"M" is for 'band aid'; Dynia's party walls raise eyebrows

Thursday, January 10, 2008

By Jake Nichols

Jackson Hole, Wyo.-Even Chief Joseph knew when to punt. He marched the Nez Perce 1,300 miles in 100 days in a tactical retreat still taught and studied in military academies today.

Faced with the upcoming overhaul of the Comprehensive Plan, Land Development Regulations, and Planned Mixed-Use Development tool, the council opted to retreat. On February 1-2 they will make their last stand at Spring Creek Resort to regroup, recharge and refocus.

Definitive action may be needed concerning the town’s attitude toward the growing nemesis known as condo conversions. Three such beasts currently wait on approval as the council tried to find its feet after botching Eric Bedford’s Virginian Condominiums application.

“[That] one went through because we made a mistake,” Bob McLaurin admitted. “Our communication is not what it needed to be and I accept the blame.”
At issue is the protocol of “condoizing” properties and the tightening of some potential loopholes in the process. Communication between departments has left developers in a holding pattern, the public antsy and Planning & Zoning commissioners all saying they need some direction.

Melissa Turley said she would at least like to see condo conversions come to a final development plan approval stage with the council – something Bedford was able to sidestep.

Bedford put the blame on the commissioners themselves for not being up to speed. “You had four workshops and not one person from the planning commission ever attended any of them,” he said. “That may be why there is some disconnect here.”

“I don’t think the planning commission understood the timeliness of it. You don’t put it at the bottom of the list,” said Bob Lenz in reference to a recent workshop on condo conversions which left nothing decided because no one could agree on how to order a life safety issue with a side of tenant protection in something called Section 6400 and subsequent subsections. It gave commissioners such a migraine they let Abe Tabatabai make a motion that no one at the council meeting could unravel, save Tabatabai, who had the good sense to be absent Monday night.

Audrey Cohen-Davis agreed that time was a factor. Developers were lining up to get their mitts on a condo conversion application.

Then Mayor Mark Barron waived the white flag. “Can we instruct staff to stop accepting applications on condo conversions until we get this resolved?”

“That would require a moratorium on condo conversions,” Mark Obringer said, speaking the dreaded “M” word. The wrecking ball froze in mid-swing. A hush fell about the room but for the pounding fingers of the NAG’s Noah Brenner, who was either relishing the dialogue way too much or enjoying a game of Tetris on his laptop.

“Can we get a legal definition, Audrey?” the Mayor asked the town’s attorney.

The Fountainhead
This was a night where nothing went easy – unless your name was Stephen Dynia. Approval of a Final Development Plan for his 14,820 s.f. office building at 690 S. Highway 89 was granted unanimously after trees were once again bantered about.
Dynia continued his hot hand and doubled down for approval on his play with Pierson Land Works for a Final Development Plan on a four-unit residential Planned Unit Development T-boned to an 88,327 s.f. PMUD next to the library.

The Howard Roark of Jackson dazzled the panel with builder-speak that included phrases that gave brick and mortar a pulse. “The building has an awareness,” Dynia said. “The outdoor spaces will activate the building,” he added. Just when it seemed the building was going to hike up its skirt and fandango down Scott Lane, Dynia mentioned the “party walls.”

“What do you mean by party walls?” Turley asked, envisioning priggish librarians in sturdy shoes suddenly flinging off their glasses, loosening their buns and getting down to Soulja Boy. Dynia explained it was a terminology thing referring to walls between the property’s units.

Not satisfied with letting a project slip through without the mention of trees, Obringer said he confessed he didn’t know where Dynia was going to get Italian cypresses in the middle of winter. “That’s his problem,” Barron snapped. The motion passed unanimously.
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"M" is for 'band aid'; Dynia's party walls raise eyebrows | Planet JH News Article: Council Chronicles

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