By Jim Stanford on March 7, 2007
Will this bucolic pasture be home to a major new development? Not likely.
The sale of the 78-acre Lloyd property at the mouth of Cache Creek Canyon has residents of east Jackson alarmed.
The prized parcel, much of which is marsh land bordering the creek, was bought by developer and Jackson Hole native Jamie Mackay late last year, with backing from others in the community.
Mackay has not revealed his plans for the land, which borders the Bridger-Teton National Forest and sits outside the city boundaries. But the prospect of 40 to 50 housing units — a figure floated by his attorney — has the resistance organizing.
Any proposal for high-density housing in one of the valley’s most cherished recreation areas and prime wildlife habitat is bound to be met with fierce opposition, and not just by nearby residents. Those who frequent Cache Creek for mountain biking, walks with dogs, cross-country skiing and horseback rides are likely to raise their voices, too. And that’s just about … everyone.
As for talk of annexing the property into the city limits, even if the pro-development-leaning members of the council could be swayed into such a bad decision, voters would have the final say by referendum. Dead on arrival.
Mackay already has made waves with his proposal to develop 88 housing units on 15 acres at the former Teton Village KOA campground on Highway 390. Forty-four of those units would be affordable. But many in the community are questioning the wisdom of such density.
While Mackay should be commended for trying to address the county’s affordable housing shortage, Cache Creek isn’t the place for a new subdivision. It would be a smart move for Mackay to find a conservation buyer for his property and preserve such a treasured corner of Jackson.
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Are you beginning to see a pattern here?
The 29-year-old Mackay has hired as his spokeswoman for the Cache Creek development … Jennifer Mayfield.
Several weeks ago the News&Guide, in a story that had many readers gagging, reported about city officials sipping champagne at a reception and being dazzled by development plans for housing and a tunnel on the other side of Snow King, a project whose spokeswoman is … Jennifer Mayfield.
The former aide to Vice President Dick Cheney seems to be turning up as the mouth of every unsavory land deal in Jackson Hole these days.
Her resume also includes spinmeistress for the controversial Imagine Jackson, whose scheme to obtain $1 million in public funding has prompted a lawsuit against the city of Jackson; and flack for Grand Targhee’s resort expansion plan.
Among Mayfield’s duties in the hallowed Office of the Vice President was serving as personal assistant to Scooter Libby during “leak week,” when Libby, acting at his boss’ direction, leaked the identity of a covert CIA officer to reporters to discredit a prominent war critic.
She was known as one of Cheney’s “angels,” according to bloggers who have been closely following the Libby trial and uncloaking the secret machinations of the OVP.
From helping provide cover as Scooter and Big Dick waged a bogus war in Iraq to providing cover as developers wage war on the environment in Jackson Hole, this conservative Southern belle knows where to find the action.
Posted under business, dick cheney, environment, hiking, mountain biking, national forest, politics, scooter libby, town government, trails, wildlife
I can’t blame the neighbors for already being concerned, and nice work on identifying the one individual who has no qualms about getting paid to put a friendly face on every controversial project in the valley.
Sad to see one of Cheney’s flacks moving to the valley just to get work helping developers get their rightly-controversial projects approved.
The last sentence of your article identified Ms. Mayfield as a Southerner. Was this really necessary? By identifying her as such, you harm the reputation of all us Southerners. Anyway, golddiggers are a dime a dozen and their place of origin is irrelevant.
Ah, but being a Southern belle merits her a special distinction.
Sounds like a lame deal…but not surprising.
We all know that Realtors rule this town.