Commission grants floodplain variance to allow moved caretaker house to remain after engineering and neighbor support

Gallatin County commissioners approved a variance allowing a residential structure that had been moved onto a property east of Belgrade to remain within the regulated floodplain, subject to conditions and a follow‑up floodplain permit that must demonstrate compliance with elevation and encroachment limits.

The property, roughly 23.5 acres and bisected by Highlight Creek, had previously received a conditional use permit for a guest house/caretaker residence conditioned to remain outside the 100‑year floodplain. County floodplain staff later learned, during a septic permitting review, that a structure had been placed within the regulated floodplain without a required floodplain permit.

The applicant requested a variance from Section 7.2.9 of the county’s Floodplain Hazard Management Regulations, which allows the floodplain administrator to issue a permit only when no reasonable alternate location outside the regulated floodplain exists. Floodplain Administrator Sean…