Rio Ranchoans will have multiple opportunities to express their opinions on how the City of Vision should develop.

City officials are hosting three meetings to collect public comments on updating its Vision 2020-Integrated Comprehensive Plan.

The first meeting is from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m., Saturday, at Ernest Stapleton Elementary. The second meeting will be from 6 to 8 p.m., Nov. 17, at Sandia Vista Elementary and the final meeting will be from 6 to 8 p.m., Nov. 19, at Maggie Cordova Elementary. The comprehensive plan was established in 2001 to help guide land use planning and community development. As part of the city’s strategic plan, and due to growth and change that has occurred in Rio Rancho, an update to the comprehensive plan is being facilitated to manage and guide development.

According to the Mid-Region Council of Governments, Rio Rancho’s population is expected

to double to 160,000 by 2030.

At the public meetings, city staff will review existing conditions and trends in Rio Rancho, and ask for feedback on how applicable the preferred land use scenario and development policy components of the comprehensive plan are today and going forward.

"We’ve been trying to ensure we have open government and that the public has input on the direction on the way the city grows both in the short term and long term," said Mayor Tom Swisstack. "This is an opportunity for the public to solidify their vision on where our city should be going."

The mayor explained that the Vision 2020 plan will be used as a long-range, living document, guiding the city over the next 20 years. Meanwhile, the strategic plan, which was adopted in March, breaks the Vision 2020 plan into three-year increments.

A draft plan will be presented in the spring and the city plans to have a final document complete in the fall of 2010.

Rio Rancho District 1 City Councilor Mike Williams was instrumental in developing the original Vision 2020 plan in 2001.

"It’s used as a guideline for the development of the city for the future and it’s a living document; that’s why it needs to be updated again," he said. "As we know, time goes on, things change. Hopefully, we can tweak it, update it and get it set for 2050."

Some of the major developments the city has seen or will see include Cabezon Subdivision, the extension of Paseo del Volcan from Iris to US 550, development along Unser, Southern and US 550, two major hospitals, the University of New Mexico West and Central New Mexico Community College.

The goals of the plan include: examining current development policies to ensure that they reflect the vision of the community; examining the current land use scenario to ensure it reflects the vision of the community; reorganizing the plan to make it more clear, concise, and user-friendly — while remaining a thorough and comprehensive document.

District 1 Utilities Commiss-ioner Chuck Wilkins said he’s concerned about the availability of water.

"The big thing is what their thoughts on water and pumping permits are," Wilkins said. "We need to look at pumping permits and conservation."

Wilkins, who operates a Farmer’s Insurance Agency on Northern Boulevard, also wants more done to help small businesses.

"What are they going to do for small businesses?" he said. "It’s crazy. I see they’re giving away millions to the hospitals and Hewlett-Packard. I don’t see anything happening for small businesses."

The updated plan will be organized into elements, which will effectively guide land use planning through its associated development policies.

The elements include: land use; population and housing; public facilities and services; transportation; parks, recreation and open space; physical and natural environment; urban design; and economic development.

The comprehensive plan can be viewed at the city’s Web site, ci.rio-rancho.nm.us/vision2020.

For questions about these meetings, please contact the Development Services Department at 891-5005.