
He said the park would share parking with the nearby town center to avoid using park space for additional lots. A multi-use trail would run along the edge of the park, connecting it to the rest of the community.
The Chamisa Hills Business Park would be zoned for shops and services, including single-story offices, medical offices, and a pharmacy along High Resort Boulevard near NM 528. A commercial property owners group would manage the town center and business park.
Tabor said the change would turn the residential area into a place where restaurants serve alcohol, which often leads to drunken and sometimes violent behavior. That’s not good for teens or adults. With traffic already a mess, Tabor said a commercial area doesn’t belong there.
Michael Farrell, who lives behind the planned C1 commercial zone, said the zoning is too broad. The developer promised medical offices and a buffer from homes, but C1 zoning doesn’t guarantee those low-impact uses. Farrell worries a future owner could build almost anything, regardless of the developer’s promises, he said.
PID concerns
One major concern from residents was the Public Improvement District (PID), a tool to fund roads, open space and other public improvements.
“The critical issues that were in this plan when it was denied in 2021 remain in this plan,” said Gary Freeland, Rio Rancho resident who lives adjacent to the Chamisa Hills Master Plan property. “We are still vulnerable, as existing homeowners, to a potential tax assessment that represents taxation without representation and has no benefit to us, existing homeowners. These costs should be borne by the developer and not existing homeowners.”
According to Strozier, the PID won’t affect existing Chamisa Hills residents — they won’t face tax, HOA or special assessment increases. But new homeowners and businesses in the master plan area will pay PID fees plus charges from new master and neighborhood HOAs or commercial property associations.
According to Mayor Gregg Hull, setting up a PID requires 75% approval from both new and current property owners. Since existing residents won’t pay, some question whether their approval is needed.
He said there are “a lot of rules around” PIDs and they “can’t just be arbitrarily dropped on somebody’s house.” If existing homeowners are included in a “general area” PID, it might need a “super majority” approval from property owners in that area, he added.
If the PID isn’t approved, the project will need other ways to fund infrastructure.
Councilors and residents asked for clearer details on how the PID will work. Councilor Karissa Culbreath said the plan should clearly state that only new residents will pay PID fees.
She added, “I don’t believe I saw that in the master plan as a guide for future developers. Would that be something to add in a future update?”
“Certainly, we’re 100% committed to that,” Strozier said.
According to the master plan, the PID is expected to raise about $625,000 a year, letting the city issue nearly $8.75 million in bonds for roads, parks and other projects. Fees would add to property taxes but stay under a 2% cap based on home values.
Other concerns
Some residents said community outreach was minimal, with a few feeling ignored or not properly notified. Others raised concerns about worsening street conditions, vague plans for open space maintenance and the potential loss of open areas to new housing.
Fire and storm risks sparked worries about limited escape routes. These were among several concerns brought up about the project.
Mesa del Sol response
Mesa del Sol expressed frustration over the Governing Body’s decision to delay a vote on the Chamisa Hills Master Plan.
“We would like to express our disappointment regarding the decision made by the Rio Rancho Governing Body to postpone the Chamisa Hills Master Plan at last night’s meeting,” said Jerome Gonzales, project lead and Mesa del Sol’s director of operations.
According to Gonzales, the project reflects over two years of planning, several rounds of revisions with city staff, and input from the community. He said they prioritized community feedback from the start, shared contact info with HOA leaders early on, and welcomed input throughout the process.
“We listened to the comments and concerns of the council and the community and agree that some additional clarification may be needed,” Gonzales said. “The plan will remain as submitted. We provided a comprehensive, thoughtful plan offering new public open spaces at no financial burden to residents of the City of Rio Rancho with no financial assistance from the City.”
He said they will work with consultants to provide clarification before the August meeting.
Gonzales said Mesa del Sol appreciates the community members who attended the meeting and shared sincere views, both for and against the project.
“It was clear who came with the intent to improve their community and who may have been motivated by more self-serving interests,” Gonzales said. “Nonetheless, the level of engagement highlights how much people care about the future of Chamisa Hills and Rio Rancho.”
Moving forward, Gonzales said the company will carefully update the master plan based on the Governing Body’s requests.
“We will also be evaluating how prudent it is to continue investing millions of dollars to develop this community or to sell it to another entity before the August meeting,” he said.
