Council continues large North Cache mixed‑use sketch plan after lengthy public comment on benzene plume, alley access and housing

The Jackson Town Council voted unanimously to continue consideration of a sketch plan for a proposed mixed‑use redevelopment of the North Cache block — a multi‑building hotel and condominium project presented by Old Capital — to the council’s May 5, 2025 meeting.

Staff framed the application as a conceptual “sketch plan” review under the town’s land development regulations to test general consistency with standards and to identify studies and conditions that will be required at development‑plan stage. Heather Valentine, the town planner, and planning staff said the revised proposal is smaller and more broken into multiple buildings than an earlier iteration that prompted a temporary moratorium on large commercial buildings in downtown Jackson.

Developer representatives said the project has been under active planning for years, that they have reduced basement depths and building massing compared with prior versions, and that they have advanced workforce‑housing mitigation. Brad Leistat, representing Old Capital, described removal of deeper excavation in the contaminated area and said the team had retooled the design in response to public and staff feedback.

The meeting turned into an extended public‑comment period: speakers urged stronger environmental safeguards and more on‑site affordable housing, expressed support for redevelopment to replace a largely vacant and failing block, and raised technical questions about groundwater, treatment of a historic benzene plume, and stormwater/sediment control. Major themes raised by commenters and council questions:

- Benzene plume and groundwater: The site includes a historic petroleum contamination plume discovered after tank removal in 1990. Town and applicant materials noted prior remediation work, and the Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) has engaged on remedial options. Planning staff and the applicant said DEQ’s most recent recommendation (as of spring 2025) favors not excavating the contaminated soils and instead using engineering and institutional controls (for example, vapor barriers) and a monitored ‘‘bathtub’’ approach that walls and seals the contaminated area, pumps and treats groundwater, and discharges treated water at a controlled rate. Public commenters asked for clear treatment and monitoring plans, a treatment facility for produced water, and assurance that sediment and volatile organic compounds would not be discharged to Flat Creek, which is already sediment‑impaired.

- Alley access and maintenance: The applicant proposes to improve and operate the public alley that bisects the site (improvements could include higher‑grade paving, snow‑management systems and other pedestrian‑oriented upgrades). Planning staff said the alley currently lacks standards in the LDRs and presented alternatives (leave alley unmodified to town standards; require applicant to improve and maintain it under a development agreement). Representatives of a neighboring motel indicated conditional support for improvements provided their access remains intact.

- Housing and parking: The sketch materials showed roughly 109 hotel keys and a mix of residential units, with credits and mitigation proposed for four required affordable units off‑site at the South Park Loop project. Staff noted the project relied on workforce‑housing bonuses and that the applicant has already built or planned other employee housing units.

- Geotechnical and traffic studies: Staff recommended updated geotechnical and traffic analyses at development plan stage and third‑party review of remediation and groundwater plans. Planning commission and the design‑review committee had both recommended approval of the sketch plan with conditions; staff recommended continuing to development plan with specific conditions attached (updated traffic analysis, geotechnical report with remedial action plan, DEQ permitting, construction‑management plan, alley agreement if council desires improvements, and shared‑parking/ phasing assurances).

Council action: Councilman Schechter moved to continue the sketch plan application (P24‑170) to the May 5, 2025 regular meeting; Councilman Regan seconded. The motion passed unanimously.

What council did not decide: The continuation preserves the record and gives staff, applicant, DEQ and third‑party reviewers time to produce required studies. Council did not grant development‑plan approval or finalize conditions at the sketch stage.

Ending: The council’s continuance allows additional technical review and another public hearing; the record will be supplemented with updated geotechnical, groundwater remediation and traffic work before a development‑plan decision.