Council to hash out what Building and Planning fees are for
On Aug. 17, the Jackson Town Council will discuss the purpose and philosophy behind Planning and Building Department fees, including whether to set an explicit cost-recovery target for permit review services.
The Jackson Town Council is set to talk Aug. 17 about the basic question behind Planning and Building fees: are they meant to mostly cover the cost of reviewing permits, or are taxpayers supposed to carry more of that load? Staff says the Town has no formal “fee philosophy” on the books today, even though the Land Development Regulations say fees are meant to offset the costs of processing applications, not turn a profit workshop packet.
Staff’s analysis of the last decade (FY2017 to FY2026) puts Building and Planning at about 62% cost recovery on average, and notes that most of that comes from building permits, not planning reviews. Council direction from this workshop is expected to steer future resolutions and fee schedule changes, so if you run a small outfit and need a permit, this is where the “who pays for review time” argument starts in public workshop packet.
Background
Teton County's Building and Planning fees have seen major updates since 2021, with a significant inflation-based increase effective January 2026. The Town Council will discuss the philosophy and purpose of these fees on August 17, 2026.
Latest: 2026-08-17 — Town Council to discuss and seek direction on the philosophy and purpose of Building and Planning fees, with staff and public participation.
curated as of 2026-08-14
The Town Council will review major Land Development Regulation changes on August 17, 2026, including new fee structures, clarified waivers, and environmental standards to address large development impacts.
Latest: 2026-08-17 — Town Council workshop to discuss LDR amendments: switch permit fees to valuation basis, clarify fee waivers, set cost-recovery targets, and review ordinance updates on administrative, environmental, and zoning standards.
curated as of 2026-08-14
Source Documents
| Date | Title | Type |
|---|---|---|
| August 17, 2026 | Town Council Workshop Agenda Packet | packet |