Time for Public Input???

The Planning and Zoning Commission (PZC) continued deliberation for another five hours on 1 July. Don Elliott from Clarion was on speakerphone with them for about an hour. The Wildlife Overlay Committee has provided the lion’s share of the input. Other areas have been addressed including natural resources, transportation, wetlands, hillside overlays, scenic corridors, nutrient-pathogen studies, wildland fire mitigation, and many other topics. Needless to say, the document recommended by the PZC will be very different from the original Clarion Draft.

The PZC Game Plan:

1. 2 July: Provide remainder of recommended changes from the 1 July meeting to Clarion for inclusion in the recommended-changes draft
2. 10 July: PZC receives recommended-changes draft from Don Elliott, Clarion, before he goes on vacation.
3. 15 July: PZC continues their public hearing deliberation by reviewing the Clarion recommended-changes draft with the hope of being able to finalize the PZC recommendations and forwarding this on to the BOCC for public hearing.

So here’s the rub: The BOCC has set this up so the next public hearing will be on the original Clarion Draft as the basic core document. It is the Clarion Draft that the BOCC will give a thumbs up, a thumbs down, or a thumbs sideways (change the document or remand back to the PZC). While the BOCC says they will consider all PZC recommendations, it’s a shame the basic document for the hearing is the original Clarion Draft which generated all the uproar and concern in the community in the first place. When Commissioner Trupp recommended the BOCC withdraw the Clarion Draft as the basic document and have the new PZC improved version become the subject of new hearings, Commissioners Young and Stevenson would not hear of it. Why? It would require another hearing of the PZC and delay the process. When you want something bad, you get something bad—just like when the BOCC wanted the Clarion Draft badly, what did they get? A Draft that appears no one had even read. The PZC has spent many man-weeks fixing this Draft and by all appearances have come up with a much superior document—time will tell, as we have yet to see the final recommendations.

Would it not make more sense for the PZC who has done all the work in correcting the Clarion Draft to get feedback from the public on their work? No one is more familiar with what they have done. The PZC would best understand the comments and would be in the best position to make fixes. If this goes before the BOCC, the PZC would not even be in attendance to hear the public comment on their recommendations. One P and Z Commissioner said it best, “The PZC should have another public hearing to get the blame or the credit for what has been done.”

Who is afraid of more public input?

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post P & Z Continue to Deliberate

The Planning and Zoning Commission (PZC) continued their deliberation last night (26 June) on the Clarion Draft PUD and Subdivision ordinances. The recommended changes they are coming up with are very different from the original draft and for the most part are much better. Jeff Carter is heading up the Wildlife Overlay Sub-Committee which was expanded last week to include some additional biologists. Their input will likely be discussed at the next PZC meeting on 1 July.

The PZC invited the Bureau of Land Management to address the use of the Wildfire Mitigation Map which the Teton County Fire Protection District has stated should not be used as presented in the Clarion Draft. The BLM stated the map was based on valid information and left the impression that there should not be any problem in using it for planning purposes. The PZC failed to recognize the problem in using this or any other overlay is the “shall not” language that is used in reference to building envelopes. While the PZC will likely recommend the overlays be used to trigger additional study, the Clarion Draft, which will be the basic document for the BOCC public hearing, will still have the “shall not” language.

For those who would like more background information, please refer to the following attachments:

1 TVA letter to the Teton County Fire Protection District

2 Fire District Response

3 Fire District Recommendations to the PZC

4 Map 4 - Teton County Wildfire Mitigation, color version(Note: The Clarion Draft, in reference to Clustered Development states: “Shall be located so that building envelopes are located to avoid any lands identified as areas of ‘High’ or ‘Extreme’…” This includes all the red and orange on the map!

I trust the PZC will incorporate the Fire District’s changes in the recommendations that go forward. I hope the BOCC will do the same.

Next PZC meeting to continue their deliberation is scheduled for:
4:00pm, Tuesday, 1 July, at the courthouse.

Stay with us. Nolan and Barbara

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post Emails from Clarion to the Teton B.O.C.C.

Emails:
Emails from Clarion to the Teton Board of County Commissioners

Map:
Wildfire Mitigation Map



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post Is Your Job Tied To This Map?

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Time for Public Input???   Read Article / Make & Read Comments

P & Z Continue to Deliberate   Read Article / Make & Read Comments

Emails from Clarion to the Teton B.O.C.C.   Read Article / Make & Read Comments

Is Your Job Tied To This Map?   Read Article / Make & Read Comments