CaseStudy JacksonHole

Roundtable Notes: Notes from the afternoon sessions. Participants broke up into small round-tables of 8-10 and discussed 1 of 8 chosen topics of interest in relation to current growth & planning problems around the state. Jackson Hole was used as a case study, other communities such as Pinedale, Sheridan, Rawlins, Lander/Riverton & Rick Springs were also discussed.

1. Affordable Housing: What are key elements to encouraging better and more thoughtful Housing Options, specifically in the affordable and attainable markets.

Change in perception(s) - Nationally the perception of what people think they "need" has to be addressed. Smaller and well designed is better than cookie cutter and too bug. architects need to again be the role-model and be able to quote examples if they have not designed themselves. Be creative and encourage creativity of space, size & locale.

Architects and design Professionals need to encourage:

  • Quality of design, structure & comfort - encourage small is Good!
  • Importance of unique and flexibility to personalize is important
  • Recognize Life Stages
  • Design must address specific needs of residents and location
  • Variety of aesthetics
  • Residents need to recognize the choices & compromises of living in a certain (Jackson-i.e...) place.
  • Go above & beyond required regulations to house employees, help finance down payments, employee housing- offers employee retention as well.
  • Keep asking the question of the need for Ownership and how else can people given "home" opportunities.

Government Officials need to encourage & Structure Planning opportunities

  • Land Use Collaborations
  • Different Levels of Housing - create more steps in ladder to climb affordable categories and more offer more attainable (market driven) opportunities
  • Recognize market changes and be ready to be more flexible in financial categories and no be a part of increased "un-attainableness"
  • Work to change perception of Affordable Housing - "not throwing money away"
  • Encourage commercial developers & employers (including architects) to go above & beyond required regulations to house employees.
  • Include special housing needs that offer diversity and unique quality to a community - i.e. National Forest & other federal employees, teachers, nurses.
  • Also investigate land ownership by federal and special interest groups hat is going un-used and encourage partnerships.
  • Encourage ARU's- accessory residential units
  • Keep asking the question of the need for Ownership
  • Recognize who are your future citizens and plan for it.

2. Downtown (re)Development: How can communities encourage such development, it was the roundtable groups consensus that much of it depends on government regulation and citizen perception and passion.

  • Regulatory Simplification
  • Availability of Utilities access
  • Reasonable Impact Fees
  • Be aware that Construction & Land Costs are an Impediment
  • Encourage citizen involvement, both financially & emotionally invested
  • Provide incentives such as Tax abatement
  • Move toward clarity of vision of community
  • Make the Vision easily Available

3. Mixed Use Development: How can communities encourage mixed-use development, and why is it important.

  • Small Node Commercial/Mixed Use Zones - in Urban, Suburban & Subdivisions
  • Civic/Green Space must be integrated
  • Increased densities within town (urban)
  • introduce more affordable housing opportunities (urban)
  • Encourage development opportunities for services in existing neighborhoods - already walkable; reduces car trips outside of subdivision ( Rural)

What are the Barriers:

  • Political environment
  • Regulations - Zoning, Parking, Densities
  • NIMBI syndrome

Implementation?

  • Re-zoning/Zoning Overlays
  • Pro-Active Conceptual Planning within Private & Public Sectors
  • Education - changing perceptions through Public Forum (i.e. workshops for Government, Businesses, & Public)
  • Inform the benefits - infrastructure costs, walkable neighborhoods, reduces transportation impact, etc.
  • Show Economic Viability - increased property values, increased tax base, business marketing assessment all can be proved by example.
  • The AIA should act as example, teacher and process.

4. Regulations:

  • Do regulations infringe on the right ideas? How can they better protect process/project?
  • Regulations definitely increase over-all cost of a project. If regulatory costs decrease, profitability of project & development increases, which could mean better or "good design".
  • Should offer Green guidelines and incentives to develop sustainable projects
  • Need to be Public Service oriented and then would be perceived as a positive quality instead of a barrier.
  • Increase Public awareness of the regulatory process and perhaps change will follow.  Subjective process must end.

5. Community Character:

  • Less Style - More Function debate!
  • Dual Character -Recognize the experience is different for the local than it is the Visitor (tourist).
  • Encourage unique & intimate experiences - i.e.. Jackson Town Square
  • Recognize how a town will change over time and some adaptation is necessary, but the vision can still be concise.
  • Community First - Resort Second ( i.e.. Jackson)

6. Encouraging Good Design:  Who & What are parameters of Good Design? If its the Architect or design Professional, what can/should be done.                   

  • Define - raise the bar & be aware of constant code reworking
  • Educate - give input to community - freely & lead by example
  • Provide Incentive - use design awards/recognition & encourage LEED, etc as model, tax incentives, recognize FAR & profitability of building.
  • Reward Performance -community design awards, media recognition, fee reductions, permit fee waivers

What is good design:

  • Awareness of the Objective vs. the Subjective
  • Timeless
  • Good design needs a Good Client, but ultimately Good Guidance by the Architect
  • To better define "GD" parties need to understand:

How do you encourage Good Design

  • Encourage Design Committee Review as people are "faster to update" than the written rules
  • Convince Public of Appropriateness of Good Design
  • Design but be "localized" and Site Specific
  • Provide Incentives for Good Design vs. Regulating to Bad Design
  • Encouragement means awareness on all Parties (education)
  • If Government Regulates, Government should Reward
  • Context & Appropriateness
  • Aesthetics
  • Durability/Sustainability as an objective
  • Scale is appropriate
  • User Need/desire is satisfied
  • Quality Execution

7. County Zoning/Rezoning:

  • County Zoning regulations could/should be a means to protect Wyoming's beauty & Health/Safety/welfare of it's citizens
  • For Wyoming counties that do not have regulations in place - The State should provide planning & zoning assistance ( e.g.. State Fire Marshal's Office works with City officials)
  • Architects should be lobbying legislature for minimums/maximums of subdivision development.
  • there should be a state wide overlay for protected corridors; open space, migration, special resources and lands.
  • Construction permits offer a review process specific to locale.
  • Extraction monies should be used to protect the communities they stem from
  • Entire state has a default regulation system, each county should have a zoning system.
  • Organizations such as Sonoran Institute to be enlisted to help lobby for state zoning & development regulations as a protective measure for our states future.


    Please take the time to review the above and forward me any comments, as I may have missed or misinterpreted something...so let me know ASAP.
    Thank you and feel free to contact me at anytime.

    KJ Morris
    AIA Wyoming Executive Director
    kjmorris@aia-wyoming.org