Greg Berdar tells Thayne council town rules raised costs, threatens lawsuit over annexation and permit denials

Greg Berdar, identified in the meeting as manager of Star Valley Meadows, told the Thayne Town Council on Nov. 20 that changes in town rules and permitting processes have driven up the cost of the company’s lowest‑priced homes and derailed contracts.

“We started out expecting a 1,337‑square‑foot home would sell for $375,000,” Berdar said, describing how rising materials and financing costs pushed similar homes to roughly $420,000. Berdar cited local sales and public data showing median home prices for the central valley well above national figures and said that, under typical underwriting, “a person making $100,000 a year can only afford a $338,000 home with no other debt.”

Berdar said the company submitted two building permits in November 2023 for 900‑square‑foot homes under the subdivision’s Master Plan but that the town denied the permits after the town’s ordinance established a 1,000‑square‑foot minimum. He said the company modified the plans, absorbed the cost to increase the units, and that a later further increase in minimum size requirements destroyed the contracts and financing. “The Town did not seem to care how their time was being spent or money,” he said.

Berdar said monthly permitting schedules and slow communication force construction financing at “13% to 14% per unit,” estimating about $3,000 a month in financing expense and financial delays of roughly $12,000–$15,000 per unit. He told the council the company’s current damages total “about $365,000” and that, after what he described as the town’s lack of response, he felt he had no choice but to pursue legal action alleging breach of the annexation and Master Plan agreements.

Berdar also raised constitutional and statutory concerns, asserting the town’s minimum size rule amounted to an uncompensated taking and describing some permitting conditions, including impact fees tied to infrastructure, as coercive. He said the Master Plan envisioned a Planned Unit Development with multiple housing types, including smaller houses and duplexes, and that the town’s current enforcement departed from that plan.

The council provided limited response during the public comment period; Berdar said the town had been largely unresponsive “except for councilman Pelletier.” The meeting minutes record no formal council action in response to Berdar’s statements.

Why it matters: Berdar’s comments link local development policy, permit timing and engineering requirements to affordability for first‑time buyers. He framed the dispute around specific permits, alleged contract breach and quantified damages; the council did not take action at the Nov. 20 meeting.

Next steps: Berdar said he intends to pursue the matter in court; the council’s minutes do not show a follow‑up directive or staff report scheduled at the Nov. 20 meeting.