EBS STAFF
GALLATIN GATEWAY – The Gallatin County Commission on April 8 denied an appeal to a floodplain permit granted to a proposed glamping resort in Gallatin Gateway.
Filed by a cohort of environmental groups including Madison-Gallatin Trout Unlimited, the Greater Yellowstone Coalition and American Rivers, the appeal challenged a floodplain permit granted to the Riverbend Glamping Getaway resort. While the county commission rejected the appeal, commissioners granted the appellants’ proposal to add a condition to the permit requiring the resort to remove accommodations and shut off utilities for part of the resort during peak flood season.
This condition was added to minimize damage and keep debris from moving downstream during peak flood season, according to the Bozeman Daily Chronicle’s reporting on the seven-hour hearing.
The glamping resort, proposed by Bozeman couple Jeff and Jirina Pfeil, will be situated on an island between two channels of the Gallatin River and will include 58 sites with tents, wagons and teepees with private bathroom facilities in each tent. The glampgound will sit in a designated floodplain.
The appeal addressed Gallatin County Floodplain Administrator Sean O’Callaghan’s interpretation of floodplain regulations and other laws in his permit approval, according to the Chronicle, but several other items were also raised during the hearing. These included the Pfeil’s proposed renovations of a metal building on the property and issues around public comment.
Also extensively discussed was the evacuation plan included in the permit application, which is not required by floodplain regulations.
In Jeff’s testimony, he stated that the entire glamping site can have all utilities shut off and wagons removed in just a few hours.
All in-person public comment at the April 8 hearing was against the glamping site.
