Trey and Shelby Scharp, Wyoming homeowners, have filed a federal lawsuit against Teton County, alleging that the county imposed unlawful and excessive permit fees for their home construction. Represented by the Pacific Legal Foundation, the Scharps argue that the $25,000 “workforce housing” fee, intended to address worker housing shortages in Jackson Hole, violates Supreme Court precedents prohibiting governments from extorting property owners with fees unrelated to their permits. The lawsuit, Shelby and Trey Scharp v. Teton County, claims the fee increases housing costs without benefiting affordability.
The Scharps faced zoning and permitting challenges, including the county’s refusal to allow a rental unit on their property, which could have directly supported workforce housing. Austin Waisanen, an attorney at Pacific Legal Foundation, stated that such fees drive up construction costs and do not address housing shortages. The case is part of the foundation’s broader efforts to protect property owners’ rights to build, aiming to facilitate housing development nationwide. More details on the lawsuit are available through the Pacific Legal Foundation’s website.
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