Teton View Regional Plan
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
for sustainable development MAY 2015 The work that provided the basis for this publication was supported by funding under an award with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. The substance and findings of the work are dedicated to the public. The author and publisher are solely responsible for the accuracy of the statements and interpretations contained in this publication. Such interpretations do not necessarily reflect the views of the Government. Preface Sustainable communities partnership On June 16, 2009, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) joined together to help communities nationwide improve access to affordable housing, increase transportation options, and lower transportation costs, all while protecting the environment. This “Sustainable Communities Partnership” identified six livability principles that would form a framework for the variety of funding programs that each agency intended to design over a multi-year period. These principles are: • Provide more transportation choices • Provide equitable, affordable housing • Enhance economic competitiveness • Support existing communities • Coordinate policies and leverage investment • Value communities and neighborhoods The Sustainable Communities Regional Planning Grant program was launched by HUD in 2010 to encourage cities and counties to collaborate on studies related to regional land use, affordable housing, economic development, community vitality, food equity, public transportation and environmental quality. The grants also provided for training and technical assistance for local communities as means to build their resilience for the future. In November 2011, the Western Greater Yellowstone Consortium (Consortium) was awarded a $1.5 million HUD grant and launched its three-year planning process in February 2012. The four counties that comprised the Consortium were Fremont, Madison and Teton counties, Idaho, and Teton County, Wyoming. Additional Consortium members included the Idaho cities of Island Park, Ashton, St. Anthony, Rexburg, Driggs, and Victor, plus the Town of Jackson, Wyoming. State and federal agencies that signed onto the Consortium were the Caribou-Targhee and Bridger-Teton national forests, the U.S. Department of the Interior (USDI) Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Upper Snake River District, the Idaho Department of Lands, and the Idaho Transportation Department. The Yellowstone Business Partnership (now dissolved) and the Ashton Community Foundation participated as nonprofit partners in the Consortium. As the original applicant for the HUD Grant, Fremont County served in a leadership role and handled project management and grant administration. The findings, conclusions and recommendations of some 20 research studies and data assessments were integrated into a draft document that received public scrutiny in February/March 2015. The final Teton View Regional Plan profiles high-priority community- scale projects and multi-sector initiatives to be led voluntarily by local cities, counties and organizations. Additional projects are summarized that may be implemented by localities over the long-term. Over the past three years Consortium members have focused on what the region shares in common while respecting the varied economic, political and cultural views of each community. The group has accepted the reality of differing perspectives across the two states and four counties, and presents this Plan as a voluntary, “livability roadmap” that will guide each jurisdiction in its future development. The Plan outlines parallel paths that each locality may travel independently or through coordinated, region-wide implementation. Table of Contents Section One. BECAUSE WE LEAD REGIONAL LIVES 1 The Plan’s Guiding Documents 4 Navigating the Regional Plan 5 About Sustainability Indicators 8 Public Participation Requirements and Philosophy 14 Section Two. THE TETON VIEW LANDSCAPE AND ITS PEOPLE 21 What Lies Beneath 23 Forests, Meadows and Wildlife 29 Population of the Teton View Region 32 Section Three. RESILIENT COMMUNITIES 41 Chapter 1 – Distinctive Major Cities 43 Chapter 2 – Our Small Cities 67 Chapter 3 – Vital Connections 97 Section Four. PRODUCTIVE LANDSCAPES 117 Chapter 4 – Our Agricultural Heritage 119 Chapter 5 – Wildlife, Public Lands and Special Sites 147 Chapter 6 – Four-Season Recreation 172 Section Five. SUPPLEMENTAL MATERIALS 197 Summary of Implementation Priorities and Partnerships 199 Greater Yellowstone Framework/Regional Plan Crosswalk 205 Resource Library/Appendices 207 References 208 TABLES Table 1. Teton View Regional Population 33 Table 2. Percentage of Population by Age 36 Table 3. Population by Race 37 Table 4. Population of Hispanic/Latino Ethnicity by Area 38 Table 5. Tales of Two Cities (TTC) Implementation Priorities 54 Table 6. Staying the Course (SC) Implementation Priorities 83 Table 7. Better Together (BT) Implementation Priorities 106 Table 8. Land in farms, by type (acres) and county 121 Table 9. Public land in grazing (acres), by county 121 Table 10. Roots & Resilience (RR) Implementation Priorities 132-133 Table 11. Wonders & Wildlife (WW) Implementation Priorities 160 Table 12. Adventures for All (AA) Implementation Priorities 184 Table 13. Project Leadership for Fremont County, Idaho 202-203 Table 14. Project Leadership for Madison County, Idaho 203 Table 15. Project Leadership for Teton County, Idaho 204 Table 16. Project Leadership for Teton County, Wyoming 206 Table 17. Project Leadership for Federal Agencies 206 Table 18. Crosswalk to the Greater Yellowstone Framework 208 FIGURES Figure 1. Landscape Characters 6-7 Figure 2. IAP2’s Public Participation Spectrum 14 Figure 3. Survey Results 19 Figure 4. Population Distribution in Teton View Region 32 Figure 5. Teton View Region Percentage of Population by Age 34 Figure 6. Distribution of Population by Hispanic/Latino Ethnicity 40 Figure 7. Distinctive Major Cities and their Micropolitan Areas Map 47 Figure 8. Small Cities Map 75 Figure 9. Regional Infrastructure Map 99 Figure 10. Land in Farms Chart 119 Figure 11. Agriculture Map 125 Figure 12. GYA Climate Action Plan “Definition of Success” 149 Figure 13. Wildlife and Public Lands Map 152 Figure 14. Annual Income to Counties & Participant Recreation Benefits 172 Figure 15. Summer Recreation Map 177 Figure 16. Winter Recreation Map 178 KEY INDICATORS Section One. Healthy Waters 10-11 Housing and Transportation Affordability 12 Regional Interconnectedness 13 Section Three. Employment Diversity 63 Development in City Centers 64 Roadway Connectivity Index 65 Commute Time 66 Housing Cost Burden 95 Educational Attainment 96 Regional Transit Connectivity 114 Broadband Connectivity 115 Wildland Urban Interface Development 116 Section Four. Value of Agricultural Products Sold 145 Land in Farms 146 Land Conservation 159 Yellowstone Cutthroat Trout 170 Elk Harvest 171 Hunting and Fishing License Value 193 Public Land Visitation 194-195 Trail Miles 196 Contributors. Logan Simpson Design Inc. – Fort Collins, Colorado Brendle Group – Fort Collins, Colorado P2 Solutions – Idaho Falls, Idaho Tight Line Media – Idaho Falls, Idaho RED, Inc. Communications – Idaho Falls, Idaho Fremont County Planning and Building – St. Anthony, Idaho Section One Because we lead regional lives An Introduction to the Results of the 4,000-person “Housing/Quality- Teton View Regional Plan of-Life” survey conducted for this Plan clearly show that people choose to live in Fremont, The Teton View Regional Plan for Sustainable Madison, or Teton counties, Idaho, or Teton Development (Plan) has been designed to County, Wyoming. When averaged across the help city and county officials, and public land entire Teton View region: managers better coordinate their land-use planning, resource management, and community • 79% of respondents choose to live here development efforts for the region’s long-term for the fresh air and clean water benefit. The studies and tools developed during • 79% cite the safe, small-town feel the planning process should help communities • 77% cite the natural environment, assess their current situation and effectively wildlife and scenery respond to changing socioeconomic and • 73% cite the many outdoor environmental conditions for years to come. recreation opportunities • 62% cite connections to their neighbors The Plan was written on a four-county, two-state and community scale because past studies have shown that our 83,000+ residents actually lead regional lives. Fifty percent or fewer of all survey respondents Many live in one county, but commute daily to in all counties cited job opportunities and good work in another. Rural residents tend to travel quality services as reasons for living in the area. great distances to shop or visit medical facilities Almost 50% of respondents in Fremont County that are found in the region’s larger cities. While cited the importance of family and farmland there may be outstanding recreation choices in connections to the quality of their lives, but each community, most will travel across state fewer than 20% of respondents in the other and county lines for the best fishing or thrilling counties cited those connections. While adventures far from home. affordable housing increases the quality of life for 51% of Fremont County respondents, affordable housing was cited by only 21% respondents in Teton County, Idaho, and only 4% in Teton County, Wyoming, where housing overall