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1) Expect
a long haul as Comp Plan hearings resume • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 1) Expect a long haul as Comp Plan hearings resume After its June 29 meeting, it looked like the Teton County Planning Commission was going to ask that the draft Comp Plan be sent back to planning staff with a list of recommendations for revisions that would increase the draft’s chances of protecting Jackson Hole’s wildlife, open spaces and community character. (Click here to read their recommendations.) However, at the next meeting on July 9, the county planning commissioners decided not to send the draft plan back to staff to rework. In a separate 3-2 vote, they decided to proceed with a joint review of the current draft with town planning commissioners. Concerns about a split town-county review process apparently outweighed concerns that problems with the draft were beyond the scope of the public hearing process to fix. (Click here for a rundown of all the recent Comp Plan meetings.) As it stands now, town and county planning commissioners have committed to holding public hearings on the draft plan from 5:30 to 9 p.m. each Thursday (tentatively through early November) in the county commissioners’ chambers, 200 S. Willow. They held the first of these on July 30, when they reviewed the vision statement and overall structure of the plan, decided to delay discussion of the draft’s future land use maps, and identified areas where needed data was missing. Here are the items expected to be discussed at the next three meetings: (UPDATE: On August 4, the August 6 hearing was cancelled, due to a lack of quorum, so the following topics have all been pushed back a week.) August 6: Remainder of the draft’s Community Vision Chapter, Theme One (Promote Stewardship of Wildlife and Natural Resources) and Theme Two (Managing Growth Responsibly) August 13: Theme Three (Uphold Jackson As Heart of the Region) and Theme Four (Meet Our Community’s Housing Needs) August 20: Verbal public comment will likely be taken on the planning commissioners’ recommendations regarding Vision, Theme One and Theme Two. Additional themes are also likely to be discussed. The review process is going to take some working out. Right now, to be included for consideration, written comments for each meeting’s discussion topics must be submitted by 9 a.m. one week prior to the meeting. (Visit www.jhalliance.org/library.htm#comments for links to the Alliance’s detailed comments submitted to date.) At each Thursday meeting, planning commissioners will make recommendations on the topics on the agenda, and set the agenda for the meeting that’s two weeks away. Each Friday, the commissioner’s recommendations are supposed to be posted at www.jacksontetonplan.com, where comments on those recommendations must be submitted online within one week. (Written comments may also be submitted via email to Jeff Noffsinger at jnoffsinger@ci.jackson.wy.us or Alex Norton at anorton@tetonwyo.org, or in person at the town or county planning offices.) Verbal comments on the planning commissioners’ proposed recommendations won’t be taken until two weeks after they’re made, meaning there will be a two-week lag between the time commissioners finish discussing a topic and when they hear public comment on their recommendations regarding that topic and then vote on them. This process also means the planning commissioners will be trying to accomplish a great deal in 3.5 hours each Thursday night, since by the third meeting they’ll also be voting on recommendations from the first meeting. It remains to be seen how feasible this will be. Meanwhile, the Conservation Alliance will continue its work to advocate for a Comp Plan that will actually protect Jackson Hole’s wildlife, natural resources and quality of life. We’re also holding weekly informal discussions on the Comp Plan for interested community members each Tuesday through the fall, starting August 4, 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. at our office, 685 S. Cache St. Also, the Jackson Town Council and Teton Board of County Commissioners are scheduled to get an update on the Comp Plan review process during their joint information meeting on Aug. 3, 3 p.m., commissioners' chambers, 200 S. Willow. Please check back for updates. Background information on the Jackson/Teton County Comprehensive Plan is available at www.jhalliance.org/issuescompplan.htm.• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • (Back to top) 2) County commissioners to vote on moratorium extension August 18 Since the Comp Plan process is taking longer than originally thought, on August 18, the Teton Board of County Commissioners is scheduled to discuss and vote on a resolution to extend a moratorium on large residential subdivisions (now in effect through August 31) to December 31. While our community figures out how to plan for responsible growth, this temporary freeze provides relief from development pressures that could otherwise compromise the process. At the time of the moratorium’s adoption in May 2008, the county was facing upzone proposals that could have put about 1,000 more homes in South Park alone. The Comp Plan can’t protect something that’s already gone. Please voice your support for extending the moratorium on August 18, 9 a.m., county commissioners’ chambers, 200 S. Willow, or email the commissioners at commissioners@tetonwyo.org. (UPDATE: At the August 18 meeting, the county commissioners unanimously voted to extend the moratorium through March 31, 2010.) • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • (Back to top) 3) Changes coming for Forest Service land on North Cache, Nelson Drive Bridger-Teton officials are proceeding with a plan to put more employee housing at Nelson Drive in East Jackson. They’re scheduled to present a draft master site plan to the Jackson Town Council and Teton Board of County Commissioners on Aug. 3 at 3 p.m. in the county commissioners’ chambers, 200 S. Willow. The Bridger-Teton wants to add about 26 homes at the 80-acre site, which already contains 10 homes. (UPDATE: This discussion was continued to the next joint information meeting, Sept. 14, same time and place.) This effort is part of a larger plan to sell off part of the 15-acre Forest Service parcel on North Cache; forest officials say that the housing project would depend on a successful sale. In Fall 2008, officials said they needed to sell part of the North Cache administrative parcel to raise money to pay for replacing old structures and to build more employee housing. The Alliance’s comments from then are available at www.jhalliance.org/Library/Comments/BTlandsalecomments.11-08.pdf. Basically, we’re still concerned about the intensity and types of development that could end up at Jackson’s north gateway, and the impacts to wildlife at the Nelson Drive site. This past winter, forest officials said they were holding off on selling, following a March 17 meeting when they asked real estate developers for advice. At that time, Bridger-Teton spokesperson Mary Cernicek said the Forest Service was heeding both the public’s concerns that the current recession could lead to poor prices, and developers’ concerns about the lack of certainty regarding the parcel’s zoning and development potential. But in July, Forest Supervisor Kniffy Hamilton said that a draft environmental assessment encompassing plans for North Cache and Nelson Drive will be ready for public comment in late August or early September. We’ll keep you posted.• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • (Back to top) 4) Other Bridger-Teton news MANAGEMENT PLAN -- In late 2008, because of legal wrangling over federal national forest planning rules, Bridger-Teton officials decided to amend the forest’s 1990 Plan Standards and Guidelines rather than continue with a revision of the entire plan begun in 2005. Those lawsuits appear to be drawing to a close, but meanwhile we’re still waiting for word on when the Bridger-Teton will release a draft EIS on 200 pages of amendments to the 1990 plan and begin taking scoping comments. The release was expected this summer; please check back for updates. ENERGY DEVELOPMENT -- Air monitoring and analysis requirements have delayed environmental studies on the Eagle Prospect/Noble Basin Master Development Plan (aka Hoback Wells) and on contested leases on 44,720 acres in the Wyoming Range yet again. The new expected times for release of these draft environmental impact statements are December for Hoback Wells and January 2010 for the contested leases. (See Coming Events below for information about an August 12 field trip being offered to inform participants about energy development issues on the Wyoming Range.) OZONE POLLUTION -- The Upper Green River Valley Coalition, Citizens United for Responsible Energy Development and others recently filed a petition with the Wyoming Environmental Quality Council that asks the council to increase protection from ozone pollution in Sublette County. Energy development in this county just southeast of Jackson Hole has resulted in high levels of ozone and associated health risks. For information on how you can add your voice to those calling for more stringent ozone standards for Wyoming, please visit www.jhalliance.org/Library/Alerts/2009/OzoneStandards.8-09.pdf.• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • (Back to top) 5) Comments sought again on Yellowstone winter use rules In July, the Obama administration announced a two-year temporary plan to cut back the number of snowmobiles allowed in Yellowstone National Park from 720 to 318 a day. The proposed rule would also limit snowcoaches to 78 per day, require snowmobilers to use guides and the cleanest-running machines available, and require the park to develop a long-range plan regarding winter use within the next two years. The National Park Service has worked on developing such a plan for more than 10 years now. Differing plans and lawsuits filed by groups opposing and supporting more snowmobiles in the park have left the public unsure what to expect from year to year. Right before Yellowstone opened last winter, a Wyoming district court judge’s ruling allowed 720 snowmobiles a day in the park. At the time, park officials were trying to complete a temporary plan on which the one above is based. That effort was in response to a Washington, D.C., district court judge, who threw out a September 2007 “final” plan that allowed 540 snowmobiles a day. The Conservation Alliance believes that excessive snowmobile use in Yellowstone is detrimental to the park’s wildlife and habitat, and to the experience of nature. The National Park Service is taking public comments on the new plan until Sept. 8. The rule and comment forms are available at www.regulations.gov/search/Regs/home.html#documentDetail?R=09000064809fa1b8.• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • (Back to top) 6) Alliance kicks off Friends of Franz Fund To honor Franz Camenzind, who ended his 13-year stint as executive director on July 30, the Conservation Alliance has created the Friends of Franz Fund as part of our endowment fund to perpetuate his legacy. Details about the fund and how you can help fulfill Franz’ dream to see Jackson Hole protected forever are available at www.jhalliance.org/joinendowment.htm, or contact Lisa Rullman at (307) 733-9417 or Lisa@jhalliance.org. • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • (Back to top) 7) Coming Events Each Tuesday, starting August 4, through the fall Saturday, August 8 Sunday, August 9 Wednesday, August 12 Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, August 12-14 Tuesday, August 18 Wednesday, August 19 Wednesday, August 19 Thursday, August 20 This second of three hikes along the boundaries of the town of Jackson will focus on the National Elk Refuge. Join refuge manager Steve Kallin, refuge program director Lori Iverson and the Alliance’s public lands director Louise Lasley in an easy hike on August 20 to discuss issues that occur because of the shared boundary between the Town of Jackson and the refuge. The remaining hike on August 27 will look at the Teton County border and conservation easements. Please contact Louise Lasley or Heather Mathews at (307) 733-9417 or info@jhalliance.org for more information. Thursday, August 20 Sunday, August 23 Sunday, August 23 Thursday, August 27 Tuesday, Sept. 8 Saturday, Sept. 19 • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • (Back to top) 8) Valley Voices “Speak your mind, even if your voice shakes.” • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • Alliance Action is a publication of the Jackson Hole Conservation Alliance. The Conservation Alliance is a nonprofit, 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to responsible land stewardship in Jackson Hole to ensure that human activities are in harmony with the area’s irreplaceable wildlife, scenic, and other natural resources. We’re located at 685 South Cache Street in Jackson, Wyoming. Our mailing address is P.O. Box 2728, Jackson, WY 83001-2728 and our phone number is (307) 733-9417. If you'd like to sign up to receive our monthly Alliance Action via email, please click here. |
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