Commission approves Deer Drive mixed-use light industrial and mini-storage plan with housing mitigation

Teton County commissioners approved a development plan (DEV2024-0003) on Jan. 28 for a mixed-use project at 605 West Deer Drive (Lot 4, Valley View Subdivision). The project, proposed by Deer Drive LLC (applicant Kinsey LLC / Cornelius Kinsey), includes mini-storage warehouse buildings and light industrial/shop space alongside three accessory residential units (ARUs). The board’s approval was unanimous.

Senior planner Chandler Windham presented the proposal and described changes since the project’s sketch-plan approval: the number of storage units decreased from approximately 400 to 372, the light-industrial area totals 12,497 square feet, and three ARUs are proposed. Windham said staff found the plan met business-park development standards and that the required landscape and parking objectives had been addressed; one administrative adjustment reduced required plant units due to site constraints.

Windham explained affordable housing mitigation results: the mitigation calculation came to 1.652 units; the applicant proposed deed restricting one two-bedroom ARU as affordable (under 120% of median income) and paying a fee in lieu for the fractional remainder. The other two ARUs will be deed restricted as workforce housing (no income cap) per the county’s housing rules.

Tyler Davis, listed as an owner of the property, told commissioners parking constraints guided unit sizing: “We start running into a little bit more of the parking problem.” He said the project added three bedrooms compared with the prior submittal.

Commissioners approved DEV2024-0003 with three conditions: (1) the two-bedroom ARU must have an affordable workforce housing deed restriction recorded with the Teton County Clerk prior to issuance of certificate of occupancy in form acceptable to the Jackson/Teton County Affordable Housing Department; (2) prior to issuance of any commercial building permits that generate over one unit of housing mitigation, the applicant must pay affordable-housing fee in lieu as required; and (3) the remaining two ARUs must have workforce housing deed restrictions recorded prior to certificate of occupancy, in forms acceptable to the housing department.

The decision carries standard findings required for a development plan and includes monitoring of building permits to collect any required fees in lieu as building permits come in.