No need to rush. 

That was the message of multiple Park County commissioners on Tuesday, after some planning and zoning commission members voiced disagreements and concerns with the latest draft of new development standards and regulations. 

Though Tuesday’s meeting was intended to finalize the recommendations, the P&Z commission will instead meet again at 8:30 a.m. Monday in the EOC room of the courthouse to review the document and ensure their recommendations are accurately reflected in the adoption draft, Park County Planning Director Joy Hill said.

The Park County Attorney’s Office had suggested some changes to the draft and some P&Z members felt their input wound up being left out as a result of the legal review. Hill had sat down with staff from the attorney’s office, including County Attorney Bryan Skoric, to review the proposed regulations and changes the planning commission had suggested. Some of those suggestions didn’t make the revised draft that was presented on Tuesday.

For example, member Duncan Bonine had hoped to add language regarding irrigation district review when an exemption is filed, but Skoric didn’t think additional regulations would be appropriate in that case. The planning board knew Hill was meeting with the county attorney’s office, but Bonine said they didn't realize the scope of what could be changed in the legal review.

Regardless, he wanted any suggestions that were turned down by the attorney’s office to still be mentioned in the adoption draft sent to county commissioners so they would know what P&Z members had wanted. 

“My concern is that the document presented should reflect the recommendations of the board,” Bonine said. 

Hill said there was no intent to change the P&Z members’ recommendations aside from ensuring language was aligned with counsel’s recommendations. 

Commissioners, P&Z members and Hill agreed another meeting would be helpful to figure out what exactly P&Z intends to recommend to the county commissioners.

“I think there’s very few people that have worked harder on this than that [planning] commission, and I understand their frustration,” Commissioner Lloyd Thiel said, adding, “The county attorney’s input is very important as well as staff. But we need to hear specifically their concerns of what [P&Z members] feel in this plan or how the standards need to be addressed, and we need to hear it in their language, and then we can have that reviewed by staff and county attorney as well.

“It will ultimately be our call,” Thiel said, “but we value your input.”

Commission Chair Scott Steward also suggested that a P&Z board member participate in the next attorney review — an idea that was backed by P&Z Chair Brian Peters.

“Let’s not rush it,” Steward said of the process. 

Hill spoke with the P&Z members following Tuesday’s meeting and told the Tribune Wednesday that she hopes the additional review will “rectify any issues and put them at ease.”

Steps taken to avoid a quorum

During Tuesday’s roughly hour-long Park County Commission meeting on proposed new development standards and regulations, questions arose as to how the gathering could stay in compliance with Wyoming’s open meetings law. 

After Planning and Zoning Commission Chairman Brian Peters said a few board members had comments to make, he asked if the three of them could be in the meeting at the same time. Having the trio in the room would entail a quorum of the P&Z board, but the meeting had only been scheduled as a county commission meeting and not as an official P&Z meeting.

Commissioners referred the question to County Attorney Bryan Skoric’s office, and the reply was all the members present could sit in on the meeting if they didn't provide information, but not if they were providing input. 

As a result, P&Z members Duncan Bonine, Kimberley Brandon-Wintermote and Peters cycled in and out of the commissioners’ meeting room to individually provide comments and avoid having an official quorum.