Emergency Services.
For fighting fires, meeting medical emergencies, and providing other services Placitas relies upon the Placitas Volunteer Fire Brigade (PVFB), a Sandoval County agency. PVFB is comprised of local volunteers and provides emergency assistance in a 45-square-mile area. PVFB is always looking for responding and support volunteers. If you are interested in helping them, please call 867-5080.
Burning in Placitas.
Burning in this dry and windy climate is very dangerous and you can be held liable for damages caused by a fire that escapes your control. To find out the latest information regarding burning restrictions call 867-4581 (The Sandoval County Communications Center) and press 2 to hear the recorded message of the current Open Burning Advisory for Sandoval County. Almost any type of burning requires a permit. For additional information about obtaining a permit and learning about the current ordinances call James Maxon at 867-0245 at the Sandoval County Fire Marshal’s Office. An alternative for getting rid of weeds and dead trees is to put them in large garbage bags and place them in your refuse containers or take them to the Sandoval County Landfill (867-0816) located in Rio Rancho at 5501 Idalia Road NE (just west of Highway 528 and 1.7 miles south of the intersection of Highway 528 and SR 550). The Landfill is open Monday through Saturday from 8:00am to 4:00pm.
Post Office.
The small and friendly post office for zip code 87043 is located in Placitas at 652 Highway 165 (867-3460). The hours are 7:30am to 4:30pm. Monday through Friday and 7:00am to 11:00am on Saturday. Another post office is located conveniently close by in Bernalillo at 147 Calle Del Presidente.
Recycling
The Sandoval County Landfill (2708 Iris Road NE, Rio Rancho) accepts most recyclable material (cardboard, plastics, metal, etc.), as well as green waste. Albuquerque has bins for glass and recyclable material throughout the city, such as the southwest corner of the Cottonwood Mall parking lot.
Reflective House Numbers
Sandoval County requires that you display a reflective red and white house number in a position that is clearly visible from the road. It is very difficult to find and identify houses at night. If an emergency vehicle is trying to find your house, a reflective house number literally can be a life saver. As you have probably noticed, when driving around Placitas some houses can be difficult to find even in the daytime. They may be hidden from the road and a number by the front door will be of no use if your house can’t even be located. Thus, a reflective number placed next to the road (on a stone, piece of wood, fence, etc.) is essential. You can obtain these reflective numbers free of charge from the Placitas Fire Brigade. Since the fire station is not normally staffed, call the non-emergency number: 867-5080. Make sure you and your family can be found in case of an emergency.
Sandoval County
Placitas is located in Sandoval County, and the county seat is Bernalillo. In July 2010, most of the County offices (County Manager, Assessor, Treasurer, County Clerk, and Planning and Zoning) moved out of the Courthouse building (771 Camino del Pueblo) and into the new County building at:
1500 Idallia Road, Building D
(adjacent to the Judicial Complex at Hwy 528 & Idalia)
Voting
Before you can vote for the first time after you have moved, you must register with the Sandoval County Clerk. This can be done at an office of the New Mexico Motor Vehicle Department (perhaps at the same time you’re obtaining a driver license or registering your car) or at the Sandoval County Clerk’s Office in Bernalillo. You can also call the Bureau of Elections (867-7574) and have a registration form mailed to you to be filled out and mailed back. After registering to vote, the Bureau of Elections will mail you a Voter Information Card.
Before voting, see articles published in the local papers about the candidates running for office as well as the issues that will be on the ballot in the next election by looking for the following district numbers applicable to Placitas voters.
| US Congressional District | #1 |
| State Senator District | #9 |
| State Representative District | #22 |
| County Commission District | #1 |
| State Board of Education District | #4 |
| Local Board of Education District | #61-3 |
| Public Regulations Commission District | #3 |
Libraries
The Placitas Community Library moved into its new building at 453 NM 165 in May 2010. This library is run by local volunteers only. If you are interested in participating please call them directly at 867-3355.
The Town of Bernalillo Martha Liebert Public Library, located behind the Bernalillo Town Hall at 124 Calle Malinche, Bernalillo, is available to all Placitas residents. Phone is 867-1440.
The Albuquerque / Bernalillo County Library System is available to all New Mexico residents, and has libraries throughout the area.
The Rio Rancho Public Library is available to all New Mexico Residents and has two locations:
| 755 Loma Colorado Drive NE Rio Rancho, NM 87124(505) 891-5013 |
950 Pinetree Road SE Rio Rancho, NM 87124(505) 891-5012 |
Universities
The University of New Mexico (UNM) has a large and wide ranging Division of Continuing Education. Call 277-2527 for information and a catalog of courses.
Automobile Registration, Title and Driver License
Both auto registration and driver licenses are available from two convenient offices of the New Mexico Motor Vehicle Division: In Bernalillo at the Town Hall (867-5171) and in Rio Rancho at 4110 Sabana Grande – one block north of Southern Boulevard.
Auto Registration: In order to register your automobile in New Mexico you will need your present title, present registration, your driver license and proof of insurance.
Driver License: For information call 1-888-683-4636.
Casa Rosa Food Pantry
This outreach program of Las Placitas Presbyterian Church opened August 30, 2008. It provides assistance to families in Placitas in an effort to eliminate hunger in our beautiful Village of Placitas. It is open 9:00 AM to Noon every Saturday, and is located in the pink house east of the Presbyterian Church. Donations needed are non-perishable food as well as personal care items.
Arts
The Placitas Artists Series presents nine concerts each year in the Las Placitas Presbyterian Church. Each concert includes a juried show of four different visual artists and a reception.
The Placitas Studio Tour is held each year on Mothers Day weekend. Fifty Placitas artists open their studios to the public.
Eastern Sandoval Citizens Association
Eastern Sandoval Citizens Association (ES-CA), established in 2011, monitors local, county, and state activities and report those activities to its members. When major issues and candidate positions that may affect our community are identified, the association’s non-partisan positions are determined by electronic polling of members, and an appropriate response is implemented.
Plants and Gardening
Our arid climate and high altitude takes some adjustment for those used to gardening in other parts of the country. In addition to your neighbors, you can get some excellent help from:
- Sandoval County Master Gardener Program
Hotline: (505) 867-2582 - Sandoval County Extension Office
711 S. Camino del Pueblo - New Mexico State University Cooperative Extension Service: Yard and Garden
The Albuquerque Bernalillo County Water Utility Authority (www.abcwua.org) publishes an excellent document, Xeriscaping: The Complete How To Guide. You can get a copy at the Sandoval County Extension Office, 711 S. Camino del Pueblo, Bernalillo.
Rattlesnakes and Pets
Here is a very useful brochure, “Rattlesnake Bite Prevention and Treatment for Your Pets“.