Teton County, Town of Jackson direct staff to begin LDR updates and nexus study for traffic impact fees

Teton County and the Town of Jackson on July 7 unanimously directed staff to begin a process to add formal traffic impact study (TIS) and travel demand management (TDM) requirements to local Land Development Regulations and to return with additional analysis, including a nexus study to support a traffic impact fee or other user-fee options.

The move responds to a staff presentation led by Dr. Charlotte Frey that summarized the comprehensive plan, the Integrated Transportation Plan (ITP), peer-case guidance and a draft set of requirements proposed as Attachment 1 in the staff packet. Frey told the joint meeting the proposals are intended to require applicants to document transportation impacts and to include TDM measures so decision-makers can evaluate and mitigate development-related trips.

The guidance presented would require a simple trip-generation memo for projects expected to generate 30 or fewer net new peak-hour trips and a full TIS for larger projects. The draft TDM language cited a target “attempt to achieve at least a 50% trip reduction” for specified measures and said applicants would be responsible for funding mitigation measures such as intersection improvements and multimodal facilities where required.

Frey explained impact fees as a funding option, stressing that an impact fee program would need a separate nexus and proportionality study before any fee could be adopted. She estimated the work to develop a nexus and implementation framework could take roughly 6–18 months and about 200 staff hours plus consultant support. She also said staff is building a coordinated traffic-count program so applicants can use consistent, town- and county-collected data for studies.

Council and commission members raised questions about thresholds, the burden on small businesses and change-of-use projects, and cumulative impacts from tourism and nonresident traffic. Council Member Schechter noted steep increases in traffic counters (citing local data showing roughly 19% increase on some corridors since 2019) while population has not grown, and asked what the community could expect from requiring TIS/TDM measures without new funding. Frey said the requirements will document impacts and allow staff to recommend mitigations, but capital projects still require funding; a nexus/impact-fee approach would be one way to require contributions toward capital improvements.

Public comment included Amy Kushak of the Jackson Hole Conservation Alliance, who urged the boards to “move swiftly forward” and asked staff to bring a traffic impact fee proposal at the same time so studies produce meaningful mitigation rather than analysis alone.

Commissioner Probst moved the motion to direct staff to initiate the LDR amendment process for TIS and TDM requirements and to bring additional information regarding dedicated revenues, specifically a nexus study to support a traffic impact fee and other user fees; Commissioner MacKer seconded. The motion passed unanimously for both the county and town.

Next steps staff described: begin formal LDR amendment process with public outreach (60-day comment period, planning commission hearings), continue establishing traffic-count and TDM monitoring programs, and return to a future meeting with a recommended funding framework and details for implementation. Frey said the draft attachments in the packet are intended as a starting point for public review rather than final language.

Votes at a glance: County — motion passed unanimously (all 5 county commissioners present voted yes); Town — motion passed unanimously (all town council members and mayor present voted yes).