Jackson council to revisit basements and groundwater in big projects

The Jackson Town Council will take up a set of Land Development Regulations (LDRs) changes meant to rein in the impacts of large downtown projects, and the most ecologically relevant piece is underground: whether habitable basement space should count toward the town’s 40,000 sq ft and 50,000 sq ft maximum building-size limits, and whether Jackson should start regulating basement depth to protect groundwater. Staff says the current rules do not limit basement depth or number of levels, and that habitable basement area is currently exempt from those maximum building-size caps, a combination that can encourage much more intensity below ground than the public expects. workshop agenda.

In the packet, staff recommends ending the exemption so “habitable basement floor area” counts against the maximum building size, but advises the council to postpone any new depth limits until after review of the planned Mogul hotel development, which staff describes as likely to deliver the most detailed local groundwater remediation analysis the town has seen. Council discussion will also cover related code tools aimed at large-project impacts, but if you care about Flat Creek, shallow groundwater, or what ends up being pumped and treated during deep excavation, listen for whether council wants a science-based local standard, or is comfortable continuing to lean primarily on state groundwater oversight and building-code engineering. agenda packet.