County paid $1.2 million for a water plan in 2024; rules still unwritten
Teton County spent $1.2 million on a Water Quality Management Plan finished in June 2024, but staff told the Planning Commission the land-use rules it recommended still aren't drafted two years later.
Teton County's Water Quality Management Plan cost $1.2 million and was finished in June 2024, Water Resources Coordinator Chris Peltz confirmed to the Planning Commission on Oct. 12 under questioning from Commissioner Ryan Kelly. Planning Director Chris Neubecker said the plan's findings are the basis for the land development regulations (LDR) staff is now drafting for manmade waterbodies, more than two years after the study was delivered. Kelly pressed the point directly: "You've had the plan for 2 years, why do you need 9 months more?" Planning Commission minutes. Peltz said early staff time went to deciding which water projects to fund with excise-tax dollars and standing up a new advisory board, not to writing the rule language itself.
The $1.2 million figure matches the contract record: commissioners approved a $1,111,438 agreement with Trihydro Corporation in December 2021, and a February 2024 amendment pushed the total to $1,262,882 to cover extra public comment work and post-adoption LDR consulting contract amendment. The Board of County Commissioners formally adopted the finished plan on June 4, 2024 June 2024 staff report.
Two years after paying for the answers, the county still doesn't have the rule.
Background
Teton County's freeze on new manmade waterbodies allows time to update LDRs per the $1.2M Water Quality Management Plan (June 2024), with new rules expected by September 2027 or sooner.
Latest: 2027-09-02 — Estimated end of extended freeze period; new LDRs expected to be adopted and effective by this date at the latest.
curated as of 2026-10-24
Teton County will update Water Quality LDRs in FY27, focusing on waterbody protection, filtration, and wastewater management, with an estimated staff cost of $30,000 and adoption targeted for FY27.
Latest: 2027 — Ongoing staff work and public hearings on Water Quality LDR amendments, with final adoption expected in FY27.
curated as of 2026-06-12
The FY27 Long Range Planning Work Plan focuses on water quality, PRD, habitat mitigation, and administrative updates, with a $2.3M operations budget and $478K capital; the Indicator Dashboard is modernized but KPIs are unchanged.
Latest: 2026-06-15 — Town Council scheduled to review the FY27 Work Plan and Indicator Dashboard; dashboard modernized but KPIs unchanged.
curated as of 2026-06-13