BOSQUE FARMS — Work on an updated comprehensive plan for the village of Bosque Farms is moving forward.
On March 30, community planner Danielle Wilson, with Sites Southwest, the Albuquerque firm the village is contracting with to update its plan, met with village residents to review preliminary survey results and priorities, and to gather additional public input.
“A comprehensive plan is very important. It’s the guiding document as you build out for the future, guiding how you use money and land, and pursue grant funding,” Wilson told the crowd of nearly three dozen. “It should be in direct support of what the village identifies in its (Infrastructure Capital Improvement Plan).
“There are quite a few federal grant opportunities coming down so you need to have documentation to support your application and make it more competitive.”
Some positive aspects of the village identified in preliminary work on the plan include its mix of residential areas with a good amount of open, agricultural lands, with a commercial corridor on N.M. 47, aka Bosque Farms Boulevard.
“Your (public) facilities are clustered, which gives you great civic spaces for recreational uses,” she said.
Surveys were sent out and available to village residents early this year, and 412 were completed. Key words that stood out in responses included rural, quiet, small and safe, Wilson said.
“People really value the rural quality of Bosque Farms. It’s a place that feels like a village but is close to city amenities,” she said.
One type of development the majority of respondents didn’t want, especially along the boulevard, was high-density housing, such as duplexes, triplexes or apartment buildings. Conversely, the idea of having mother-in-law quarters or casitas on single family home sites was a high priority, Wilson said.
In terms of future priorities, many people indicated they wanted recycling — either a drop off location or home service, youth development programs and facilities, transportation for seniors and more recreation opportunities.
Other priorities included road maintenance, a water feature, such as a swimming pool or splash pad, promotion of businesses appropriate for N.M. 47, such as a grocery store, and the addition of general retail shops.
A swimming pool was the top want for future parks and recreation development, but Wilson said prioritizing projects would be key.
“You have to understand what it takes. Some things can be very expensive and cost a lot in the long term,” she said. “It’s not impossible but if you are choosing “X” what are you giving up?”
Wilson said survey respondents had a lot of thoughts about making N.M. 47 more business friendly, but since it’s a state highway, future development and changes would require a buy-in from the New Mexico Department of Transportation.
In regards to the four acres the village recently purchased to the north of its existing village complex, residents had a wide array of suggested uses, including recreation and playing fields, general open space, public gardens, a dog park, an event venue, an outdoor amphitheater, a gymnasium with an indoor basketball court, a pool or splash pad.
“Recreation was the clear winner,” Wilson said.
Julia M. Dendinger | News-Bulletin photo
Village of Bosque Farms residents review priorities identified in a recent community survey, which will be incorporated into the village’s updated comprehensive plan.
During the meeting, residents identified other needs, including a walking path along Esperanza Drive for children to use on their way to school.
“It’s a ticking time bomb, and it’s only a matter of time before a kid gets hit by a car,” one mother said.
She also recommended the village create opportunities for younger families.
“Things like the winery, to keep us here. We’re all on board for a pool. It might generate revenue. I think Los Lunas people would come,” she said. “We need a multi generational center. We have kids who go to Los Lunas or Albuquerque for sports teams or dance. We have Yucca (Little League) but we need more.”
Another resident suggested a year-round youth group to do clean up and beautification projects be established.
One woman commented that many of the ideas offered by the residents looked “super ambitious,” but a lot of it depended on good communication, “the lack of which is incredible. If you are ever going to have volunteers there needs to be a communication network,” she said.
“I think you have new people in the village and they are trying to figure out how things work. Updating the website with new information would be helpful,” she said. “I was trying to find the calendar for the (community center) and you have to email Rose (Poitras, the community center director) and she will send you a calendar.”
She added the village needs to enforce the codes it has and streamline the building process.
Other priorities voiced by the residents included arsenic abatement on city wells, an update to the sewage treatment plant and a new clarifier for the plant, as well as better services and attention to seniors in need, as well as a comprehensive list of local businesses residents could support to help increase gross receipts taxes.
Wilson said the hope is to have a public draft of the updated comprehensive plan on the village’s website about six weeks after the meeting.
The results from the most recent survey and the comprehensive plan updated presented at the March 30 meeting can be found on the village’s website, bosquefarmsnm.gov. From the home page, click the “Government” icon, then the button labeled “Comprehensive Land Use Plan” to access the PDFs.
Community Meeting Presentation (March 30)
Comprehensive Plan Update Survey Results (2023)
Julia M. Dendinger began working at the VCNB in 2006. She covers Valencia County government, Belen Consolidated Schools and the village of Bosque Farms. She is a member of the Society of Professional Journalists Rio Grande chapter’s board of directors.
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April 18, 2024
