JACKSON, Wyo. — The Teton County Board of County Commissioners (BCC) has been busy lately. At last week’s meeting on Tuesday, March 3, the BCC approved a small easement on County-owned property near Montana Road so the Presbyterian Church of Jackson Hole (PCJH) can install a sewer pipe for a planned employee housing development.
In July 2024, the Jackson Town Council approved the 21-unit housing project slated for 1201 South Park Loop Road, adjacent to the church’s parking lot. The undertaking will require a sewer connection and rerouting of the paved pedestrian and bike pathway in that area.
The area of land for the sewer easement is in the northwest corner of the designated parcel, where a sewer pipe would have to cross a small corner of Teton County property near Montana Road in order to connect to existing sewer infrastructure. The area impacted is not expected to affect the roadway, but language was included in the agreement to address asphalt patching if necessary. The BCC unanimously approved a motion granting the easement, with a condition that neighbors in the area could potentially negotiate a connection to the sewer system in the future.
“I think the operative verb is ‘may’ and not ‘shall,'” Commissioner Len Carlman said in regards to the language used to permit future negotiations. “It’s permissive language that neighbors may connect, but it doesn’t say they shall connect. … I don’t feel like it predetermines where the connection has to occur. It just says, ‘You’re welcome to talk to us and we’ll agree to agree later.'”
The BCC also approved a separate agenda item allowing a temporary easement for construction access with the following stipulations: PCJH will grant the Town of Jackson a permanent pathway easement across the west side of the parcel; PCJH will construct the new pathway segment along the west and south sides of the property; Teton County will partially reimburse PCJH for construction of a portion of the pathway, limited to the costs of crushed gravel and asphalt; and additional conditions related to construction activities, noise and access points.
The new pathway route will begin near the intersection of South Park Loop Road and Hi Country Drive, where it will extend west for 700 feet before turning north across the PCJH property and connect to the existing path. Through the agreement, Teton County will be obligated to partially reimburse PCJH for the 700 feet of pathway alongside South Park Loop Road, which is estimated at about $108,000.
