Montana’s Gallatin County Commission on Tuesday tried to narrow down the scope of appeals filed against a floodplain permit granted to developers of Riverbend Glamping back in November.
The discussion was over what information would be used in the hearing on April 8 to determine the merit of the appeals. In the end, the commissioners blocked certain details from being used at the hearing and sided with the glamping developers.
The main issue was whether or not to include information that the county floodplain administrator Sean O’Callaghan didn’t have when he approved the floodplain permit.
The commissioners didn’t strike all details in the appeals from the record. New evidence that the commission won’t include comprises a channel migration map included in an appeal filed by Madison-Gallatin Trout Unlimited, American Rivers, and the Greater Yellowstone Coalition.
The commissioners also dumped a memo from Hydrosolutions in Protect the Gallatin’s appeal, along with some of the photos and statements found in Dick Shockley and Peter Stein’s appeals.
Representatives of Protect the Gallatin and the American Rivers, Madison-Gallatin Trout Unlimited, and Greater Yellowstone Coalition group, claimed that the county’s floodplain regulations permitted public comment and public testimony on appeals.
New comments and testimony must be considered when looking at the floodplain administrator’s decision based on the information he could access when he made the verdict.
Bryan Gallik, the developers’ representative, defended, saying the issue was whether the floodplain administrator’s decision or interpretation of the information he had at the time of his decision was erroneous. He added that continuously bringing in new evidence to prove O’Callaghan made a mistake was unfair.
The hearing that will determine the merits of the appeals will take place on April 8 at the Gallatin County Courthouse.
This story originally appeared on Belgrade News.
Isn’t it interesting how the Gallatin County Commission is diving into the glamping appeals? Transparency and fairness matter. Let’s support a thorough review benefiting all involved stakeholders!
Have you heard about the recent discussions on the Riverbend Glamping development in Gallatin County? It’s really crucial to consider how it might impact the environment. Let’s keep an eye on the upcoming hearing and make sure all voices are heard and valued.