February 2008 Alliance Action

1) Teton County commissioners give Grand Targhee resort status
2) 500-unit proposal for 288 acres of South Park to get first hearing Feb. 11
3) Cast your vote on Comp Plan options for valley growth
4) Updates on other county and town matters
5) Public meeting on Bridger-Teton supervisor’s office move set for Feb. 7
6) Regional energy development update
7) Wyoming Game and Fish wants comments on wolf conflict regulations
8) Wyoming State Legislature to convene Feb. 11
9) Coming Events
10) Valley Echoes

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1) Teton County commissioners give Grand Targhee resort status

On Feb. 4, the resort-that-wanted-to-be came to be when the Teton Board of County Commissioners voted 4 to 1 on each of the three proposals that gave Grand Targhee official resort status with all its development potential. This includes a build-out of 450 units, 150,000 square feet of commercial space, a sheriff’s station, a medical facility, and an estimated average occupancy of 2,500 to 3,000 people on 120 acres of private land at the end of Ski Hill Road. The resort is completely surrounded by National Forest land and is adjacent to the Jedediah Smith Wilderness Area and only a few miles west of Grand Teton National Park.

The greatest single value of this resort is its location in the midst of some of the most spectacular reaches of publicly owned land in the United States -- land that is home to grizzly bears, wolverine, lynx, elk, deer, moose and a very tenuous population of bighorn sheep. All of these and dozens of other bird and mammal species will impacted in some way by this resort. Wilderness values will be degraded; another piece of what makes this home to the last complete collection of native species was whittled off for private pleasure and profit. The privilege of operating a large, private business within these surroundings comes with a deep stewardship responsibility. The Conservation Alliance will continue to follow the growth of this resort and insist that everything that can be done to protect wildlands and wildlife will be done. Stewardship responsibility does not end with the permit -- it just begins.

Growth of the resort will forever change the community of Alta. It will accelerate the explosion of land values which will in turn stimulate development, converting what is now the single largest agricultural district in Teton County, Wyoming, to residential developments. Much of this will be high-end development that comes with a significant amount of second-home ownership. Second-homes too often mean “dark windows” not communities -- bringing few amenities to the Alta residents wishing to remain on their family lands.

In an attempt to address citizen concerns, the resort owners at this last hearing voluntarily offered to purchase conservation easements on at least 301 acres of land in the Alta area. This addition to the 299 acres of conservation easement land already promised to offset the impacts to public lands is sincerely appreciated, but is deemed by many to be too little, too late.

The decision ends 20 years of debate over the resort’s future, which began with the first proposal to privatize what was then land leased from the Forest Service at the base of the ski hill. The resort’s base land became a private inholding in May 2004 through a land exchange. Shortly thereafter, the owners applied for Targhee to be rezoned as a resort, and to be allowed to develop lodging and associated facilities on their 120 acres. The rest is now history.

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2) 500-unit proposal for 288 acres of South Park to get first hearing Feb. 11

The Teton County Planning Commission is scheduled to hold its first public review of the Teton Meadows Ranch development proposal on Feb. 11, 6 p.m., at the County Commissioners’ Chambers, 200 S. Willow. (DUE TO THE VOLUME OF PUBLIC COMMENT, THIS HEARING WAS CONTINUED TO FEB. 20, AND RECONTINUED TO FEB. 25. THE FEB. 25 MEETING WAS POSTPONED AT THE LAST MINUTE UNTIL MARCH 10, 6 P.M., 200 S. WILLOW.) In August, Sequoia Development submitted an application for a 500-unit development on 288 acres of the Seherr-Thoss property in South Park, approximately six miles from key services. In December, the applicant modified the proposal and is now seeking a zone change from Rural to Planned Unit Development-Affordable Housing. The applicant has also partnered with the Jackson Hole Community Housing Trust to formalize “GAP” units, deed-restricted units that would cost from $440,000 to $740,000. The proposed development’s density remains at 500 units: 75 traditional affordable homes (priced from $94,970 to $265,900), 50 deed-restricted lots, 275 “GAP” homes, and 100 free-market lots. The existing rural zoning allows 50 homes (in a case where 70 percent open space is secured and a density bonus is awarded).

While the Conservation Alliance is always open to reviewing modifications to development applications throughout the planning process, we do not support Teton Meadows Ranch as currently proposed. After a thorough review of the most recent revision of the application, a number of concerns remain unresolved. They include: 1) the timing of this proposal and the community’s Comprehensive Plan update, with particular attention to precedence, 2) the inappropriate level of density for the proposed location, and 3) questionable applicability of the PUD-AH zoning district.

This application is not the first that has raised difficult questions about how to best integrate affordable housing opportunities in Jackson Hole, and we recognize the challenges of such an evaluation. It’s true that South Park has been identified as a logical place for residential housing, but it has also always been identified as an area important for sustaining our rural and historic character defined by significant open space. Replacing a rural designation (the lowest density in our regulations) with a 10-times increase on a large parcel is a big leap to take. Overall, the proposal represents a significant departure from current zoning, fundamental principles of smart growth, and consistent application of affordable housing planning tools.

Given the importance of the Comprehensive Plan update for our community and the ecosystem in which it sits, the Conservation Alliance strongly believes that now is the time for committing to upholding community vision, not making big exceptions that blur it.

We urge you to get involved in this important land-use decision by raising questions and voicing your concerns. For more information, please refer to the Conservation Alliance comments posted at www.jhalliance.org/Library/Alerts/TetonMeadowsComments.1-24-08.pdf, read our fact sheet at www.jhalliance.org/Library/Alerts/TetonMeadowsFAQ.1-25-08.pdf, or contact Kristy Bruner at (307) 733-9417 or kristy@jhalliance.org.

We also urge you to contact the following people with your concerns:

Blair Leist, Staff Planner on Teton Meadows Ranch, (307) 733-3959 or bleist@tetonwyo.org

Teton County Planning Commission: planningcom@tetonwyo.org
Tony Wall, Joseph Palmer, Larry Hamilton, Forrest McCarthy, Paul Dunker

Board of County Commissioners: (307) 733-8094 or commissioners@tetonwyo.org
Andy Schwartz, Leland Christensen, Ben Ellis, Bill Paddleford, Hank Phibbs

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3) Cast your vote on Comp Plan options for valley growth

The Jackson/Teton County Comprehensive Plan update is now in the critical land-use planning phase, during which planners are asking the public to make difficult but necessary choices about future development in Jackson Hole.

At a public meeting on Jan. 30, town and county planning staff asked attendees to vote on four growth scenarios: Wildlife Conservation Focus, Compact Centers and Housing Focus (a scenario most similar to the 1994 Comp Plan currently in effect), Jackson “Town as Heart” Focus and Limited Growth Focus. Each scenario is designed to be an extreme example of the kinds of tradeoffs that valley residents will need to make as they set priorities for the Comp Plan vision. Planners intend to meld the public meeting results, as well as votes gathered in February via the Comp Plan update website and phone and mail surveys, into a hybrid land-use scenario that will most closely reflect the community’s vision.

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4) Updates on other county and town matters

WILSON COMMERCIAL ZONING DISTRICT OPEN HOUSE -- Feb. 5, 6 to 8 p.m., New Wilson School -- In December, the Teton County Planning Commission voted to hold off indefinitely on discussion regarding the Wilson Mixed-Use Village Sub-Area Plan (see the January Alliance Action for details). However, as a follow up, county planners are proposing to create a Wilson Commercial Zoning District. Visit www.tetonwyo.org/plan and click on “Link to Wilson Planning Page” in the Announcement box for more information.

SNAKE RIVER SPORTING CLUB -- At a Jan. 29 Teton Board of County Commissioners hearing, Snake River Sporting Club officials withdrew their proposal to shift from a lodge-based resort to a primarily residential development at the old Astoria Hot Springs when it looked like commissioners were about to vote it down. If commissioners had voted to reject the proposal, the applicant would have to wait a year before resubmitting alternative plans; the withdrawal gives the Sporting Club the option of not waiting to resubmit new plans if they so choose.

5-WAY INTERSECTION RECONSTRUCTION -- On Jan. 22, the Jackson Town Council voted to allow an additional three to five months for further revision and review of proposed changes for the intersection of Broadway, Pearl Ave. and Flat Creek Drive before making its final recommendation to the Wyoming Department of Transportation. Meanwhile, Friends of Pathways has hired outside consultants to work on adding bike- and pedestrian-friendly design elements to the plan to improve this prominent gateway into town.

CONDO CONVERSIONS -- In January, the Jackson Town Council voted for a 180-day moratorium on condominium conversions (exempting commercial conversions). Councilors have also scheduled a special workshop on condo conversions for Feb. 25, 3 to 5 p.m., at the Town Council Chambers, 150 E. Pearl. The Conservation Alliance commends the council for making time to examine their policies on converting apartments to condos and to explore how the consequences of conversions, such as the loss of affordable rental units, can best be managed.

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5) Public meeting on Bridger-Teton supervisor’s office move set for Feb. 7

For well over a year, the Forest Service has been considering moving the Bridger-Teton National Forest supervisor’s office from Jackson to either Alpine, Afton or Pinedale. It was only last August that the community heard about it, and then every indication was that the move was a “done deal.” Now, because of a community-wide outcry, Forest Service officials say the decision is still open for discussion.

Forest Service officials cite the high cost of housing in the valley, the need to construct a new supervisor’s office, and a shortage of funds as reasons for the move. The Conservation Alliance concedes the need for new facilities and that housing is expensive. However, information made public in a recent newspaper article suggests that what the Forest Service really wants is to liquidate some or all of the 14 acres now home to the supervisor’s office under the pretext of acquiring the funds needed to construct a new office and housing for its employees. We wonder if the 50 million dollars the property is rumored to be worth may be seen as a cash cow by higher-ups within the Forest Service. When asked by Conservation Alliance staff if the money was guaranteed to go toward addressing local needs, Forest Service officials wouldn’t even guarantee that the funds would stay within the region, let alone within the Bridger-Teton.

We’re also concerned that the move will disrupt the lives of about 50 management-level employees and their families. These families are neighbors and friends who are fully integrated into the social, professional and volunteer fabric of this community. Also, moving the supervisor’s office from Jackson will likely lead to less cooperation between the Bridger-Teton and the two bordering national parks, the National Elk Refuge, the new Wyoming Game and Fish district office and the numerous non-governmental organizations based in Jackson.

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6) Regional energy development update

Here’s a partial roundup of oil and gas proposals and public lands management plan revisions now underway in the southern Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, including the Upper Green River Valley, where many of Jackson Hole’s wildlife spend the winter.

HOBACK WELLS -- The Bridger-Teton is accepting scoping comments on plans by Plains Exploration (PXP) for a new gas field in the Noble Basin near Bondurant. PXP wants to build 136 or more gas wells on 17 pads in this ecologically sensitive area leased by the company at the north end of the Wyoming Range of the forest. Comments to help officials determine the scope of this project's environmental impact statement are due by Feb. 7. The new EIS will replace one that was to analyze only the drilling of three exploratory wells. About 19,000 people commented on the original EIS this past spring -- almost all were opposed to drilling in the forest. In June, PXP asked Forest Service officials to expand their environmental analysis to a full-field development instead. The company’s CEO has said that he hopes to find natural gas reserves in the Upper Hoback on par with the highly industrialized Jonah Field south of Pinedale. Your comments concerning this proposal are critical. As outlined, the project would disturb at least 400 acres in an area that includes Hoback River headwaters, crucial habitat for threatened species, summer ranges and birthing areas for big game, and important migration corridors for mule deer, elk, moose, lynx and pronghorn. PXP's plan includes building and/or upgrading more than 29 miles of roads in one of the largest backcountry areas of the Bridger-Teton, the 315,647-acre Grayback Ridge roadless area. The proposal also comes at a time when legislation to protect the Wyoming Range from oil and gas drilling is pending in Congress. (Information about efforts to protect the Wyoming Range is available at www.wyomingrange.org.) Please visit www.jhalliance.org/Library/Alerts.HobackWells.1-08.htm for a fact sheet about the current proposal, and for background info, please see www.jhalliance.org/Library/Alerts/HobackWells.8-07.pdf. Email your scoping comments by the Feb. 7 deadline to: comments-intermtn-bridger-teton@fs.fed.us with "PXP Master Development Plan" in the subject line. Or mail them to Greg Clark, District Ranger, Big Piney Ranger District, P.O. Box 218, Big Piney, WY 83113.

MORE WYOMING RANGE DRILLING BACK ON THE TABLE – On Jan. 28, Bridger-Teton officials announced plans for a new environmental analysis of oil and gas leases on 44,700 acres of the Wyoming Range. The leases have been suspended since 2006, when the federal Interior Board of Land Appeals ruled that an earlier National Environmental Policy Act analysis didn’t adequately consider impacts to wildlife and the environment. The public has until mid-March to submit scoping comments on the new study to this address: Attn. Stephen Haydon, Forest Minerals Staff, Bridger-Teton National Forest, P.O. Box 1888, Jackson, WY  83001-1888. Or email them to comments-intermtn-bridger-teton@fs.fed.us.

Interestingly, just days after Bridger-Teton’s announcement, officials with Stanley Energy of Denver proposed a plan to drill on more than 20,000 of the 44,720 contested acres. The company wants to put 181 wells on eight 50-acre well pads in an area west of Merna in the Horse Creek and Beaver Creek drainages.

BRIDGER-TETON NATIONAL FOREST MANAGEMENT PLAN REVISION -- Since 2005, Bridger-Teton officials have been working on a long-range plan to guide energy development and other land-use decisions regarding the forest. But the public part of this planning process has been on hold since last spring, when a federal judge ruled that the Forest Service had to reinstate environmental reviews during the revision of forest management plans. In response, the Forest Service released a draft environmental impact statement in August on the planning process itself, and the final EIS on this federal Forest Planning Rule is now expected later this winter. (The preferred alternative in the draft EIS was virtually identical to the Bush administration forest planning rules the judge overturned last March, so it’ll be interesting to see if public comments saying that this alternative would significantly reduce protective measures, scientific rigor and public input on Forest Service plans had any effect.) In the meantime, Bridger-Teton planners say they’ve been working on “rule neutral” tasks, such as a forest-wide evaluation of current conditions, an economic profile of the forest by the University of Wyoming, and a Colorado State University survey of forest-related values held by local communities. Plan team leader Rick Fox says the products of these efforts will “soon be ready to share in draft form,” and hopes to work on the next stage of relating this information to the forest plan during the next few months. Stay tuned for updates.

PINEDALE ANTICLINE DRAFT SUPPLEMENTAL ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT -- On Dec. 28, the Bureau of Land Management released for public review its revised Draft SEIS for the Pinedale Anticline. Volume I, with 674 pages of analysis and provisions, includes two new alternatives addressing industry’s proposal for year-round and expanded drilling in this 200,000-acre project area in the Upper Green River Valley. The proposal calls for 4,400 more wells, almost nine times the number currently in place, likely drilled at a rate of up to 232 wells per year -- substantially expanding the impacts beyond those originally authorized in the BLM’s 2000 Pinedale Anticline EIS. In addition, the operators want to drill year round and no longer be subject to well-established, seasonal drilling protections for big game and sage grouse.

The BLM plans to hold a public hearing regarding this expansion of the Pinedale Anticline gas field on Feb. 7, 6 to 9 p.m. at the Rendezvous Pointe Center in Pinedale. To review the Draft SEIS, visit www.blm.gov/wy/st/en/info/NEPA/pfodocs/anticline/seis.html. Comments, due by Feb. 11, may be emailed to WYMail_PAPA_YRA@blm.gov (include “Pinedale Anticline SEIS” in the subject line). Or mail them to Attn. Caleb Hiner, Project Lead, Bureau of Land Management, Pinedale Field Office, 1625 W. Pine St., P.O. Box 768, Pinedale, WY  82941.

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7) Wyoming Game and Fish wants comments on wolf conflict regulations

Now that the Game and Fish Commission has adopted Wyoming’s Wolf Management Plan -- and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has approved the plan as well, calling it an “adequate regulatory mechanism” that meets the requirements of the Endangered Species Act -- the next step is setting specific regulations. Through Feb. 14, the Wyoming Game and Fish Department is asking for public comments on regulations to govern how the state would deal with wolf conflicts after wolves are delisted. Specifically, this comment period encompasses two chapters within Game and Fish regulations: Chapter 21, Gray Wolves Designated as Trophy Game Animals, and Chapter 28, Regulation Governing Big or Trophy Game Animal Damage Claims from wolves listed as trophy game.

For Chapter 21, comments on the following are sought: “…(1) provide definitions for terms used in statute and in the regulation; (2) describe the procedure to be implemented for monitoring gray wolf populations; (3) describe the procedure and requirements for lethal control of gray wolves in the trophy game area; and (4) describe the circumstances when non-lethal control of gray wolves may be used.”

The Conservation Alliance has grave concerns with Chapter 21. It establishes the regulations that will enable Game and Fish to issue “take permits” to individuals to kill wolves threatening livestock and it sets the parameters within which the department can kill wolves to protect ungulate herds (deer, moose and elk) from ”unacceptable“ impacts from wolves. It also establishes regulations allowing Game and Fish to kill wolves deemed to be causing “unacceptable” impacts to the department’s winter elk feedground operations. Our concern is that the wording is too subjective and allows for too wide a range of actions.

For Chapter 28, comments are sought on: “…(1) stipulate the process for owners of damaged property to report damages caused by big or trophy game or game birds; (2) provide for the dual classification of gray wolves as either a predator or a trophy game animal depending on their location within the state; and, (3) establish damage payment calculations pertaining to gray wolves (where gray wolves are classified as trophy game animals) causing damage to livestock.

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8) Wyoming State Legislature to convene Feb. 11

The Wyoming State Legislative budget session gets underway on Feb. 11 and is scheduled to continue to March 7. Taking up only budget items, it may seem this session is of limited interest to Jackson residents, but this is far from the truth. Funding for the Wyoming Wildlife and Natural Resources Trust Fund, supplemental funding for the Game and Fish Department and possible funding for wolf management are all on the docket, so there are many reasons for Jackson-area residents to get involved. Good legislation will have poor results if it’s not funded. If we support the programs, we have to make sure they get the money needed to make them work.

For updates on the budget session, calendars, and legislator contact information, please see: http://legisweb.state.wy.us/.

To contact your legislator see: http://legisweb.state.wy.us/email/email.htm, or visit http://www.wyovoters.org/Legislature/LegislatureContact.htm.

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9) Coming Events

Palisades Backcountry Ski
Sunday, Feb. 17, all day
Local backcountry aficionado Dr. Bruce Hayse and Conservation Alliance staff will lead a day trip into the Palisades mountains to explore an area deserving of wilderness designation. This trip is appropriate for fit backcountry skiers. Participants can choose either a tour or an ascent. Touring, telemark or randonee skis are needed. For full details and to sign up, please contact the Alliance office at (307) 733-9417 or info@jhalliance.org. $5 donation suggested.

The Future of the National Elk Refuge -- Info Lunch with Elk Refuge manager Steve Kallin
Wednesday, Feb. 20, 12 to 1 p.m., Conservation Alliance conference room, 685 S. Cache
Policies published in 2007 provided agency managers with clear goals and objectives for managing the Jackson bison and elk herds for the next 15 years. Elk Refuge manager Steve Kallin will discuss the strategies of this new management direction.
Bring a brown-bag lunch; we’ll provide drinks and snacks.

Of Feed and Forage -- Trip to the National Elk Refuge
Thursday, Feb. 21
Don’t miss this unique chance to venture into Jackson’s backyard and experience wildlife closer than ever before. Ride on a National Elk Refuge feed truck to learn more about the elk feeding program from refuge staff. Please note that it can be a rough, cold ride, so dress accordingly. Some restrictions apply -- call us for details at (307) 733-9417. $5 suggested donation.

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10) Valley Echoes

“A snowflake is one of God's most fragile creations,
but look what they can do when they stick together!”

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Alliance Action is a publication of the Jackson Hole Conservation Alliance. The Jackson Hole Conservation Alliance is dedicated to responsible land stewardship in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, to ensure that human activities are in harmony with the area’s irreplaceable wildlife, scenic, and other natural resources. The Alliance is a nonprofit, 501(c)(3) organization.

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