Planning commission recommends conditional-use permit for Jackson Hole Community School middle-school expansion

The Jackson Planning Commission on March 18 voted to recommend approval of conditional use permit P26-013, allowing Jackson Hole Community School to expand into Building 400 at 1735 High School Road to operate a middle school serving up to 90 students.

Staff described the proposal as an expansion into roughly 7,250 square feet for middle-school classrooms, small-group instruction and administrative space, and recommended support subject to conditions including revised bike-parking design (13 short-term spaces, four sized for larger cargo bikes), a finalized site plan before council review, and exterior-lighting compliance at building-permit review.

"We're super excited at the Jackson Hole Community School to begin this initiative ... to open up a middle school," said Ted Smith, the school's head of school, noting the school's MOU with the nearby high school and its expectations for carpooling, biking and use of alternate transportation. Smith clarified that school students do not currently ride the public school buses to and from school, though the START bus is used for some off-site activities.

Commissioners asked detailed questions about peak-hour drop-off and circulation on High School Road, the potential for staggered start times, and the adequacy of proposed bike parking for e-bikes. George Cottonham of SIR Consulting and the applicant team described a modern bike-rack layout that meets the town's recommended spacing and said site landlords are cooperating to identify room for additional bike storage if demand grows. The applicant also said it will add bike-safety training about e-bike and pathway use to student orientation and handbooks.

After discussion, a commissioner moved and the commission voted to recommend approval of the CUP based on the staff findings and conditions in the March 18, 2026 report. The commission's recommendation will be forwarded to the Town Council for final action.

The commission and staff noted the condition that the applicant produce a site plan and address exterior-lighting compliance at building-permit review; staff said there was no identified significant impact to High School Road compared with the prior day-care use.