Resources
Over the past 20 years, VARD has accumulated many resources to share with the community. From maps and citizen handbooks to statistical reports and tips for contacting and writing your local decision makers. You will find them all here.
Citizen Handbooks
The following VARD publications are in the Adobe PDF format, please download here if you don’t have Adobe Acrobat.
Addressing Excess Development Entitlements – Lessons learned from Teton County, Idaho
Arrested Developments – Tools for tackling zombie subdivisions
Dig Driggs Business Development Guide
Citizen Advocacy Handbook (525 KB)
Developer’s Handbook for Smart Growth (1.76 MB)
Commonsense Guidelines to Living in Teton County (940 KB)
Subdivision in the Intermountain West – A general overview of laws and enabling authority for platting and vacating development entitlements.
Tips for Public Speaking & Letter Writing
We believe in the 5 Golden Rules of verbal testimony:
- Be courteous. Address your comments to the commission or board, not the public. You are most persuasive when you are polite and professional.
- Be brief. Bring notes and practice in advance.
- Focus on primary issues. Speak slowly and clearly and stay focused on 2 or 3 well thought out arguments.
- Supply meaningful facts. The more carefully you prepare, the more effective your testimony will be: study the application and back up your opinion with facts, purely emotional arguments won’t carry much weight.
- Address the criteria. The most effective testimony is that which addresses the criteria that the decision makers must apply in order to make a legal decision. You’ll be more convincing if you are familiar with the comprehensive plan and ordinances since those documents govern local decision-making.
If you would like to create dialogue or raise public awareness about a particular land use issue or topic, submitting your public comments or a letter to the editor can be useful. Below are the e-mail contacts for our regional newspapers:
Teton Valley News (Teton Valley, ID)
editor@tetonvalleynews.net
You can also submit your letter through their online form
Jackson Hole News & Guide and Jackson Hole Daily (Jackson, WY)
publisher@jhnewsandguide.com
Post Register (Idaho Falls, ID)
news@postregister.com
Giving Verbal Public Testimony
Contact Your Local Decision Makers
Teton County
150 Courthouse Drive
Driggs, ID 83422
208-354-8775
commissioners@co.teton.id.us
Teton County Planning & Zoning Commission
150 Courthouse Drive
Driggs, ID 83422
208-354-2905
2021 Meeting Calendar
pzadmin@co.teton.id.us
City of Victor
32 Elm Street, PO Box 122
Victor, ID 83455
208-787-2940
mayor@victorcityidaho.com
City of Victor Planning & Zoning Commission
32 Elm Street / P.O. Box 122
Victor, ID 83455
208-787-2940
planner@victorcityidaho.com
City of Driggs
80 N. Main / P.O. Box 48
Driggs, ID 83422
208-354-2362
citycouncil@driggsidaho.org
City of Tetonia
3192 Perry Avenue
P.O. Box 57
Tetonia, Idaho 83452
208-456-2249
tetoniagov@silverstar.com
City of Tetonia Planning & Zoning Commission
3192 Perry Avenue
P.O. Box 57
Tetonia, Idaho 83452
208-456-2249
tetoniagov@silverstar.com
Public Meeting Schedules
Teton County - Meeting Schedule
County Commissioners meetings are held the 2nd and 4th Monday of each month in the County Court House building at 9 am. Written testimony must be submitted 7 days before public hearing.
The County P&Z Commission meetings are held the 2nd Tuesday of every month in the court room of the County Court House at 5 pm. Written testimony must be submitted 7 days before public hearing.
City of Driggs - Meeting Schedule/Links
City Council meetings are held the 1st and 3rd Tuesday of every month at 6 pm in the Driggs City Hall building. Written testimony must be received 7 days before the public hearing, by 5 pm.
City P&Z Commission meetings are held 2nd Wednesday of every month at 6:30 pm in the Driggs City Hall building. Written testimony must be received 7 days before the public hearing, by 5 pm.
City of Victor - Meeting Schedule/Links
City Council meetings are held the 2nd and 4th Wednesday of every month at 7 pm in the Victor City Hall building. Written testimony must be received 7 days before the public hearing.
City P&Z Commission meets the 3rd Thursday of every month at 7pm in the Victor City Hall building. Written testimony must be received 7 days before the public hearing.
City of Tetonia
City Council meetings are held the 2nd Monday of every month at 7 pm in the Tetonia City Hall building. Written testimony must be received 7 days before the public hearing.
City P&Z Commission meets the 1st Monday at 7pm in the Tetonia City Hall building. Written testimony must be received 7 days before the public hearing.
Helpful Links
Local Government Links
State Government Links
Idaho Department of Environmental Quality
Idaho Department of Transportation
Idaho Department of Water Resources
Office of the Idaho Attorney General
Local, Regional and State Organizations
Jackson Hole Conservation Alliance
Lincoln Institute of Land Policy
HUD Sustainable Communities Grant Working Group
Teton Valley Trails & Pathways
Archived Newsletters
Summer 2019
Fall 2019
Summer 2018
Spring 2017
Summer 2016
Summer 2015
Summer 2014
Fall 2014
Summer 2013
Winter 2013
Fall 2012
Spring 2012
Summer 2011
Winter 2011
Summer 2010
Fall 2010
Spring 2009
Winter 2009
February 2008
Summer 2008
Fall 2008
Spring 2007
Summer 2007
Fall 2007
Spring 2006
Fall 2006
Spring 2005
Summer 2005
Fall 2005
Spring 2004
Spring 2003