Rio Rancho City Council votes to convert land into open space

*Editor’s note: This article has been updated to reflect the correct ownership of Black Arroyo by SSCAFCA rather than the City of Rio Rancho.

RIO RANCHO, N.M. (KRQE) – The Rio Rancho City Council voted unanimously to convert some land into open space . Black Arroyo, a property owned by the Southern Sandoval County Arroyo Flood Control Authority (SSCAFCA), is 75 acres located near Southern and Unser. The land had been zoned as residential, but SSCAFCA asked the council to change the zoning of the property to turn it into an open space for community members to enjoy.

City Councilors said the effort has been years in the making. “It’s a great amenity to the city of Rio Rancho, and I think it’s a tremendous use of tax dollars for the citizens of Sandoval County that it benefits, and I encourage people to go out there and walk along the trail. It’s actually a nice trail to walk along, assembling all of this property in this area. Now, we are codifying it as open space,” said Rio Rancho Mayor Gregory Hall.

The current space, called Black Arroyo Wildlife Park, is already open for the public to follow along the trails and walk across the bridges. Black Arroyo is one of six arroyos SSCAFCA manages. Moving forward, SSCAFCA plans to request state and federal grants to upgrade the area, adding benches, vegetation, and shade along the trails.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KRQE NEWS 13 - Breaking News, Albuquerque News, New Mexico News, Weather, and Videos.