Since the summer began, stories about some type of development happening on the 336-acre Roger Seherr-Thoss property have mumbled their way through town.

Have you heard about the massive development going in?

Who is this James Reinert?

Why are Kari Cooper and Mike Gierau involved?

Names of those involved were whispered in bars or circulated via e-mail, but none of those people would say officially what was in the works.

Until now.

The group, led by developer Reinert, finally went public last week after months of internal discussions about how to propose developing the land. Their plan seeks to build a 500-home neighborhood, Teton Meadows Ranch, on 288 acres of the Seherr-Thoss property, adjacent to Rafter J and Melody Ranch.

“Slowly we’ve been going over this,” Reinert said. “It’s not something we dreamed up overnight. Most of the discussions and arguments were about the best way to help a perceived need here in the community, so it slowly evolved.”

The proposals seeks to rezone the property from rural to Neighborhood Conservation 2 to construct 125 traditional affordable homes and 375 units of “Homestead Ownership,” a new category of home for those who work in Teton County.  That category essentially would limit the price of property deemed Homestead Ownership by limiting the pool of buyers to people who work 1,500 hours a year in Teton County and agree to own only one residential property.

Under the current rural zoning, an owner could subdivide the property into 49 lots. That is six lots per 35 acres and includes density bonuses for clustering.

Reinert is currently under contract to purchase the property, and a confidentiality clause prevents him from releasing details of that agreement. If the sale goes through, Seherr-Thoss would keep 48 acres in a corner of the property that houses a gravel pit, which would eventually be shut down.

Reinert hasn’t just hired a team, he’s assembled a core group with more than 100 years experience, in planning, public relations and politics in the valley.

The Money Man

Name: James Reinert

Personal stuff: A year ago, Reinert moved to the valley full time from Chicago, Ill., where he was born and raised. He first came to Jackson Hole at 15 in 1980 with a group of youths. He learned to climb with Exum Mountain Guides and says he’s always been drawn here. Reinert got engaged here and named the first of his three children Jackson. He never thought he’d live here, but when things went well in Chicago, he decided to move.

His role: Founder, Sequoia Holding Corp. Reinert is the dollars behind the development. Though he anticipated focusing on smaller projects, Reinert moved to a home near the Seherr-Thoss property and realized the potential for affordable housing on the site.

Experience: Reinert started his real estate development career 18 years ago. He spent the last 13 with U.S. Equities Realty. When he left the company, he was senior vice president.

Other projects: In Chicago, Reinert focused on commercial development, including high rise condominiums, office buildings and shopping malls.

How the public will react: Reinert says this project is not just about making money. It’s also about altruism. He hopes people view the project as a way to keep workers here and bring back the ones who have fled because of high prices.

The Planner

Name: Jim Verdone

Personal stuff: Principal, Verdone Landscape Architects. Verdone moved to Jackson 30 years ago. He first came to the valley with an interest in climbing and skiing. He also worked as an outdoor educator. When he founded VLA in 1980, he became one of the first licensed landscape architects in Wyoming. He’s served as president of Jackson Main Street and Friends of Pathways.

His role: Verdone is the lead consultant responsible for establishing the framework and direction of the application, not the day-to-day details. He’s also the spokesman.

Experience: Verdone has worked on high profile projects such as Three Creek Ranch, Amangani and the Smith’s Plaza. He’s received numerous awards for projects, and his work has been showcased in Sources + Design, Big Sky Journal, Landscape Architect, Sunset, Garden Design and Veranda. He’s also been president of the Wyoming State Board of Architects and Landscape Architects.

Other projects: The best-known in recent history is 3 Creek Ranch, which received little public criticism and many accolades for its affordable housing component, the 36-home Ellingwood. Verdone says Teton Meadows parallels that plan in some instances because Reinert wants to do something good for the community. Three Creek is an example of listening to the community, and Verdone hopes Teton Meadows will be also.

How the public will react: Verdone says having lived here and been through the planning process, this application should show that the team understands the community’s interests. The real debate should focus on if there is enough of a community benefit to warrant the densities.

The Insider

Name: Nancy Arkin

Personal stuff: A former environmental planner for the National Park Service and senior planner for Teton County, Arkin has lived in Jackson for 14 years. She has an 8-year-old daughter and enjoys participating in all mountain activities.

Her role: Associate, Verdone Landscape Architects. Arkin is the project manager responsible for the day-to-day details on the plan. She’s the one in charge of putting the development proposal together and shepherding it through the county process.

Experience: Arkin has spent 24 years as a landscape architect and planner, mostly with government agencies. She spent 16 years with the park service and four years with the county planning department. She’s also a University of Michigan alum, with a bachelor’s degree in natural resources and a master’s degree in landscape architecture.

Other projects: Before she left the planning office, Arkin worked with most of Teton Village’s projects, including Snake River Associates, Four Seasons Resort Jackson Hole, Teton Club, Teton Mountain Lodge and the Crystal Springs building. That work gave her a perspective that combines doing work to benefit the community but within the bounds of county regulations.

How the public will react: Arkin said she has received positive feedback.  Nonetheless, it’s always a struggle to balance growth with preserving a sense of community. In this case, the community is in a precarious place because the workforce is leaving.

The Marketing Maven

Name: Kari Cooper

Personal stuff: The New Zealand native has lived in Teton County for the past 25 years. Her two children were educated in the public school system.

Her role: Cooper is responsible for community outreach and selling the plan to nearby homeowners, valley residents, businesses and other agencies. She thought it was vital that deed restrictions included an important economic segment, the recreation industry. She pushed for deed restrictions to require people to work a minimum of 1,500 hours a year, which would allow ski instructors and river guides, just to name a few, to live in Teton Meadows Ranch.

Experience: Cooper’s background is in the recreational field. In 1982, she began working for Jackson Hole Mountain Resort as vice president of marketing, sales and communications and recently resigned in Feburary. Her resume also includes president of the Jackson Hole Chamber of Commerce and Ski Wyoming. She was recently reappointed to the Wyoming Travel and Tourism board by Gov. Dave Freudenthal.

Other projects: In 1986, Cooper began a program that guaranteed revenues to airlines to provide service here. That program turned into what’s today known as JH AIR, an organization with which she’s still involved.

How the public will react: Cooper said she hopes the public will work hard to become informed. If people do become well-informed, she said the reaction would be favorable because the project would not affect free-market inventory. But, it would allow a huge segment of the community that is currently unable to live here to participate in day-to-day life in Jackson Hole, she said.

The Political Operative

Name: Mike Gierau

Personal stuff: Gierau first arrived in Jackson Hole in 1976. He returned in 1980 and has owned and operated Jedidiahs House of Sourdough since then. The former town councilman and county commissioner currently serves as the chairman of JH AIR.

His role: Community outreach. Gierau spent months attending meetings to listen to planning officials and commissioners debate applications. He says he’s been able to learn what officials want from developments by listening to deliberations. He’s also lent historical and political knowledge to conversations and says Teton Meadows Ranch is a chance to fulfill the promise of affordable housing, which is not being totally fulfilled.

Experience: A former chairman of the Wyoming Democratic Party, Gierau has also served four years on the Jackson Town Council and about six years on the Teton County Board of Commissioners. Gierau also has served on the Jackson Hole Chamber of Commerce, Teton County Housing Authority, Agenda 2000 University of Wyoming, Cowboy Joe Club and has been county liaison to roads and levy, health and human services, START and the Jackson Hole Historical Society.

Other projects: Gierau helped write the 1994 master plan and was involved with the county’s early affordable housing projects. His name is written on the first few contracts, including Mountainview Meadows and Melody Ranch.

How the public will react: Gierau said he hopes residents will like it. So far, he’s mostly received positive comments. The team has worked hard the last few months to reach out to people and listen to their issues.