JACKSON, Wyo. — Over 20 years ago, the Karns family sold an approximately 42-acre tract of land known as Karns Meadow to the Town of Jackson. On Monday, Dec. 2, Town Council discussed moving forward with the Karns Meadow Master Plan to create a natural park.
The master plan will overhaul the existing public park, adding amenities like a parking lot, sidewalks and pathways, making it more in line with the family’s original vision for the space.
The Karns family began negotiations in 2003 to sell the property to the Town of Jackson in eight separate parcels to secure the property for public use for perpetuity. During the sale, the family partnered with the Jackson Hole Land Trust (Land Trust) to create conservation easements and permitted uses for each parcel, per the staff report.
Jenny Karns told Buckrail that her dad, Pete Karns Sr., was disappointed that his initial plan for the park never came to fruition. He originally wanted a paved and lighted pathway for summer, winter, day and night activities, according to Karns. But she added that her family, along with many community members, are now excited to finally see that “Karns Meadow Nature Park” will “benefit people, wildlife and the natural habitat.”
“We are excited about sharing our 130-year-old homestead and childhood oasis, and seeing it come to fruition as a park that people can immerse themselves in and enjoy together for generations,” Karns said.
Karns Meadow Park consists of six tracts of land owned by the Town of Jackson (Tracts 1-6), and one tract owned by the Land Trust (Tract 8), according to the Town’s staff report.
Town Planner Tyler Valentine told the Council that Karns Meadow Park is different from all the parks in town due to its ecological values. Karns Meadow consists of wetlands fed by Flat Creek, which bisects the meadow from the northeast corner to the southwest corner. The park is frequented by moose, mule deer, bald eagles and osprey, according the Jackson Hole Land Trust (Land Trust).
Town Councilors agreed that the proposed plan should limit public amenities to a pathway, parking area, one public restroom and a picnic shelter, in order to preserve the natural resources of the property. During the meeting, Councilors considered the allowance of a Conditional Use Permit (CUP) to allow outdoor recreation uses, such as biking and nordic skiing, within the park.
According to the staff report, the Karns Meadow Master Plan proposes the construction of five-foot wide sidewalks along the north half of Karns Meadow Drive, which would connect to a mile long multi-use loop pathway. The loop would border the outer perimeter of the park, and be accessible from Karns Meadow Drive, Snow King Avenue and West Hansen Avenue. The plan also calls for two new bridges to be built across Flat Creek.
Councilor Jim Rooks said that he wants to see the plan move forward, but he thinks design improvements are still needed. He recommended that decomposed granite, which is porous and nontoxic, be used for the pathways instead of asphalt. Rooks also said that diagonal street parking would be less intrusive than a parking lot.
In an effort to preserve the park’s wetlands, Town Council discussed the option of a smaller pathway loop instead of the proposed one mile loop. Councilwoman Jessica Sell Chambers said that the meadow becomes saturated in the spring from Flat Creek runoff, which “could be problematic for any trail.”
“I would hate to harm that system, and the beaver activity impacts that area significantly,” Sell Chambers said. “This could be a perfect area to introduce people to Jackson.”
All Town Council members agreed to ban bikes on the park’s pathway system. Nordic skiing, a use that the Karns family said is important to them, is being considered in the park during the winter months.
Town Council directed staff to draft amendments to the Karns Meadow Master Plan, and the topic will be continued during its regular meeting on Monday, Dec. 16. There will be public comment at the meeting.
