Tell me something new

Wednesday, August 05, 2009

By Henry Sweets

Jackson Hole, Wyo.-A high concentration of dynamic, creative people live in Jackson Hole.

But the prospect of “making it” in the valley chases many away. Owning a home or having a certain career are prevented by a paradox that attracts them: Jackson can’t grow too much because it lies next to one of the most pristine ecosystems in the world.

So here’s this Comp Plan, intended to balance the needs of this growing piece of civilization that will occupy up to 3 percent of the valley, with the nature that will always, barring the collapse of the U.S. Government or nuclear holocaust, be preserved in the other 97.

Over the last few years, I’ve gone to some Comp Plan meetings. Here is a snapshot of the public comment periods: retired or semi-retired folks in their 50s or 60s say pretty much the most predictable stuff you can imagine while real estate assistants in their 20s take notes and representatives of nonprofits and government agencies in their 30s and 40s look on.

The language used is so numbingly boring and“wildlife” and “affordable housing” are pitted against one another while abstract concepts like “neighborhood character” are like fly swatters to new ideas.

I am terminally frustrated by those who say “the community has spoken,” even though everyone knows that entire demographics’ voices have been drowned out: young people, Latinos, families who don’t have time to come to meetings.
I think the no-growth voice is very important but it needs to be seasoned with creativity.

Couldn’t we use our minds (and money) to examine the “struggle” between man and nature and put this community in a position to lead the world in sustainable development, instead of vilifying things like four-story structures as “out of character?”

What about some small, zero-impact cubes stacked upon one another where people share a communal kitchen and rec room?

Find a grant from Obama that will pay unemployed architects and builders to revolutionize affordable environmental living.

But a lot of the people who can generate these ideas are about to be pushed out of town. Maybe someone should ask them what they think before they leave, because a percentag of them will be back. And there is no way to place a higher value on one person’s love for this place over another’s.

During the next few weeks, the Joint Planning Commissions will look at the Comp Plan, and have already showed some promise by mentioning decently radical ideas like transferable development credits and tangible imperatives. Let’s just hope that while they are listening, somebody says something new. JHW


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