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Commissioners lean toward Hoback roundabout site for new station, direct staff to resolve title and survey questions
Summary
At a workshop the commission favored a site east of the Hoback roundabout over the older Horse Creek parcel, and directed staff to research title and obtain a formal survey and legal description before design work proceeds.
Teton County commissioners on May 6 discussed replacement options for Hoback’s aging fire station and expressed a preference—subject to title and survey review—for a site east of the Hoback roundabout that the Wyoming Department of Transportation may be able to relinquish.
Fire Chief Mike Moyer said the existing station (built in 1973) has multiple operational and safety limitations. The county’s 2017 purchase of a Horse Creek parcel funded by SPET specifically aimed to support a relocated station, but a feasibility study showed the Horse Creek site has restricted footprint, limited training space, constrained ingress/egress off Highway 89, and increased wildfire‑risk exposure. The county is evaluating whether the Hoback roundabout parcel (a WYDOT right‑of‑way segment) could be made available at no cost via WYDOT relinquishment or through another conveyance.
Deputy County Attorney Keith King and Senior Deputy County Attorney Gingrey cautioned that property rights and title in the Hoback area are complex: early patents and meets‑and‑bounds descriptions, prior deed restrictions and multiple ownership transfers have produced overlapping claims and unclear legal status for some parcels. Gingrey noted WYDOT’s excess‑right‑of‑way process includes options ranging from a no‑cost transfer for government use to a sale at market value.
Board direction and next steps: Commissioners asked staff to proceed with legal research and to secure a formal survey and legal description of the Hoback roundabout parcel before committing county funds for schematic design. Commissioner Gardner said he supported the roundabout parcel but asked staff to confirm ownership and the practical ability to obtain land or a use easement. County attorneys estimated the title and deed research could take “a month or two” depending on the surveyor’s work and deed records.
The board did not transfer or sell the Horse Creek parcel at the meeting. County attorneys noted Horse Creek was purchased with SPET funds and that proceeds from any sale or repurposing would need to follow the original SPET purpose or be returned/earmarked for fire purposes.
Ending: Commissioners expressed general support for the roundabout location if legal and survey work confirms access and ownership; staff will report back after title research and a recorded survey are complete.
