Jackson Planning Commission to weigh tiered Natural Resources Overlay map April 15

Jackson’s Planning and Zoning Commission is scheduled April 15 to consider PM26-0005, a zoning map amendment that would replace the town’s current (1994) “in or out” Natural Resources Overlay (NRO) with a tiered map covering all land in town limits. Staff say the existing overlay has “notable gaps” where high-value habitat is known to exist but is not subject to NRO review. The proposed tiered map is based on the countywide focal-species habitat mapping project (EcoConnect addenda) that Teton County used for its own tiered NRO adopted in 2024. (Planning and Zoning Commission Regular Meeting Agenda Packet)

Under the proposed system, development review would scale with habitat sensitivity: Base Tier would require no added natural-resources process (though other standards like stream/wetland buffers, wildlife-friendly fencing and retaining-wall rules would still apply); Mid Tier would require a Natural Resources Checklist that applicants can prepare without hiring an environmental professional; and High Tier would generally require a full Environmental Analysis prepared by a qualified environmental professional, similar to today’s NRO requirement. Staff also propose that habitat mitigation requirements would be triggered only for High Tier properties larger than one acre, which they say will be uncommon given the town’s small-lot, urban context. (Planning and Zoning Commission Regular Meeting Agenda Packet)

The map amendment is part of a broader environmental-standards package (PM26-0005 through PM26-0009) that also proposes updated waterbody/wetland buffer rules, wildlife-friendly fencing standards and new retaining-wall requirements. Staff note the fencing standards are tied to the tiered NRO map — if the commission does not recommend the map and related NRO text changes, it cannot recommend the fencing changes as drafted. (Planning and Zoning Commission Regular Meeting Agenda Packet)