As Corrales enters 2025, the village is set for a year of progress, advancing key projects and initiatives while preparing for elections that will shape its leadership and future, aiming to balance growth with preservation.
The Village is moving forward with plans to continue work on the fire suppression system, improve roads and open a new fitness center in the coming months. Longer-term goals include expanding the sewer system, developing Salce Park, and collaborating with state transportation officials on pedestrian safety improvements.
The Village Council is also set to consider important policy decisions early in the year. These include adopting a comprehensive plan that has been in the works for years and will shape the village’s future, whether to designate Corrales as an Arts and Cultural District and finalizing a noise ordinance.
“I think the comprehensive plan is probably one of the most important things we could address,†Village Councilor Mel Knight said. “The people that worked on the comprehensive plan, they’ve been in the village a long time and all love the village and they wanted to get a document that reflected what the villagers want.â€
Early this year, the council will likely approve the long-awaited comprehensive plan — a 10-year blueprint for the village’s future. The seven-member Comprehensive Plan Committee, formed in 2023, developed the plan by conducting over 50 interviews, hosting multiple meetings and distributing a village-wide survey.
Their efforts identified six core community values and goals — access, sustainability, community, diversity, heritage and creativity.
According to Mayor James Fahey, the Planning and Zoning Commission reviewed the comprehensive plan again during a work-study meeting on Jan. 15, following the initial review on Dec. 11.
“They’re going to go through that again and take care of any language that conflicts with ordinances and take out any mandates, which I believe the attorney has already done,†Fahey said. “Then it’s going to come before the council. We’re hoping on (Jan.) 28 because the ACD (Arts and Cultural District) is coming up for a vote on the 28th unless the council decides to put it off a little longer.â€
In October, the council unanimously voted to delay approving Corrales MainStreet’s Arts and Cultural District Cultural Economic Development Plan until the Jan. 28 meeting. This decision ensures the Comprehensive Plan Committee has time to complete the 10-year plan and align the ACD with it.
Legislative priorities
The 60-day session of the Legislature begins Jan. 21.
According to Fahey, the village’s main legislative capital outlay priority is finishing the fire suppression system. The village requests $1.885 million of funding to run a pipeline along Angel Road.
The project will connect to a half-million-gallon water tank and integrate with the existing system, expanding water availability throughout Corrales, south of the Harvey Jones area.
Fire Chief Anthony Martinez said the village will build the tank using a $500,000 New Mexico State Fire Protection grant and capital outlay funds. The project will link fire suppression water lines across the village and support installing a sprinkler system to combat Bosque fires.
According to the mayor, road work is another major part of the village’s legislative priorities. The village is asking for $1.3 million for shovel-ready road projects on Coronado Road and Reclining Acres Road.
Knight said she wants to address flooding issues on the west side of the village, where poor drainage has caused problems in the past.
“We haven’t had heavy rains in recent years, but before that, some residents on the west side were flooded out,†she said.
According to Fahey, the third legislative priority is funding for public safety equipment, which amounts to about $1 million and encompasses vehicles and gear for the police department, a transportable rescue ambulance, and a squad fire Emergency Medical Service unit.
“We have other things on our list that we would like to get some funding for,†Fahey said. “But they’re smaller amounts and these are the priorities that we’d like to deal with.â€
Councilor Stuart Murray said that he wants more electronic speed limit signs on major collector roads to promote safety for equestrians, pedestrians and bicyclists. The village has already installed two signs on La Entrada and one each on East and Upper Meadowlark Lane.
Murray said he wants to add a cover for Top Form Arena, similar to the one built by Bernalillo County. While not a high priority on the legislative list, the cover would serve multiple purposes, including sheltering animals during weather events and supporting equestrian and agricultural events. The request is on the Infrastructure Capital Improvement Plan (ICIP) list, but it is not a top priority.
Murray also proposed setting aside 5% of the village budget for the ICIP list.
Infrastructure and other projects
Some projects the village is looking to start this year include the sewer line extension, developing Salce Park and the interior drain and renovating Corrales Elementary School.
According to Fahey, the village is planning a sewer line project requiring “big-time funding.†Currently, the village’s funding for the project is from the Clean Water Revolving Fund line of credit to cover a preliminary engineering report, which is in progress. A $500,000 grant is expected to fund the project’s design.
The village renegotiated the report after the initial cost estimates were too high. Once the report is complete, the village plans to move forward with the design and seek additional funding for construction.
The project involves installing a single sewer line along Loma Largo. Connections will be added after the construction is complete, and the line will eventually connect to Albuquerque’s sewer system.
The Interior Drain project is converting the 1.9-mile Interior Drain into a greenway featuring trails, wildlife habitats and recreational areas. The project aims to balance ecological preservation, public accessibility and safety.
Input from the community is influencing designs that might incorporate land art, fire suppression mechanisms and easily maintained natural areas.
The Salce Park development plan aims to create a low-maintenance open space with exercise trails and seating areas for mountain views. The village has applied for a phased 50% matching grant to fund the project. The design includes pathways, designated horse parking, and a 2.6-acre pond for drainage management.
Murray said he wants to hire an on-call architect to design projects for Salce Park, the Interior Drain, and the Gonzales and Anderson properties, which the village previously purchased. The village also needs to decide how best to utilize the two parcels.
Other key updates for the New Year
The Corrales Siphon remains a major project stalled due to ongoing discussions over property rights and easements. The siphon, critical to local farmers, has faced significant delays, including a year-long wait for electricity. While the siphon isn’t expanding, it will be run under the existing wooden siphon. The Sandia Pueblo and the Bureau of Indian Affairs raised concerns over land use.
“We’re really not in the loop, it’s more MRGCD (Middle Rio Grande Conservancy District) and the Pueblo, the Bureau of Indian Affairs,†Fahey said.
The MRGCD will hold a meeting Jan. 30 at Black Mesa Casino to discuss the Corrales Siphon project with farmers and irrigators.
Corrales Elementary will begin a $42.3 million transformation in March, turning the school into a K-8 facility. The renovation will include modern classrooms, outdoor spaces, and a local-inspired design. Construction is expected to wrap up by 2027. Major work, including the demolition of the 1950s building, will take place during the summer.
The noise ordinance may be updated this year, rekindling debate on the highly contested issue within the village.
Discussions have included linking regulations to time of day rather than decibel levels, though no changes have been proposed yet. According to Fahey, a previous council and mayor opted against investing in noise enforcement equipment and training due to high costs.
At a Nov. 12 meeting, a community group urged stricter noise regulations, highlighting health risks and the need for enforceable standards. Their recommendations included noise evaluations during site plan reviews, permitting for amplified sound, and civil penalties. The council plans to continue deliberations on potential updates in 2025.
“Nothing has been decided,†Fahey said. “Nor has any change in the existing ordinance been proposed at this point.â€
The recreation center’s fitness gym, located in the old gymnasium, is expected to open by the end of January. According to Fahey, the village has hired a manager, and equipment is already in place. Final preparations include finalizing the fee schedule and setting up security measures that are being worked out.