With so many contentious issues being discussed, it was inevietable that there would be a little extra passion at Rio Rancho’s city council meeting on Wednesday.

Sandoval County Commissioner Jack Thomas and Mayor Michael Williams had a heated exchange with District 6 councilor Marilyn Salzman.

The issue stemmed from the approval of the master plan for La Plazuela de Sandoval. Several residents of Vista Entrada, an upscale neighborhood northwest of Idalia and NM 528, spoke against the development.

Plans for the development include high density apartments, often characterized by the Vista Entrada residents as low-income housing.

The residents argued they had not been informed about the development when they bought their homes, only learning about it in recent months.

The property is partly in Salzman’s district and she said that she was not properly informed of the development either.

“Commissioner Thomas, did you talk to any of the councilors that you see here tonight or in the past that made up this joint powers agreement,” Salzman said.

Williams interjected and said: “I can answer that for you, Councilor Salzman. It was myself as councilor for District 1 and Councilor (Howard) Balmer for District 4.

That drew an angry rumbling from the crowd before Williams told Salzman that the agreement was reached in 2002 (two years before she was elected).

“I don’t want to have a conversation with you on this,” Salzman said to Williams. “I want to have a conversation with the people who have the answers. I asked my question”

“And you got your answer,” Williams said.

“And I have never been briefed by anybody that sat on this commission, okay,” Salzman said. “If you spoke to me, then you tell this room filled with people that you had a conversation with me in the four years that I’ve sat in this seat. I guess you can’t.”

That’s when Thomas, who had earlier briefed the council on the project and the neccessity of it, claiming it was going to be a class outfit, jumped to the podium and told Salzman: “I never talked to you about this.”

“That is correct,” Salzman said.

“How many things have you put in Rio Rancho that you talked to me about?” Thomas asked.

At that point, several voices in the audience began to interrupt and Thomas and Salzman began yelling over top of each other, only to be gaveled down by Williams.

“Excuse me, there is a point of order,” Salzman said.

“There is a point of order,” Williams said. “There will be no personal attacks, period.”

“I’m not … I just asked a question,” Salzman said.

The master plan was approved 4-1, with Salzman dissenting. Delma Petrullo was absent.

“The master plan is flawed,” she said. “There are no answers. The biggest i mpact is traffic.”

In another contentious issue, the city voted 4-1 with Salzman dissenting to approving amending special use zoning.

Now, developers do not have to submit a site plan when having property zoned to Special Use.

Planning and Zoning Director Rob Anderson said the rule change does not reduce the scrutiny any project will receive and that the change is more consistent with Albuqureque’s ordinance.

Several residents spoke against the rule change.

District 6 hopeful Alonzo Clayton said the rule change opens a “Pandora Box” for all the development community and land scalpers.

“The residents will not have the opportunity to know what is being put on that property until it is built,” he said.

Ron Blood argued that Albuquerque is not a good model to use and the city did not provide the information in ample time. He said an informed citizenry was not asked to be a part of the changed ordinance and they should have been.

Salzman, who is up for re-election in District 6, said developers should submit a site plan before they go for a zoning change.

“A site plan isn’t engraved in stone, but people need to know if there is going to be a gas station, strip joints or restaurants,” she said. “Tell the people up front. What are they hiding or are they simply getting a rezone so they can flip the land.”

The change to the zoning requirements stems from the controversial land rezoning at Willow Creek Road and NM 528.

In November, the council approved rezoning two adjoining sites, a 2.49-acre parcel owned by City Center Industries, and a 1.51-acre parcel owned by Shillelag LLC from residential to special use, even though the developer did not have a site plan.

The rezoning was later rescinded until the rule could be changed.

The council plans to rezone the land at its next meeting.