Park County, Wyoming
Planning and Zoning Department : Regulations and Policies

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The Board of County Commissioners hired Clarion Associates to update the 1998 Park County Land Use Plan. The 1st public draft of the 2023 Land Use Plan was released on February 14, 2023. The project team is currently reviewing comments following the March 10, 2023 close of the initial comment period. The next draft of the document will tentatively be available in early to mid-April.

1998 LAND USE PLAN

In 1978, the Board of County Commissioners adopted a planning document entitled “Park County Land Use Planning” to satisfy state law enacted in 1975 requiring all counties to adopt land use plans. In the 20 years that followed, the population grew, and the political, economic, legal and planning environments changed significantly in the County, leading to the need for an updated plan. On September 15, 1998, the Board adopted the Park County Land Use Plan, which is still in use today.

*NATURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT PLAN - NEW!*

On September 20, 2021 at 11:00am, the Board of County Commissioners adopted the Park County, Wyoming Natural Resource Management Plan for State and Federal Lands. A Natural Resource Management Plan (NRMP) is a form of land use planning that serves as the basis for communicating and coordinating with the federal and state government entities and their agencies on land and natural resource management issues that influence the local area and economy.  Understanding that rural counties can be strongly impacted by federal and state land management decisions on lands located within or adjacent to their borders, local governments can ensure that local policies and concerns are meaningfully considered by federal and state agencies through formally adopting an NRMP.

In adopting the NRMP, the Park County Board of County Commissioners (“the Board”) intends to: 

  • Maintain or expand upon the culture, customs, heritage, and economic diversity of resource-based industries within the local economy, while balancing the integrity of local natural resources, wildlife, and environmental quality; 
  • Promote the understanding of the history, dynamics, and benefits of multiple use on federal and state lands within the County (i.e., agriculture, recreation, etc.) with the understanding that 1) the “multiple use” mandate on public lands does not imply that all uses can take place simultaneously on the same land, 2) the protection of wilderness qualities and roadless qualities are legally recognized uses within the spectrum of multiple use, and 3) certain other compatible uses take priority over incompatible uses;
  • Recognize and protect privacy rights and interests in federal and state land resources including, but not limited to, rights-of-way, grazing permits, water rights, special use permits, leases, contracts, and recreation permits and licenses; 
  • Identify and justify areas of need facing Park County specific to the current conditions of natural resources within the County, understanding that ecological conditions will be changing in unpredictable ways, and review and update this occasionally to adapt to these changes; • Minimize conflicts between land uses; and 
  • Promote a robust, diverse, and sustainable local economy.

2019 SHORT-TERM RENTAL POLICY INPUT GATHERING PROCESS

The Park County Board of Commissioners, Planning and Zoning Commission and Planning and Zoning Department hosted five (5) public scoping meetings to consider future updates to the Park County Development Standards and Regulations related to the topic of Short-Term Rentals. These scoping meetings were intended to give the public an opportunity to discuss concerns and opportunities related to short-term rental regulation in unincorporated Park County and provide input to the Board and Commission for possible revisions to existing plans and regulations.

The meetings were held as follows:

•  Thursday, August 22nd, 2019 – Park County Fairgrounds, 665 E. 5 th St., Powell, WY (Click here for meeting minutes.)

•  Tuesday, August 27th, 2019 – Southfork Fire Hall, 1392 Southfork Rd., Cody, WY (Click here for meeting minutes.)

•  Thursday, August 29th, 2019 – Park County EOC, basement of the new courthouse, 1002 Sheridan Ave., Cody, WY (Click here for meeting minutes.)

•  Thursday, September 5th, 2019 – Wapiti School Gym, 3167 Northfork Highway, Wapiti, WY (Click here for meeting minutes.)

•  Tuesday, September 10th, 2019 – Clark Fire Hall, 308 Road 1AB, Clark, WY (Click here for meeting minutes.)

Input gathered from the 2019 Public Meetings on Short-Term Rentals will be used to develop policy guidance in the 2023 Land Use Plan and, ultimately, new standards and rules in the forthcoming updated Development Standards and Regulations. Written comments are always welcome via email to planning@parkcounty.us or via regular mail/hand-delivery to: Planning and Zoning Department, 1002 Sheridan Ave., Suite 109, Cody, WY 82414. 

Park County Planning and Zoning Department    |    1002 Sheridan Ave. Suite 109, Cody, WY 82414    |    307-527-8540    |    planning@parkcounty-wy.gov