By Jesse Jones
Corraleño artists took center stage at the April 8 Village Council meeting, expressing disappointment over the surprise rejection of the Arts and Culture District plan and urging officials to reconsider the proposal.
The meeting also included updates on infrastructure projects, legislative news from Rep. Kathleen Cates, a liquor license transfer and discussed proposed changes to municipal lot size regulations.
“When I hear that a small group of very loud voices defeated this bill, it makes me very angry,” Marianne Snow said. “So many people have worked on this. The Village needs it, people want it.”
Many residents said they were caught off guard by the Village Council’s 4-2 vote on March 25 to reject the controversial Arts and Culture District proposal from Corrales MainStreet, pointing to the council’s earlier decision to table the issue until the Comprehensive Plan was reviewed.
Village Councilor Zachary Burkett, who brought the Arts and Culture District vote forward, said he apologized for any confusion surrounding the vote and acknowledged being surprised by its rejection.
“I do think that there is a pathway to look at this through the lens of the comprehensive plan in the future,” Burkett said. “I still think it’s a great idea.”
Burkett said he recognized the need for a balance between residents seeking quiet and those working in the arts and despite differing opinions, everyone shared the goal of improving Corrales.
“There’s different flavors of what we want, but we all want the same thing,” he said.
At the Corraleños Forum, residents, including artists and business owners, voiced support for the ACD and the funding the Village could have received. Some called the council’s decision “astonishing” and “appalling,” while others said they felt “disenfranchised” and unaware that the ACD was on the agenda.
Opponents spoke out in favor of the council’s decision, citing concerns about growth, community character and input. They urged councilors not to revisit the ACD proposal.
Speaking in opposition, former Village Councilor Fred Hashimoto said a group of residents, some of whom are involved in Corrales Stay Informed, have been actively engaged, attending meetings and gaining knowledge. He pointed out that the ACD vote had appeared on every agenda since Jan. 28, and that finalizing the comp plan was not a prerequisite for the vote.
“We are not a small group,” Hashimoto said. “We are the tip of an iceberg.”
Hashimoto argued the ACD wasn’t a true economic development plan, calling it “hardly a plan” at all. He criticized its focus on developing and revitalizing the neighborhood, commercial, or mixed-use zone and highlighted its major flaw: the public, especially residents in that area, were not considered stakeholders and were excluded from the planning process. There was no open dialogue, he added.
Village Councilor John Alsobrook and Mayor James Fahey urged the Village to stay civil, avoid minimizing differing opinions, and prevent divisions. They emphasized the importance of respecting all views and maintaining unity.
“We all want the same things,” Alsobrook said. “We’re all here for many of the same reasons; we have different ideas about the best paths to achieve those, and that should not be the source of division that it’s become. Neither opinion needs to minimize or trivialize the views of the other side.”
Fahey reminded councilors and residents of U.S. Senator Cory Booker’s recent filibuster on the Senate floor.
“As [Booker] said, it’s time to approach our differences civilly with respect, to reach a consensus of what is best for the citizens of our country,” Fahey said. “We cannot throw away 250 years of history. As we say in the Pledge of Allegiance, indivisible with liberty and justice for all. It may be time for all of us to follow the late John Lewis lead and get into some good trouble.”
Rex Funk said during public comment, ¡Viva Corrales! was intended as the signature event to meet state requirements for the ACD, with support from 24 organizations. Angela Gutierrez, executive director of Corrales MainStreet told the Corrales Comment, the event was developed to showcase all the organizations and businesses in Corrales, primarily for residents to learn about what the village has to offer.
Jenn Noel, president of the Corrales Society of Artists, said they are gathering signatures to bring the ACD back for a council vote, with over 100 collected so far.
Village Clerk Melanie Romero said Corrales MainStreet can revise the plan and resubmit it if they choose. According to Gutierrez, Corrales MainStreet plans to wait for the Comprehensive Plan to be approved and wants to address questions or concerns from residents and councilors before bringing it back to the council.
In other meeting news
State Rep. Kathleen Cates of Rio Rancho gave a legislative update to the council, highlighting funding for Corrales projects, including fire and police equipment, a new dispatch center and infrastructure upgrades.
She said she and Sen. Cindy Nava will offer a more detailed update April 19.
According to Cates, she got 10 bills passed, eight of which have been signed, with several focused on water. She also cited a New Mexico Tech study warning of a 25% drop in water supply over 50 years and said recent legislation supports water reuse, aquifer mapping, stormwater management and efforts to address PFAS contamination and non-functional turf.
Corrales-related projects funded through capital outlay, according to Cates:
- Fast-tracked purchase of fire apparatus
- Fire suppression system construction
- Police equipment and vehicle upgrades
- New rescue ambulance
- Fire station construction
- Southern Sandoval County Arroyo Flood Control Authority (SSCAFCA) project to address water runoff from the mesa
- Sandoval County dispatch center, which Corrales will use
- Ramp project near Loretta Drive and the river to allow safer northern turns, improving access for horseback riders—though not in Corrales.
Water-related initiatives also funded:
- $13.5 million from the Public Project Fund for drinkable water, infrastructure and cultural sites
- Strategic Water Supply Act funding for brackish water projects
- $19 million for statewide aquifer mapping
- $4 million for additional brackish water research, including a project in Cuba
- New Mexico Finance Authority Water Project Fund, totaling around $380 million, and the PFAS bill, signed into law, support efforts to address microplastic contamination.
According to Deputy Fire Chief Tanya Lattin, the Village received a $203,753.50 Land and Water Conservation Grant for Salce Park.
The grant will fund upgrades, including parking improvements, an ADA walking path, and architectural design, with $125,000 allocated for design, cost estimates, and public outreach.
The match requirement is $104,002.22, mostly in-kind, and efforts are underway to minimize cash match costs. The grant will also provide cost estimates for well rehab and a potential fire tank but won’t directly fund those projects.
Also, the council discussed a liquor license transfer from Frontier Mart to Jay Schoenbaum, noting a previous incident involving a sale to an intoxicated person. Schoenbaum clarified he was purchasing the license and would operate the business. He committed to implementing compliance training and ensuring responsible alcohol service.
In another discussion, the village proposed changing the code to allow smaller-than-one-acre municipal lots for public uses like fire access or retention ponds. The change would also prevent building homes on those lots. Some councilors raised concerns about the vague terms “governmental entity” and “utility,” worried it could lead to misuse or commercial development. The proposal will go through more legal review before the council votes.
Get involved
The next Village Council meeting is at 6:30 p.m. April 22 at the Village of Corrales Council Chambers, 4342 Corrales Rd.
Future Agenda Items:
- Rep. Kathleen Cates and Sen. Cindy Nava Town Hall – 4/19, 11 AM–1 PM
- Comprehensive Plan Review – 4/22
- Budget Workshop – 5/8, 2 PM
- Appeal of SUB 25-02 – 5/13, 5:30 PM
- Discussion on Noise Ordinance Changes – TBD
- JPA for New Emergency Call Center – TBD