Jackson Hole, Wyo.-The Bridger Teton National Forest (BTNF) wants to know how much of its prime Cache Street real estate it should sell, and what configuration would optimize the revenue it can generate from the sale of a portion of the 15.3-acre parcel it owns.

The BTNF, the General Services Administration (GSA) and a third-party firm have invited real estate agents, architects, marketers and engineers to meet at Snow King February 17 to give feedback on what portions of the parcel are most desirable. Anyone can attend the meeting, but must first sign up on the website, Jacksongatewaynorth.com.

Though some potential buyers and bidders may be present at the forum, no contracts are up for bid and no land is for sale at this meeting, said Ronald Freudenheim, the Jackson Gateway North project manager for Thompson, Cobb, Bazilio and Associates. His firm is assisting the GSA in facilitating the sale of the land on behalf of the National Forest Service (NFS). Freudenheim said the land might be for sale by next fall, but the approval process will move slowly. 

“The Forest Service is trying to decide which parts or parcels they want to keep, and which part or parcel they want to sell, and where on the overall site they might build their replacement administration building,” Freudenheim said.  “Each of those scenarios has a different result in terms of what the private sector might buy, and what they might be able to do with it. … What the forest service is trying to do is find a balance that balances their interest with the communities interest, and at the same time results in the best value for the government.”

Up to 11 acres of the 15.3-acre parcel located between North Cache Street and the National Elk Refuge could be sold, and all of that sale money will be retained by the BTNF and put towards new administrative offices, warehousing, fire control infrastructure and employee housing, BTNF land planning staff officer Michael Schrotz said. 

The various potential configurations will remain secret until 9:15 a.m. Tuesday morning. Schrotz said the options reflect a wide range of possibilities, including one option where no property at all will be sold. 

Before the options are revealed, presentations by Mayor Mark Barron, Town Planner Tyler Sinclair, private land use experts and forest service representatives will frame the discussion and provide insight into how a developer might legally use the land, and what obstacles they might encounter in doing so.

Louise Lasley, public lands director for Jackson Hole Conservation Alliance, said she hoped the agenda would include more discussion of the environmental impacts that different development scenarios for the property could generate, but has not seen time for that reflected on the agenda.

Schrotz said those environmental concerns would be addressed.

Districts within the Intermountain Region of the NFS have raised about $4.1 million so far from the sale of lands under the FSFREA act, which was passed by congress in 2005 and allows the sale of NFS administrative lands in order to raise maintenance funds.

The entire 15.3-acre Cache parcel has an estimated market value of $30- to $50-million. However, only 11 acres of that are up for sale. 

Critics say those land values are now lower, and the weakened economy makes it an irresponsible time to sell public land because of deflated real estate values. Some critics have ethical objections to selling public land at any time. 

Last October, BTNF received feedback from valley residents saying they would like to see the forest service develop its new offices and employee housing on the Cache parcel instead of a mostly undeveloped 80-acre parcel on Nelson Lane, BTNF spokesperson Mary Cernicek said. PJH