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1) End
in sight for planning commissioners’ review
of draft Comp Plan • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 1) End in sight for planning commissioners’ review of draft Comp Plan In June, the Teton County and Town of Jackson planning commissions listened to the public’s concerns and decided to not revisit votes taken during the past year’s worth of hearings on the Themes and Policies section of the draft Comp Plan. Instead, the planning commissioners ended up submitting individual lists of what each considers to be “inconsistencies” in the newest draft that was released on May 7. A composite list is available by clicking here; it will be submitted to the Teton Board of County Commissioners and the Jackson Town Council when they begin their as yet unscheduled joint review of the draft plan. The planning commissions are set to meet again jointly on July 1, 5:30 p.m., 200 S. Willow, to review the draft plan’s administration chapter, which is the last chapter in the Themes and Policies section of the draft. They’re also expected to discuss whether they can pass along just this portion of the draft to elected officials without the accompanying 65-page Future Land Use Plan section, which has yet to be reviewed. Since the FLUP section was meant to make the draft plan more predictable and to provide concrete guidance for future land development regulations and land use decisions, this is a big question. In brief, the Alliance believes that the Comp Plan must have a component -- whether it is some form of the Future Land Use Plan or concrete language added throughout the Themes and Policies section -- that will bring increased predictability and provide for enforceable policies to uphold our community’s priorities. (For our more detailed comments on this matter, please click here.) This month’s Comp Plan discussion is set for July 13, noon at the Alliance, 685 S. Cache, and everyone is welcome. As always, the Alliance will continue to work for a plan that will preserve and protect our ecosystem, wildlife, natural resources, quality of life and community character in a sustainable and predictable manner. Click here for links to all of our comments on the Comp Plan revision. Click here for recaps of all the Comp Plan hearings; for background info, click here. (UPDATE: Good news from the July 1 hearing -- the planning commissioners wrapped up their year-long review by working out a way to forward just the Themes and Policies portion of the draft plan to the Jackson Town Council and Teton Board of County Commissioners, along with a recommendation that after the electeds complete their review of that section, they then ask the joint planning commissions to review the Future Land Use Plan section. (This approach should avoid the wasted effort of revising the FLUP twice in the event that the electeds make major changes in the Themes and Policies section.) The planning commissioners also voted to recommend that the electeds wait to adopt the revised plan in its entirety until after the planning commissioners finish reviewing the FLUP. Hopefully, this admittedly lengthy process will result in a new Comp Plan that will include some teeth to back up its goals, which is what our community has been asking for since the revision began more than three years ago. Meanwhile, it's still unclear just when the electeds will begin their review. Planners say they won't be able to finish tweaks to the draft and changes to its last two chapters (sustainability and administration) until this fall. They estimate that the electeds won't get the draft plan until sometime between October and the end of the year. Since this is an election year, which could result in significant changes in the makeup of both the Jackson Town Council and the Teton Board of County Commissioners, we expect that voters will want to find out how the candidates stand on the new plan. The Alliance's next magazine, due out in September, will include a Comp Plan Q&A with the winners of the August primary election. The message that the electeds and candidates need to hear is that while the newest Comp Plan draft is an improvement over the second draft that came out in April 2009, much more work still needs to be done to make it better than our current Comp Plan and to ensure that it includes the policies needed to protect Jackson Hole’s irreplaceable wildlife, scenery and community character.) • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • (Back to top) 2) Traffic at south, west ends of town challenges planners More people and vehicles on the road lead to more demand for more and wider roadways. According to the Wyoming Department of Transportation, more than a quarter of the state highways in Teton County are slated for reconstruction and expansion in the next 10 years, which is bound to affect both our wildlife and quality of life. Along with raising awareness of the factors that increase demand for expansion, the Alliance is working for transportation solutions that uphold our community’s priorities, such as protecting wildlife and rural character, while ensuring motorists’ safety. Here are some of the items we're monitoring: TRIBAL TRAILS CONNECTOR: Public hearing to be conducted by Teton County Planning and Development, July 1, 6:30 p.m., Jackson Hole High School cafeteria, 1910 High School Road. (This hearing on the “Northern South Park Planning and Environmental Linkage Study -- Purpose and Need Statement” was originally scheduled for June 22. The document is available by clicking here.) The Tribal Trails Connector is a proposed new road that would link the northern part of South Park Loop Road to Hwy. 22, roughly paralleling the bike path southeast of the entrance to Teton Science Schools. For years now, Jackson and Teton County have discussed building this road, which would allow vehicles to bypass the “Y” intersection of Hwy. 22 and Broadway. Review of the “Purpose and Need” document is the next step toward making the connector a reality. Recent studies have indicated that this connector could relieve existing and future traffic congestion at the Y, but modeling for the studies may have been based on inaccurate growth projection numbers. (Modeling is only as good as the assumptions on which it’s based. Since our community is still discussing questions regarding growth as part of our ongoing Comp Plan revision, the assumptions for development patterns in South Park may well change.) To avert this cart-before-the-horse situation, the Alliance believes that before any decisions are made about the Tribal Trails Connector, specific recommendations for traffic improvements in the South Park area should be based on our upcoming new Comp Plan. Another concern is that the streets the connector will link to are not designed to carry other than local neighborhood traffic. We also believe problems with the Y intersection should be addressed before building new roads in the area. Written comments on the study are due to the county planning office at 200 S. Willow by July 14. The Alliance's comments are available by clicking here. Questions? Contact Kristy Bruner at Kristy@jhalliance.org or (307) 733-9417. “Y” INTERSECTION: Related to the above, also on July 1, 8 a.m. at the County commissioners’ chambers, 200 S. Willow, Jeff Brown of the Wyoming Department of Transportation is scheduled to present WYDOT’s recent traffic modeling of the Y intersection. MELODY RANCH GRAVEL OPERATION: Teton Board of County Commissioners hearing, July 6, 9 a.m., 200 S. Willow. On May 24, the Teton County Planning Commission voted to recommend approval of Melody Ranch Investments’ application for a special use permit to allow them to operate a level-one gravel operation independently from the Melody Ranch Planned Unit Development. (The commissioners did attach 35 conditions to this approval, including limits on operation dates and times.) County commissioners will consider the application on July 6. The Alliance’s concerns include factors such as the original intentions of the Melody Ranch approval process, the wildlife and scenic values of the site, and the future gravel needs of the county -- especially with looming highway work (see item on Jackson South below), which will require gravel and lots of it. Our preliminary comments on this application are available by clicking here. “JACKSON SOUTH” HIGHWAY FINAL EIS DELAYED AGAIN: Wyoming Department of Transportation officials now say that the final environmental impact statement on the expansion of Hwy. 26/89/289/191 from south of Jackson to Hoback Junction may not be released until late summer. (It was expected in May.) The draft EIS proposed two disappointing 5-lane alternatives in this 7-mile section of road and it’s unlikely there will be any pleasant surprises in the final EIS. From the time this project was first raised many years ago, the Alliance has opposed making the highway five lanes wide, given the impacts it would have on wildlife and community character. (We have supported a modified 3-lane alternative.) Moving forward, the Alliance will work to ensure that the best possible wildlife mitigation measures are incorporated into this project’s design. We’ll also continue to question the need for a 5-lane highway throughout this section and to explore other options. Please check back for updates.• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • (Back to top) 3) Other community planning news In addition to the above items, the Alliance is monitoring many other town and county planning matters. Here’s a partial roundup, but please bear in mind that all meetings are subject to change. Call the Town of Jackson at (307) 733-3932, Teton County at (307) 733-8094, or reach Kristy Bruner at Kristy@jhalliance.org or (307) 733-9417 for confirmation. Also, this list isn’t exhaustive, since many meeting agendas aren’t finalized until shortly before the meeting takes place. Check back or visit www.ci.jackson.wy.us and www.tetonwyo.org for updates. If you’d like to comment on any of these items, contact information for all local public officials is available at www.jhalliance.org/takeactioncontacts.htm. JOINT INFORMATION MEETING: Town of Jackson and Teton Board of County Commissioners, July 12, 3 p.m., County commissioners’ chambers, 200 S. Willow. Normally held the first Monday of each month, this month’s JIM is delayed a week due to the 4th of July holiday. The meeting’s agenda, which includes discussion about the proposed lodging tax, the possible relocation of the Bridger-Teton headquarters (see item #4 below) and the Comp Plan revision, is available via www.tetonwyo.org/minutes. (UPDATE: The morning of July 12, the Bridger-Teton item was postponed to the August 2 JIM.) Please note the change in location from last month. From January through June, the JIM meetings are held at Town Hall and from July through December they're at the County commissioners' chambers.) TOWN'S AUTO-URBAN RESIDENTIAL ZONING DISTRICT: Continuation of a June 21 Jackson Town Council workshop is tentatively set for July 19, 3 p.m., Town Hall, 150 E. Pearl. Town councilors will continue their discussions regarding proposed zone changes that would allow accessory units within the auto-urban residential district to be sold separately (essentially as condominiums) to independent owners. (One single-family residence and two accessory-residential units are allowed on single lots in this district, but current regulations stipulate that all three structures must be owned by one owner.) Since the A-R zone is currently a source of affordable rentals for the local workforce, there's concern that this change could inflate housing prices. Also, this zone covers a large portion of downtown Jackson and the timing of possible changes before the new Comp Plan is finalized is also a concern. For links to the Alliance’s comments, please click here. UPDATE ON THE NATURAL RESOURCES TECHNICAL ADVISORY BOARD (FORMERLY KNOWN AS THE ENVIRONMENT COMMISSION): On June 14, 10 months after first considering an environmental advisory board, the Jackson Town Council and Teton Board of County Commissioners jointly approved a resolution to create one. As approved, the board will be appointed by town and county officials, and will consist of up to nine volunteer members having expertise in environmental fields or planning. County and/or town elected officials will decide what issues the board considers -- a departure from initial proposals that the group be self-directed. Teton Conservation District staff will provide support and the electeds have chosen Tom Segerstrom of the district to serve as the board’s chair for the first three-year term. Basically, the board will interpret existing science on the health of the area’s ecosystem, identify data gaps, analyze existing policy and work with planning staff to improve policies and policy-making, but only as directed by the electeds. While this falls short of the originally proposed intent for the board to assess our ecosystem’s overall health, consider cumulative impacts of development and be free to set its own research priorities, we hope that its role will evolve as time goes by. RIVER CROSSING UPDATE: On June 1, the Teton Board of County Commissioners voted 4-1 to approve plans for the River Crossing Church expansion, which allows buildings with a combined total size bigger than Albertsons in the Rafter J residential neighborhood. Several commissioners said they felt they had little choice but to approve the proposal because records of past approvals regarding River Crossing's development plans were unclear and the county regulations governing such development aren't clear, either. This highlights the need for more explicit land development regulations for our community -- regulations that will actually uphold community priorities as well as increase predictability for decisionmakers, the public and landowners.• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • (Back to top) 4) Help keep the Bridger-Teton headquarters in Jackson The Conservation Alliance has been working with the Jackson Hole Chamber of Commerce, Protect the Putt-Putt, Save Historic Jackson Hole, Teton County Housing Authority and other groups and individuals to find ways to keep the Bridger-Teton supervisor’s office in Jackson, plus help the B-T figure out how to fund needed new facilities and employee housing without selling off public lands. Please join us on July 15, noon at the Alliance, 685 S. Cache, when Michael Schrotz of the B-T will fill us in on new developments regarding the possible relocation of the S.O.’s office and the proposed sale of up to 10 acres of public land on North Cache. These include a recent announcement by regional forester Harv Forsgren that the Forest Service may consider putting a deed restriction on the property that could rule out a “big box” store on the site. Contact Louise Lasley at (307) 733-9417 or Louise@jhalliance.org for more information. Background info on the land sale is available by clicking here. Also, the Jackson Town Council and Teton Board of County Commissioners are scheduled to discuss this matter during thier joint information meeting on July 12, 3 p.m. at the County commissioners chambers, 200 S. Willow. (UPDATE: The morning of July 12, the Bridger-Teton item was postponed to the August 2 JIM.) In other Bridger-Teton news, officials are hosting an open house on the proposed "Teton to Snake Fuels Management Project" on July 13, 6:30 p.m. at the Old Wilson Schoolhouse Community Center in Wilson. This project is intended to reduce the danger of forest fires next to residences from Teton Village south along the Fish/Fall Creek Road corridor to Snake River Canyon. Call (307) 739-5424 for more information. • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • (Back to top) 5) Find out what’s happening with Hoback Wells July 15 On July 15, the public’s invited to join a day-long field trip to the site where Plains Energy plans to develop a 136-well natural gas project near Bondurant. This full-field industrial development known as Hoback Wells is slated for the heart of the Noble Basin, a pristine roadless area southeast of Jackson Hole in the Wyoming Range of the Bridger-Teton National Forest. (A draft environmental impact statement for this project is expected later this summer.) Because the project is located on valid leases issued prior to passage of the Wyoming Range Legacy Act, these lands are not protected from energy development. The outing will include discussion about the project and its impacts on (and possible mitigations for) wildlife, groundwater, air quality and recreational values. Trip leaders from The Wilderness Society and Wyoming Outdoor Council also plan to cover lease-retirement options and possible alternatives in the draft EIS. Participants will meet at 8 a.m. at the Smith’s supermarket parking lot for carpooling. For more details or to RSVP, contact Steff Kessler at (307) 332-3462 or Stephanie_kessler@tws.org.• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • (Back to top) 6) Elk refuge, bike path topics of July 20 Alliance meeting The Conservation Alliance’s Public Lands Committee will meet at noon on July 20, at the Alliance office, 685 S. Cache, and all are welcome to attend. Lori Iverson of the National Elk Refuge will update us on the bike path being built next to the refuge and the irrigation project currently going full blast on the refuge itself. Please bring a bag lunch and catch up on these and other public lands issues throughout the valley. Contact Louise Lasley at (307) 733-9417 or Louise@jhalliance.org for more information. • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • (Back to top) 7) Sign up for Forest Planning Rule listserve Forest Service officials say they’re still looking for more public input as they develop new rules that will determine how and for what purposes our nation’s forests will be managed for years to come. This means that we still have the chance to tell them that we want the health and vitality of wildlife and their habitat to take precedence over extractive uses, such as energy development, mining, logging and grazing. Information about the process and how you can get involved is available at http://fs.usda.gov/planningrule or you can now sign up to receive periodic email updates at www.fs.fed.us/news/pr-listserv-subscribe.html. The officials say they expect to finalize the proposed rule and draft environmental impact statement during August and September. The documents will then be reviewed by the Office of Management and Budget, as well as other federal agencies before publication in December, followed by a formal public comment period. Hopefully, this process will result in a new plan that will remove uncertainties about how to approach forest planning -- uncertainties that have stalled revisions to the Bridger-Teton National Forest’s 20-year-old management plan. • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • (Back to top) 8) Wildlife updates WOLVES: On June 2, 2009, a coalition of conservation groups (including the Alliance) represented by Earthjustice filed suit in U.S. District Court in Montana against the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for its March 2009 decision to remove wolves in Montana and Idaho from Endangered Species Act protection. On June 15, U.S. District Judge Donald Molloy heard oral arguments in the case and expressed doubts that the Endangered Species Act allows Fish and Wildlife to remove federal protection of wolves in those states, while keeping protections for wolves in Wyoming. (Fish and Wildlife’s own stated policy is that wildlife populations must be considered by region, and that a state-by-state approach to delisting wolves is not permitted under the Endangered Species Act.) It’s not known when Molloy will make a ruling, but please check back for updates. Background info is available by clicking here. BEARS: As of July 1, many Teton County residents and businesses outside the Town of Jackson are now required to store their garbage in bear-resistant containers or enclosures, and to abide by regulations regarding bird feeders. For details on these rules meant to reduce human-bear conflicts, visit www.tetonwyo.org/AgencyHome.asp?dept_id=pdplan and click on the links under the “Bear Conflict Priority Area Maps” heading.• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • (Back to top) 9) Get ready to VOTE! The primary election is August 17, and those candidates who support a wild and beautiful Jackson Hole will only advance to November’s general election if you vote for them. Early registration to vote in the primary closes at 5 p.m. on July 19 at the Teton County elections office, 200 S. Willow; absentee ballots will be available there starting on July 12. Questions? Call (307) 733-7733. Please do your homework by attending the Wyoming Conservation Voters’ Candidates Forum on July 22, 5 to 9 p.m., Jackson Hole Middle School, 1230 South Park Loop Road. Meet your local candidates for Mayor, Jackson Town Council, Teton Board of County Commissioners and the Wyoming State Legislature, ask questions and find out what they stand for. Also, on July 26, 6 to 8 p.m. at Teton County Library, you’re invited to join the Western Wolves Coalition, Greater Yellowstone Coalition and Jackson Hole Conservation Alliance for an evening forum on community advocacy. Learn about different ways to deal with elected and appointed officials, agency staff and other decisionmakers, and pick up pointers on how to get your messages across. One other item -- during the August 17 primary election, voters will also decide whether 11 projects seeking a total of $38 million will get funded by the Special Purpose Excise Tax. (SPET is a 1 percent sales tax earmarked for capital facilities in Teton County.) The Alliance's Grassroots Group is helping to get the word out about a July 15 party publicizing SPET Proposition #6, which asks for $3.79 million to fund energy conservation measures for public buildings. Sponsored by the Jackson Hole Energy Sustainability Project, the event is July 15, 5 to 7 p.m. at Heather James Gallery, 172 Center St. Contact Becky Tillson at (307) 733-9417 or Rebecca@jhalliance.org for more information. • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • (Back to top) 10) Coming Events Thursday, July 8 Saturday, July 10 Saturday, July 10 Saturday, July 10 Tuesday, July 13 Thursday, July 15 Thursday, July 15 Thursday, July 15 Saturday, July 17 Tuesday, July 20 Wednesday, July 21 Thursday, July 22 Monday, July 26 Tuesday, July 27 Friday, July 30 SAVE THE DATES! • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • (Back to top) 11) Valley Voices “Rest is not idleness, and
to lie sometimes on the grass under trees on a
summer's day, - John Lubbock
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 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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