Planning Commission recommends variance to landscape surface ratio at Walk Festival Hall

On May 12, 2025, the Teton County Planning Commission voted unanimously to recommend approval of VAR-2024-003, a request to vary the landscape surface ratio for the Walk Festival Hall (Grand Teton Music Festival) at 3330 West Cody Lane in the Teton Village commercial core.

The variance request, presented by Hamilton Smith of Planning Building Services, sought to change the site’s required landscape surface ratio from a previously granted 18.7% to 16.9% to accommodate ADA upgrades, fire-code required access modifications and internal reconfiguration of the building. Smith told the commission the proposal had been reviewed and unanimously supported by the Teton Village Architectural Committee (TVAC) prior to coming to the Planning Commission.

Staff described the property as uniquely constrained: the recorded lot line was drawn around an existing 50‑year‑old structure; hardscape associated with gondola access and shared walkways crosses the parcel boundary; and the site sits on multiple vertical levels, with entries and service areas at different elevations. Smith summarized the technical measure at issue: “LSR is simply that area of a property…covered by natural vegetation, trees, landscape areas such as turf grass, planted trees, and shrubs,” and the request would adjust the dimensional limitation to 16.9% (about 3,975 square feet of landscaped area) for the site.

Susan Johnson, representing the applicant Grand Teton Music Festival, was present and offered to answer questions; commissioners had none. Commissioners noted the prior vetting by TVAC and other internal reviews. One commissioner said the application “seems very straightforward,” noting the TVAC approval as a supportive factor.

Motion language on the record described the action as a recommendation to the Board of County Commissioners to vary dimensional limitations in the Teton Village Master Plan Attachment A (Design Guidelines Architecture, Section D.6) to allow the change in landscape surface ratio for Lot 174 Jackson Hole Ski Corp Addition, Fifth Filing (plat 228). The Planning Commission voted in favor with no recorded objections and the motion carried.

The recommendation now goes to the Board of County Commissioners for final action. Staff will transmit the record and the materials, including TVAC minutes and mailed notices showing no opposing neighbor comments, as part of the county file.