Palindrome Communities v. Village of Los Ranchos de Albuquerque

Robles, Rael & Anaya, P.C. successfully represented Palindrome Communities in a complex land use dispute involving the Village Center Project, a mixed-use development in Los Ranchos de Albuquerque consisting of affordable housing and commercial retail space.

Following a prior ruling involving alleged violations of New Mexico’s Open Meetings Act, the Village sought a temporary restraining order, preliminary injunction, and permanent injunction to halt construction of the development. In response, Palindrome filed its own petition seeking injunctive relief to prevent a Village trustee from participating in future quasi-judicial proceedings involving the project based upon demonstrated bias and an inability to act impartially.

After a multi-day evidentiary hearing, the Second Judicial District Court granted Palindrome’s petition in part by permanently enjoining the trustee from participating in future quasi-judicial actions concerning the development. The Court determined that the trustee’s prior public statements and actions demonstrated an inability to remain impartial in matters involving the project. At the same time, the Court denied the Village’s request to halt construction, concluding that the balance of equities favored allowing construction to continue while the parties worked through the remaining approval process.

The ruling preserved the continued development of the Village Center Project while reinforcing the importance of impartial decision-making in quasi-judicial proceedings. Robles, Rael & Anaya’s successful advocacy enabled its client to continue construction while working with the Village to address remaining regulatory requirements.