Development News for Jackson, Wyoming

Planning Commission Debates LDR Amendments on Housing, Short-Term Rentals, and Building Design

The Planning Commission discussed proposed amendments to the Land Development Regulations (LDRs) aimed at addressing development impacts. Four key topics were presented: changes to the two-for-one workforce housing bonus, third-story step-back requirements, short-term rental regulations, and basement regulations. For the workforce housing bonus, options for a sliding scale incentive based on affordability levels were discussed, with a consensus leaning towards maintaining the current two-for-one ratio for workforce housing and increasing incentives for more affordable units. The commission also debated limiting the use of the two-for-one bonus to 30% of a project's floor area and restricting its application in certain zones (DC1, DC2). For short-term rentals, a proposed 30% cap on short-term rentals within lodging overlay projects was discussed, but the commission expressed hesitation due to a lack of clear goals and potential unintended consequences, ultimately leaning against the cap as proposed. Regarding third-story step-backs, options to increase the setback from 10 to 15 feet or offer a 20-foot setback with a larger allowable encroachment were presented, with the commission favoring options that increase setbacks. For basement regulations, the commission agreed with staff's recommendation to postpone action on groundwater impacts pending further study of the Mogul Hotel development, while generally supporting the idea of counting habitable basement floor area against maximum building size, with discussions on potential exceptions for storage and parking.