Editor’s Note: The letter sent to Jason Crowder, Deputy Director of OSLI, from the Board is now available for review at the bottom of the article.
JACKSON, Wyo. — The Teton County Board of County Commissioners met for a voucher meeting on Oct. 30 and discussed sending a letter to the Office of State Lands and Investments (OSLI) about the proposed auction of the Kelly State Land Parcel, located within Grand Teton National Park.
The OSLI, on behalf of the State Board of Land Commissioners, initiated a review and released a detailed analysis proposing the disposal of the land on Oct. 2. They are currently taking public comment on the topic.
The 640-acre parcel is used to fund the public school system and currently generates $2,845 annually from grazing and temporary use permits. The parcel has been appraised at $62,425,000 and according to the detailed analysis, “the appraiser determined that the maximally productive use and most reasonably supported highest and best use for the State Parcel is for residential subdivision into thirty-five (35) acre, or greater, sites for residential development.”
The Board drafted a letter to Jason Crowder, Deputy Director of OSLI, stating, “The Teton County Board of County Commissioners unanimously urges the Wyoming State Board of Land Commissioners to deny the proposed public auction of the Kelly Parcel.”
While a final draft was not approved on Monday by the Board, the commissioners discussed at length their opinions on the parcel disposal.
Commissioner Greg Epstein called the proposal for disposal “short-sighted” and urged his colleagues to focus the letter more on how the disposal would impact Wyoming, not just Teton County.
“I don’t know if it’s the middle finger to Teton County or the Park Service or the federal government, but it’s definitely short-sighted,” Epstein said.
The Board agreed that the letter should include details about how the disposal would affect wildlife habitat, citing the Wyoming Game and Fish Department data that “87 Wyoming Species of Greatest Conservation Need have distributions that include the parcel” and that “tracking data verifies that pulses of elk, totaling 1,000 head or more as well as antelope and deer traverse the area each spring and fall.”
They also discussed including comments about how the disposal might impact tourism but ultimately opted to leave that aspect out, along with noting funding sources that could be used to purchase the land.
“When you undermine the wildlife and scenic values, that’s why tourists come here,” Commissioner Wes Gardner said.
“Of course, we are going to come up with the funds if we need to move that direction when it’s time,” Epstein said. “I think the bigger thing right now is why is this up for public auction?”
The Board also agreed that the letter should include the fact that if the land was opened up to auction, it would be an unprecedented move by the state.
“It would likely be seen through the lens of history as a really bad decision to auction that parcel off for development,” Newcomb said.
The Board will approve a final draft of the letter before it is sent to the OSLI. The State Board of Land Commissioners will consider the proposal for disposal at their Dec. 7 meeting.
Comments can be sent to: Attention: Jason Crowder, Office Of State Lands and Investments, 122 W. 25th Street, Herschler Building Suite W103, Cheyenne, WY 82002 or email at jason.crowder@wyo.gov.
