Letter to the Editor

County board fails to protect wildlife corridor

Ron and Fran Chilcote, Pinedale, Wyo.
Posted 10/31/24

Dear Editor,

The Oct. 17 Sublette County Planning  and Zoning Board meeting deflected around the recommendations by the Wyoming Game and Fish Department regarding the Moyes 40 Rod West …

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Letter to the Editor

County board fails to protect wildlife corridor

Posted

Dear Editor,

The Oct. 17 Sublette County Planning  and Zoning Board meeting deflected around the recommendations by the Wyoming Game and Fish Department regarding the Moyes 40 Rod West Subdivision, a 291-acre subdivision with over 40 homes.  Instead of insisting that the developer  meet the intent of the County Comprehensive Plan to protect open space, rural values and wildlife, the P and Z Board voted to move  it on to the Board of County Commissioners without insisting the developer also comply with the intent of the Game and Fish Recommendations. How can the Planning and Zoning Board make recommendations  for something this  important without all  the facts?
Game and Fish provided a letter in July outlining its recommendations for maintaining  the Sublette Migration Corridor for Mule Deer and Pronghorn. The recommendation included maintaining an approximately 1,600-foot corridor through the development as  that development lies within the designated corridor. While the developer engaged in a long narrative of the difficulty of negotiating with Wyoming Game and Fish, he provided no science to support the premise that adding numerous fences in a narrower corridor would meet that recommendation, nor did he provide written evidence of any negotiation outcome. Rather than insisting on a more detailed analysis and submission, the Planning and Zoning Board moved to recommend approval to the Board of County Commissioners.

The Game and Fish Department letter also stated that due to the location of the project, it is required to comply with the Wyoming Sage Grouse Executive Order. Rather than engage  in further negotiation, after a November 2023 meeting to discuss the results of the analysis and a path towards compliance, the developer withdrew the  project. The Planning and Zoning Board did not require further steps but according to the letter from the Game  and Fish Department,  they have decided to  resolve this issue between the current preliminary plat and the  final plat.  It should have already happened rather than engage in this delay that prevents public scrutiny and input.
Since the project has now been forwarded to the County Board of Commissioners for its Nov. 8 meeting, it remains  to be seen whether either the migration corridor or sage grouse issues will be resolved in a way that Sublette wildlife will continue to prosper. 

Sincerely,

Ron and Fran Chilcote, Pinedale, Wyo.