Council to ink deal for state takeover of Red Rock Park

By Zsombor Peter
Staff Write

GALLUP — After months of negotiations, the city finally has a deal for the handover of Red Rock Park to vote on. The City Council will consider the joint powers agreement which would deed the park to the state Tuesday evening.

By the latest state estimate, the aging park, now owned by the city, is due for at least $10 million in capital improvements. Unwilling to invest that kind of money considering all the city's other needs, the council has been asking the state to chip in for years. But the results have been modest.

Gov. Bill Richardson said he'd approve the millions the city has been asking for, but only on the condition that the city handed the park over. The city and state have been working out the details of a handover since.

The agreement before the council would hand full control of the park to the state. In return, the state would pay for half the park's operating costs lately running between $400,000 and $500,000 a year and 80 percent of the $10 million.

If the state ever wanted to close the park, the city would have the option of taking it back. If the state wanted to sell it to a private operator, it would need the Legislature's approval.

In other business, the council will be hearing a public appeal of the Planning and Zoning Commission's decision to rezone 4.6 acres of land around Church Rock Street for mixed use development.

The Rehoboth-Red Mesa Foundation, which owns the land, wants to develop the area into a neighborhood of two-story buildings with shops downstairs and apartments upstairs. Before it could get started, it needed the city to rezone the land for mixed use development. The Planning and Zoning Commission approved its request Jan. 10.

It did so above the opposition of a handful of area residents who fear the development will attract criminal activity, increase traffic to dangerous levels, lower property values and destroy the general character of the neighborhood. Upset with the commission's decision, a few of them are asking the City Council to reconsider.

The council will also consider a request from the Gallup-McKinley County Chamber of Commerce to make the city the fiscal agent for any state money it receives for the construction of a new building, or, as it's calling it, an economic resource center. The chamber is planning a 7,500 square foot building just west of the Gallup Cultural Center.

Before it does any of that, the council will host a public hearing on a liquor license transfer request.

Marie and Sammy Chioda are asking the city to approve its request to transfer Pal Joey's license to 107 W. Coal Avenue, the old Scoreboard store, where they plan to open a restaurant and sports bar. With the blessing of the Stronghold Church, which sits a block away, the council has already waived a state rule that prohibits a licensed liquor establishment from operating within 300 feet of a church.

The meeting begins at 7 p.m. inside the City Council Chambers.