Future residential and commercial development in Jackson town limits should be capped at what’s allowed today, planning commissioners decided last week.

During the weekly review of the draft Jackson/Teton County Comprehensive Plan on Thursday, Jackson and Teton County planning commissioners voted to recommend that new residential development in town not exceed 1,780 units. Commissioners also voted to recommend that new commercial development should not exceed 3.6 million square feet.

The Jackson Town Council and Teton County Board of Commissioners will make the decision on whether the recommendations make it into the final plan. Those boards will start their review when the planning commissions are finished.

Members of both boards said the plan should respond to public comments asking that development not be allowed to increase beyond what is allowed today.

The only way new residences in town could exceed 1,780 is if there is a commensurate reduction in the number allowed in the county or a transfer of commercial development to residential development.

Planning commissioners were not unanimous in their support of the recommendation. Jackson Planning Commissioner Paul Nash, town Chairman Michael Pruett and county Chairman Larry Hamilton voted against it.

Nash said he couldn’t support the cap because it would limit developers’ creativity when it comes to planned residential developments.

“I cannot support this,” Pruett said. “This is upside down from what public comment said.”

As it stands now, he said, about 7,000 new units are allowed in the county.

Public comment has indicated that people want future residential development in town, not the county, Pruett said.

Town Commissioner Jamie Walter said he could support the cap if commensurate reductions elsewhere would allow new units to grow beyond 1,780.

Otherwise, he said, “We’re always going to be under housed.”

Commissioners took further action to restrict future development in town by recommending capping new commercial square footage at 3.6 million.

Again, Nash and Pruett opposed the measure.

Pruett said he couldn’t support a cap because “things change.”

Commercial development is a viable part of the community, he said.

Others disagreed.

“There’s millions more allowed,” county Planning Commissioner Tony Wall said.

The boards will not meet again to discuss the plan rewrite until 5:30 p.m. Jan. 7. They expect to finish chapter three, which includes maintaining Jackson as the heart of the region, and begin chapter four, which is focused on meeting the community’s housing needs.