(Lander, WY) – The Lander City Council approved an ordinance modifying the municipal zoning code on first reading this week after hearing public comment from a handful of community members who opposed the move.
Two of those opposition voices came from the council itself: Councilmembers Dan Hahn and Josh Hahn both spoke against the proposed changes, and they voted “no” on the ordinance during Tuesday’s meeting.
“The proposed new zoning is not sensible for Lander,” Dan Hahn said, pointing specifically to the Planning Committee recommendation allowing for taller buildings and reduced off-street parking requirements in certain zones. “This will create a whole bunch of new problems for our community, and especially (the) north side. …
“This is too extreme, and the zoning we have now should stay.”
Josh Hahn likened the proposed zoning changes to a “money grab” for the additional tax revenue that would be generated from the influx of people Lander could accommodate if the city allowed for denser housing options – but “that’s not what this town should be about,” he said.
Plus, he added, higher population densities can lead to environmental and health problems, traffic congestion, and a reduction in the availability of outdoor space.
Housing costs
Instead of trying to increase the number of housing units available in town, Josh Hahn said the city should find ways to lower the cost of the housing that already exists in Lander.
“We’ve got plenty of housing, (but) the price is too high,” he said. “People who work here can’t afford the houses that are for sale in this town.”
Councilmember Julia Stuble agreed that many local residents are “struggling” to find financially attainable housing in town – but she argued that the proposed zoning changes would help the city “tackle” that issue.
“(These changes) will not be the only answer,” she said. “(But) I would feel that I was not serving the City of Lander if I didn’t take seriously the way our building code restricts building supply and the types of options for homeowners in Lander.”
Councilmember Missy White echoed Stuble’s comments.
“We have no ability to control the sales prices of homes,” White said. “That’s a private property transaction, (and) we don’t interfere with that.
“The way we can affect housing is … to increase the supply.”
Public hearing
The local residents who spoke against the proposed zoning changes Tuesday cited multiple and varied reasons for their disapproval.
Some people said the proposal would disproportionately impact residents on the north side of town, leading to increased inequality in Lander.
“Density increases should be applied across all zones,” resident Coleman Griffith said. “Concentrating low-income housing in crowded, dense, poor neighborhoods while leaving high-value, low-density neighborhoods untouched is not a good look.”
Others – including local firefighter and state fire inspector Nick Hudson – expressed concern about the increased fire danger that could arise if larger structures are allowed to be built with lower setback requirements.
“You will see deflagration between houses if we have one catch on fire,” Hudson said. “It is possible that this will happen because you’re too close.”
Later in the meeting, Planning Commission Member Zach Mahlum said the proposed zoning changes are all consistent with the International Building Code, which requires “different materials” to be used when certain structures are built closer together.
The IBC also requires buildings with four or more dwelling units to be equipped with sprinkler systems for fire suppression, Mahlum said – but Hudson pointed out that the requirement doesn’t apply to smaller townhomes, which could still be built side-by-side without sprinklers.
White said the city could require sprinklers in townhomes as well, and Hudson expressed support for that idea, but he noted that those requirements are covered in local building codes, not the zoning code.
The council could address that topic at a later time, Stuble said.
The city could also work on limiting the number of properties that can be used for short-term rentals in town, Dan Hahn said, referring to another issue community members brought up during the public hearing Tuesday.
“What we have … is an influx of investment buyers,” local resident Juanita Duncan said. “Large companies are buying homes, and that’s what’s driving the price up.”
Resident Gina Colovich – who said she doesn’t agree with all of the proposed zoning changes but thinks that the ordinance “as a whole” represents “workable solutions to addressing our housing shortage” – agreed that short-term rentals must be part of the conversation about home prices in Lander.
“We cannot allow denser housing only to have it go to short-term rentals,” she said, recommending a permit-based cap on short-term rentals in town. “This problem isn’t going to fix itself, and we as current residents need to have the courage to address it so new, younger residents can find and afford housing.”
Three readings
Some of the council members who voted in favor of the proposed zoning changes this week said they’d like to learn more about the concerns local residents expressed before approving the ordinance on the required second and third readings.
“I do have some questions that I would like to talk with the Planning Commission about,” Councilmember Melinda Cox said. “The way that I would be voting tonight would adhere to the idea that we have an opportunity to continue to have a discussion (about) some concerns that I have with what’s been proposed and come up with maybe some compromise or solution.”
Stuble said it would be “interesting to hear if we can still achieve some (of the) goals we’re after” while also making some “adjustments” to the Planning Commission’s proposal – but she also pointed out that the public comments the council heard Tuesday only represent “a datapoint of feedback from the community.”
“We have had comment that was for (these changes) as well,” Stuble said. “We didn’t hear it tonight but … there are people who are in support.”
Councilmember John Larsen agreed that the council has received positive feedback about the proposed zoning changes that wasn’t represented during Tuesday’s public hearing.
“If the words that were brought up tonight were the only thing that we heard, you would be absolutely foolish (to) do anything besides shoot this thing down,” he said. “But there have been numerous others that are in support of this passing, (and) I’ve got a responsibility to listen to them also.”
For more information call the City of Lander at 332-2870.