Teton County officials have approved a survey of river users and residents, the first step in figuring out how the county might use several federal parcels along the Snake River.

The survey is the latest step in the years-long process of transferring nearly 1,000 acres from the federal Bureau of Land Management to the county.

The survey results are also expected to help several organizations plan upgrades to various access points along the Snake River.

“We need an understanding of the community as a whole,” Teton County/Jackson Parks and Recreation Director Steve Ashworth told commissioners Tuesday. “We need an assessment to understand what they see as important.”

The county contracted with Kansas-based Leisure Vision to oversee the surveys. The company, which has worked on parks and recreation projects across the country, is slated to earn $19,400.

Leisure Vision staffers guaranteed they would deliver at least 400 completed surveys and direct correspondence from outfitters.

The land transfer is comprised of five parcels, including property near the Wilson boat launch and at the South Park Bridge.

In April, county officials approved a $17,000 contract with Alder Environmental to gather information for the land transfer. That information will likely be used in the county’s application to the bureau.

Officials have not yet submitted a formal application for transfer of the property, but are slated to do so within about the next year. County staffers have been working with numerous agencies and groups, including the Snake River Fund, to complete the land deal and coordinate uses at the various sites.