Commissioners vote to approve Jackson Fork Ranch rezoning in Bondurant
3-2 vote
by Pinedale Online!
December 10, 2021
A landowner in Bondurant received approval for a zoning change from the Sublette County Commissioners at their regular meeting on Tuesday, December 7th.
Jackson Fork Ranch owner Joe Ricketts and agent Morgan Fischer attended the meeting which was held in the Lovatt Room of the Pinedale Library to accommodate the expected large crowd. The project request was to rezone 56 acres of remote agricultural land to create a guest ranch in the Upper Hoback Basin. The proposal is for eight guest cabins and a 15-20 room resort. The ranch also raises bison and registered Percheron draft horses. The room was standing-room only due to the spaced out chairs and a number attended through the Zoom option. The meeting lasted several hours and many people took the opportunity to speak regarding the project, all opposed. No one spoke publicly in favor of the project, although they were present in the room.
Concerns raised were over potential wildlife impacts, increased traffic, changing the flavor of the valley and community, encouraging more rezoning requests and additional future building in the area, perceived conflicts with agricultural interests, encouraging more people into the nearby forest, possible impacts to the Hoback River, not wanting to become overbuilt like Jackson, and more.
On Nov. 18, the Planning & Zoning Board voted 3-2 against recommending the project rezoning request.
Ultimately, after several hours of listening to all the public comments, a motion was made and the vote was taken. Commissioners Doug Vickrey and Dave Stephens voted against the rezone request. Commissioners Tom Noble, Sam White and Joel Bousman voted in favor, and the motion passed allowing the project to move forward.
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