Teton county GIS analysis

97% A GIS Analysis of Teton County, Wyoming
Student Researcher: Mckenzie Metzger
 
Link to Capstone Poster    
Link to Executive Summary 

Public land is widely understood to comprise 97% of Teton County, Wyoming and many community members believe the remaining 3% of private land should be developed for residential and commercial use; however, the public and private proportions are oversimplified statistics that can confuse the geography of  the valley of Jackson (Jackson Hole) and the County.

This project calculated and mapped ownership, land use, and terrain in the County to determine where development can realistically occur. The results revealed that historic land fragmentation patterns and natural terrain constrained development in Jackson Hole and development is not feasible outside of the valley because the surrounding land is publicly owned. Although there are vacant residential and commercial parcels in Jackson Hole, the amount of developable land is far less than 3%. The maps generated from this analysis can be used as tools to help community members understand the geography of the County so they make the most informed decisions on how to plan for growth and development while protecting open space and natural habitats.