JACKSON, Wyo. — A new housing project for Wyoming Department of Transportation (WYDOT) employees received unanimous approval for the development plan by the Board of County Commissioners this month.
WYDOT is proposing the construction of 22 accessory residential units (ARUs) to be built off of Evans Road, adjacent to the WYDOT offices on Hog Island, south of Jackson. The community will utilize 14.4 acres next to the WYDOT facility, which includes vehicle storage, material storage, vehicle maintenance and driver’s license services.
Since the conceptual phase, WYDOT has opted to complete the Teton County Planning & Building Services Department processes, and received a rezone approval from the county in 2022, changing the property form Neighborhood Conservation to Public/Semi-Public. Teton County does not have authority over federal or state agencies so WYDOT can develop their land however they please, and can pull out of the planning and development process at any time.
An ARU is a “dwelling unit that is secondary to a principal use of the property” and is permitted in areas zoned Public/Semi-Public. The principal use of the property in this case is the WYDOT facility.
All 22 units are workforce housing and carry deed restrictions. According to the application, 20 two-story, single-family units include a garage and three bedrooms. Two are one-story attached ADA compliant units.
Two wells on the property will provide water for the new community. A third fire well will also be dug and open to use by Jackson Hole Fire/EMS. Plans are underway to connect the homes to the Town of Jackson wastewater system by way of Munger Mountain School. The WYDOT facility was connected to the school’s wastewater main line in 2019. Sewer connection permits will be issued along with future building permits.
Following feedback from the planning committee, WYDOT agreed to add a paved pathway connecting the neighborhood to Munger Mountain Elementary School, offering an alternative to vehicle use for families with children who might attend Munger.
According to WYDOT, the new development will provide housing for critical service providers and in turn, cut down response times during emergencies. WYDOT has a statewide policy that directs employees to live within 10 miles of their duty station. Division K, which includes Teton County and Northern Lincoln County, has had to modify the policy to extend those boundaries due to lack of affordable housing in the region.
“The purpose is obviously to attract and retain but really it’s about getting essential personnel and first responders, which are troopers and our snowplow drivers, to scenes quickly to help victims of crashes and prevent others from becoming victims,” Keith Compton, former District Engineer, said during the 2022 rezone meeting.
The Wyoming Game and Fish Department (WGFD) also reviewed plans for the neighborhood in 2022 when the sketch plan was submitted. They had no updates to their initial recommendations, which overall supported the development but made various suggestions such as bear-proof trash cans, most of which now fall under county ordinance anyway.
