County/town may fund historic-easement work that unlocks Jackson TDR perks

If you’ve ever wondered why some older buildings in town get to keep their look and qualify for certain redevelopment “perks,” a small nonprofit is asking the county and town to help pay for the behind-the-scenes work.

The Teton Trust for Historic Places is requesting $30,000 from Teton County and $30,000 from the Town of Jackson for FY27 community development funding, according to a new staff report: Community Development Staff Report — Teton Trust for Historic Places Funding Request. The Trust says it holds and enforces historic preservation easements—legal agreements that require ongoing inspections and review of changes to buildings—and currently has seven easements (six in town, one in the county).

Why it matters for families: in Jackson, the Trust says an easement can be a gateway to the town’s historic-preservation incentives program—specifically noting that to qualify for Transfer of Development Rights incentives, a building must first be placed under a historic preservation easement administered by the Trust. The group also points to upcoming work with the county, including plans to place a preservation easement on the Huff Memorial Library building after renovations wrap up in spring 2026.

The Trust says the request would help cover continuing overhead for monitoring and administering “in perpetuity” easements, and it’s aiming to hire a permanent executive director this year as it grows. The application notes the combined request would represent 61% of the organization’s operating budget.