The Summer of Our Discontent
What a summer. I love this season in Jackson, but between the smoke, drought and fire risk, rising number of COVID cases, worsening housing crisis, and record visitation that now well exceeds our capacity to accommodate it, this one is not my favorite.
Unprecedented Visitation in Greater Yellowstone
I joined with two old friends, Dennis Glick and Randy Carpenter, to write a column in Mountain Journal.
It is a call to action for the Greater Yellowstone region, to wit:
Only with a wide-ranging, ecosystemwide, collaborative effort can we preserve and restore what we value about the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. It’s time to act and to do so as one regional community and as a single ecosystem.
Mountain towns all over the West are experiencing unprecedented visitation and rocketing housing prices, driven by in-migration from cities all over the country.
We need to make it a priority to protect and restore the quality of life and economic balance in response to this intense pressure for rapid growth and change. Stay tuned for specific policy suggestions.
Read Our Mountain Journal Column
Mule Deer Migration from Red Desert to Hoback (and Beyond!)
I am delighted that Governor Mark Gordon appointed me to serve on the Sublette Mule Deer Migration Corridor Local Area Working Group, representing Teton County.
This advisory group is asked to provide our thoughts on the opportunities and risks that affect the Sublette (a.k.a. Red Desert to Hoback) Migration Corridor designated by the Governor’s Executive Order on wildlife migration corridors.
Here’s information from the University of Wyoming on the science behind this mule deer migration corridor.
This 11-member group will work quickly – finishing before October, starting with a two-day meeting in mid-August.
Please let me know if you have questions or comments on this effort. Look for an update in the fall.
Opportunities for Public Comment
Teton County is holding a few opportunities to comment on important projects this week.
Capital Projects
The first is the opportunity to learn about and comment on several important county or joint town/county capital project proposals, including:
Size and functions of the new climbing gym. Voters approved a climbing gym with the recent SPET measure for the recreation center. Now is the opportunity to provide comment on the ideal size of the gym. Many climbers are advocating for 10,000 square feet, rather than the proposed 7,200 square feet.
Master plan for Wayne May Park, including tennis courts and a dog park. Tennis enthusiasts are advocating for a few covered year-round tennis courts.
Capital improvements to the Wilson Boat Ramp. Now is the time to comment on river access and conservation with the long-awaited plan to renovate the Wilson Boat Ramp.
Capital improvements and environmental mitigation adjoining Spring Gulch Road at Cattleman’s Bridge.
Workforce and affordable housing initiatives, including the department’s exciting pilot project to preserve existing homes as workforce housing. The Housing Preservation Program is an important new pilot program to provide more workforce housing, without relying exclusively on building new apartment buildings in an already crowded valley.
The open house format event is from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. both today (Tuesday, August 10) and Wednesday, August 11 at the Recreation Center gym.
Management and Protection of BLM Parcels Along Snake River
Teton County is also providing an opportunity for the public to comment on efforts to protect 14 scattered parcels totaling about 1,000 acres along the Snake and Gros Ventre Rivers. The Bureau of Land Management manages these parcels; however, the BLM plans to dispose of them since their closest employee is in Pinedale.
My goal is to ensure that these parcels remain protected from development and are well managed for wildlife protection, ecological values, and public access.
The public comment period is open until Friday, September 3, 2021.