Placitas plan meeting draws big crowd
BERNALILLO -- A standing room only crowd of about 100 people gathered Thursday night for the first of a series of meetings the Sandoval County planning and Zoning Commission hopes will end with a master development plan for Placitas.
Most of the commission's controversial zoning matters in recent months have originated in Placitas, a small community east of Bernalillo on N.M. 165. Narrow roads, water concerns and community and historical traditions predating statehood have often boiled over into heated meetings both locally and before the commission.
Prior to 1989, there was no government regulation of zoning in Sandoval County. For 10 years the county used basic plans created by the Mid-Region Council of Government before establishing its own zoning department in 1999.
As a result, development standards have often been inconsistent at best as the county attempts to catch up, with little commercial development in the Placitas area. Most of the Placitas residential development has been one home to an acre lot.
Just like much of Sandoval County, Placitas has experienced explosive population growth in the past 20 years. In his presentation, county long-range planner Moises Gonzales said 1990 census figures showed a population in Placitas of 1,600 who lived in 600 housing units. That more than doubled in the next census in 2000, where 3,400 people resided in about 1,600 housing units.
Based on housing permit requests, the county estimates a population of 5,523 people in 2,500 dwelling units, Gonzales said.
Legal matters have been complicated by parcels of land are owned by the Bureau of Land Management, a 1765 land grant and traditional asequia water systems of irrigation. Often disputes have come when those who have aquired the land and associated water rights have complained that neighboring new development have caused water shortages on their land.
Older buildings in Placitas also violate zoning laws for setbacks from the roads. In some areas roads are so narrow that some have expressed concerns that firetrrucks and other emergency service vehicles are unable to reach some areas.
Many residents object to commercial development being contemplated east of Interstate 25 but west of established residential areas in Placitas. The Town of Bernalillo has annexed land east of Interstate 25 and several speakers complained that the county zoning commission was responding to Bernalillo's economic pressures by expiditing the Placitas plan, which commission vice-chairman Todd Hathorne vehemently denied.
The purpose of workshop/meeting was to present an overview of the development situation in the area as it stands today. Future presentations will feature specific speakers on water, transportation and planning issues to inform the public.
After staff develops its recommendation, it must be approved by the Planning and Zoning Commission and eventually the Sandoval County Commission. Two other area plans have already been established for the Jemez Valley and La Cueva areas.
Development director Mike Springfield said plans are also being contemplated for four areas -- Rio Rancho Estates, Pena Blanca, Cuba and La Madera areas.
The meeting was facilitated by Cliff Spirock of Community Sciences Corp., who was hired by the county after a community meeting in Placitas in June broke down into a shouting match directed at Gonzalez. Hathorne and other commissioners defended Gonzalez at a P&Z meeting in July and decided to hire outside help to coordinate and orchestrate the meetings.
Unlike that meeting, Thursday's gathering was generally orderly as 15 speakers, mostly from the community, addressed the commission.
