Alta group weighs in on Grand Targhee development plan

The Alta Solid Waste Disposal District (ASWDD) advisory board is asking Teton County, Wyoming Commissioners to hold Grand Targhee Resort to terms of its original 2008 master development plan.

The resort has asked commissioners to amend its master plan, saying a combination of market conditions and zoning regulations have made its expansion plans economically unviable. Grand Targhee also contends that mechanisms to meet land conservation conditions are no longer available.

In its letter to commissioners, the ASWDD stated it believes the resort should be held to the original agreement.

That agreement includes a commitment of 600 acres in conservation mitigation. 301 acres were to be in the Alta area and 299 acres within 450 miles of the resort in Teton County, Wyoming or Idaho. The agreement also included stewardship costs for both acreages and an additional 1 percent transfer fee.

The board also contends that the proposed change to the master plan would be so significant that Grand Targhee should be required to restart its submission process under present-day requirements, as if the original 2007 master plan had never been submitted. The district board said it does not wish the resort to set a precedent for large-scale master plan amendments with less value and negative community impacts.

The board recognized that current resort owners have supported regional ecological and charitable organizations, but warns that commissioners must consider future owners as well.