For PMDs sake

Wednesday, June 04, 2008

By Jake Nichols

Jackson Hole, Wyo.-City Council members didn’t look taken aback when Jackson Hole Conservation Alliance director Franz Camenzind made a surprise statement during the opening public comment phase of this week’s meeting. Camenzind, who has been busy coming to the aid of dead wolves, found time to prepare a written statement for the panel.

With moratoriums suddenly in vogue, Camenzind asked the council to consider an immediate moratorium on using the Planned Mixed--Use Development as a development tool. Abe Tabatabai is not the only one who believes the PMD, as written, contains more gray area than Jackson skies this spring. “The tool is so flexible it is undermining. … Its utility as a planning tool should be questioned,” Camenzind said. “People do not want four-story buildings along the main corridor in town.”

The council agreed to consider freezing all PMD classifications for the future until the Comprehensive Plan is finished and, hopefully, better defines PMD. Future meetings will be scheduled and open to public input.

Sake to me
The White Buffalo Club’s new restaurant Club Lespri, along with Planet Palate, scored liquor licenses with unanimous votes. It was a tougher sell adding beer and sake to the Fire Festival, scheduled to take place on the Town Square from June 20 to 21.

The council was interested in how the event would be policed. Chief Dan Zivkovich assured them it would be no more difficult than the Elk Fest or Old West Days. When Mayor Mark Barron asked how large the sake portions would be, event promoter and president of 360 Degrees, Candra Day, said “this small,” pinching her fingers together.
“Sake is a beer, you know,” blurted Tabatabai, king of the non-sequitur.
“I understood it was a type of rice wine,” Day gently corrected the councilman.
“Not the way Abe drinks it,” Barron cracked.

The mayor said he was uncomfortable adding firewater to the Fire Festival, stating he had attended such celebrations and, from what he could see, alcohol played an insignificant role in the Japanese tradition of warding off the evil forces that might want to burn down Snow King. It was agreed that any hooch would be confined to a barricaded section of Deloney.

In other business
Earlier in the day, the city council toyed with the idea of straightening Snow King Avenue. The reconfiguration of one of Jackson’s main arteries would make room for a new bus barn for START in the town’s public works area but would also have team ropers chasing steers down the middle of Snow King Ave.
Fair board members showed up and voiced their displeasure at the idea of relocating the rodeo arena and surrendering up to a third of their grounds. More feasibility study will be needed.

At meeting’s end, Obringer was surprised to see anyone still left in the gallery … until he remembered why.

“There’s gotta be someone here looking to run for council to stay though all those ordinances. I count one, two … five, maybe,” Obringer said. He and Tabatabai are seeking reelection. Ten challengers have declared their desire to sit through exciting ordinance readings every other Monday night.
PERMALINK:
For PMDs sake | Planet JH News Article: Council Chronicles

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