Council approves truck parking, tax proposal ordinances

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The council largely played catch-up from its Jan. 9 meeting, when it was forced to accommodate an overflow crowd intent on discussing Special Assessment District 7 by postponing the rest of its agenda to concentrate on that public hearing. As a result, Wednesday’s meeting had a 26-item agenda, including final action on:

• The so-called “trucking ordinance” regulating commercial vehicle parking in residential areas.

• Allowing a proposal for a quarter-cent gross receipts tax increase to fund a University of New Mexico campus to be placed on the March 4 municipal ballot. UNM President David Schmidly addressed the council and said he has begun to interview candidates for a new position of vice president for Rio Rancho operations.

• A 10-year franchise extension giving Cable One the contract to provide cable television in the city.

The council also had a first-reading on proposed changes in the definition of “special use” zoning which would eliminate a requirement that landowners submit site plans as part of any request to change from another zoning classification to special use.

When opponents of such a change proposed for property at N.M. 528 and Willow Creek Road did not see the site plan currently required, they protested to the Governing Body. The Willow Creek issue has been tabled since then, but is expected to be brought back after the ordinance changes are approved.

Ron Blood, a resident of the area and vocal critic of the changes, said residents may consider taking the issue to court if the ordinance changes become law after a second reading in two weeks.

All five issues were approved by 5-0 votes. Councilor Marilyn Salzman, who was one of the original sponsors of the residential parking ordinance that was significantly altered from its original form by a series of amendments, was absent. Her husband Fred Salzman, who spoke against any amendments, said his wife was at home with the flu.

The council also approved its mid-year budget adjustments by a 4-0 vote, as councilor Howard Balmer left the meeting after a break. The last item on the agenda, a resolution proposed by Balmer titled “Providing Water to the Chamisa Hills Country Club,” was withdrawn at the beginning of the meeting when the Governing Body votes to confirm its agenda.

Even though SAD-7 didn’t dominate the meeting, it still left a presence. The son of John Momchin, president of the Los Rios Neighborhood Association who collapsed and later died Jan. 15 as he prepared to open a meeting on the issue, spoke to a hushed chamber and requested that the council postpone any action on the issue.

The council also approved 13 zoning changes and approved a list of precinct workers for the election.