Teton County planning and building staff told commissioners on April 14 they intend to move a standalone fire protection resolution for new subdivisions into the county's Land Development Regulations (LDRs) and asked whether the board wanted a workshop before staff began drafting regulatory language.

Chris Newbacher, director of planning and building services, described the resolution as a "freestanding document" that sets standards for new roads and water supply in subdivisions and said staff want the rules to be easier for the development community to find if they are consolidated into the LDRs. Chandler Windham, who is working on the project, said the primary goal is to "move the current language into the LDRs" but noted staff will recommend some updates based on guidance from the county engineer and the fire marshal.

Commissioners discussed whether the board needed a preparatory workshop. One commissioner said a workshop would be useful only if staff planned substantive policy changes; otherwise the regular public process would likely provide adequate community input. Commissioner comments indicated a preference for circulating the draft resolution to commissioners by email before formal public hearings so board members can see proposed changes in advance.

Next steps

Planning staff will prepare draft regulatory language and distribute the resolution to commissioners by email. Staff said they can either present the draft in a workshop setting if the board wants to examine policy changes in detail, or take the draft first to Planning Commission and then return to the board in a formal hearing setting. No vote was taken on the content; the board signaled general support for proceeding through the regular public process with advance circulation of the draft.