Rezoning of residential areas in the town of Jackson has now begun. For those that like their neighborhoods as they are, be vigilant. Pay attention and let your voices be heard. Liking your neighborhood doesn’t mean you can keep it. Just ask the folks in East Jackson. Homeowners in the Gill Addition had to fight hard against mega-growth and appear […]
A waterpark on the Snake? The Snake is designated a “Wild & Scenic” river. News flash: Waterparks are neither wild nor scenic. But a local group is busy arguing just that, claiming their waterpark is a proper use. Wisely, county commissioners voted down their proposed waterpark in a 3-2 vote. Unfortunately, it’s far from dead. A group of kayakers wants […]
Budgeting basics are still beyond the grasp of our local government agencies. Parks & Rec estimated it could build 21 units of affordable housing for its employees for $5.6 million. They had some money, but needed $2.9M in SPET funding to make the project go. Now it turns out the $5.6M they budgeted won’t cover even half the true cost. […]
Have you noticed Save Historic Jackson Hole’s new ad campaign? The “ads” are meant to look and read like informational news columns. Columns that tell an alternative side of today’s big issue stories. We hope the community continues to stay engaged and thirsty for information on matters that concern our valley and its future. Here is the Other Side of […]
It can be tough to get the answers you want. But town and county officials have figured it out. Get the right consultant. The technique was perfected on the Comp Plan, five-plus years of getting it ‘just right.’ A decade ago the first Comp Plan consultant held an open meeting with a huge audience at the Episcopal Church. He brought […]
Are the Good Guys winning? In some places they are. And they’re waging a fight for all of us. If they lose, the “Last of the Old West” dies. They’re fighting the ‘Bigger and Grander’ folks who’ve lawyered-up and hired their consultants. They’re after big-time growth with a capital-G; more, always more. It’s playing out right now on the Village […]
No one loves a study more than Jackson/Teton County. When faced with critical issues of the day, we love to throw money at a lip service solution: The Study. Stakeholder groups are formed, public open houses are scheduled, and thousands upon thousands of dollars are spent on a plan to look into the situation. Plans that are rarely put into […]
Recent news articles lauding approval of the new apartment complex on Broadway (90 units) and the groundbreaking on Hidden Hollow residential neighborhood (168 units) are ‘feel-good’ headlines for some— especially those in need of housing. But there are valid reasons why others disagree. Why, in fact, the majority of voters in Jackson and Teton County shoot down subsidized housing every […]
We are blessed with incredible riches in wildlife and scenery. But our recent stewardship of those riches has fallen short. There was a lot more respect for our treasured natural resources in decades past. Occasionally, local citizens groups have stepped up where government has failed. A few years back, moose road kills on then Village road were taking a horrendous […]
If you are like most people in town, you are probably mystified as to why we keep approving gigantic hotels and other big-growth developments. Why, when we have such overcrowding issues already? Our streets and highways are already clogged with traffic. There are hundreds of low-paying jobs with no one to work them because of a tight housing market. We […]
