JACKSON, Wyo. — On Monday, Feb. 3, the Board of County Commissioners (BCC) and Town Council considered revisions to the largest proposed affordable workforce housing development to date on 90 Virginian Lane.
The 5.15-acre parcel of land is one of the few large, mostly vacant parcels of land that is zoned for affordable workforce housing in Jackson, per the staff report. Commissioners, Councilors and the Housing Authority discussed the project’s Development Agreement with its developer, Pennrose Properties LLC.
At times during the three-hour long joint meeting, it became heated between Town Council and the BCC as they debated amendments to the project’s construction, housing, sustainable design, transportation, infrastructure and financing. Councilors and the BCC reviewed every single requirement from the project’s Request for Proposal (RFP), which was drafted in 2023, according to Housing Director April Norton.
On Thursday, Feb. 6, Norton shared with Buckrail the main revisions that were made to the Development Agreement.
The legislative body eventually agreed upon 70 ownership homes, which is approximately 31% of the total number of units in the project. The remaining 69% of units are to be rental homes.
Norton explained that the units are discussed in percentages because the total number of buildings could potentially change due to design considerations and parking space. As of now, 226 units have been proposed, 136 of which would be deed restricted for people making 120% to 160% of area median income, according to staff notes.
Town Council and the BCC also made revisions to the size of the two-and three-bedroom units to allow for additional bathroom space. According to Norton, the three-bedroom units will now have two bathrooms instead of just one. Additionally, some of the two-bedroom, one-bathroom units will now accommodate another half bathroom.
Jackson resident Joe Burke, who lives across the street from the proposed housing project, said during the public comment period that he was excited to have the new neighborhood, but he does not agree with its development plan.
“What I am concerned about is the amount of traffic that is going to be generated with this,” Burke said. “The parking with 230 or more spots, that’s a lot of automobiles.”
Norton said that the initial proposal allowed for parking and open space in the middle of the proposed development. Town Council and the BCC decided to alter to the plans to accommodate a parking garage on the west side of the project, which would then allow for more central green space. The proposed green space is a little larger than Town Square park, but acreage has yet to be established, according to Norton.
Norton told Buckrail that refining the project will ensure that it’s a better development for the community.
“I think with every meeting, the development is certainly one step closer to getting built,” Norton said. “Yes, it’s taking a long time, but in the long run, we’re going to get the homes built. We’re going to have 200+ families and individuals living in them. It’s going to be a really lovely, livable neighborhood.”
Norton added that the changes to unit size and the addition of a parking garage will incur additional costs. With these proposed amendments, the Housing Authority will now draft the project’s Funding Agreement, which will provide different financial options. The Funding Agreement, which is part of the Development Agreement, will designate how much public funding will be directed to the housing project.
Norton explained that the ground lease agreement was completed in December 2024, requiring the Development Agreement to be executed no later than June 30, 2025.
“There have been 15 public hearings on this project, and we’ve been working on it for a year and a half,” Norton told Buckrail. “We built in some extra time because we may need to schedule another hearing or two. We want to make sure that we have enough space to get the Development Agreement done before the June 30 deadline.”
Town Council and the BCC are currently scheduled to discuss the Funding Agreement during their joint meeting in March. Both legislative bodies will vote on the Development Agreement and the Funding Agreement in April, according to Norton. The Virginian Lane development is slated to break ground in 2026.
