Bannock County grants floodplain variance for States property after staff recommendation

The Bannock County Board of Commissioners on Tuesday approved a variance to the county’s floodplain freeboard requirement for a proposed home on property owned by David and Angela States.

Planning Director Hal Jensen told commissioners the staff report recommended approval and that the applicants had worked with county staff for 15 to 18 months preparing plans. “We have compliance on all of those particular items,” Jensen said, referring to the variance criteria in the staff report.

The variance concerns the county’s freeboard requirement, an engineering safety factor above base flood elevation. Jensen said the county’s ordinance adopted in 2021 incorporated a state-recommended freeboard that can require structures to be two feet above base flood elevation. He noted the county is reviewing that standard and that many other jurisdictions use a one-foot freeboard. “We are in the process of looking at that,” Jensen said.

Jensen and the planning staff said the States family has owned the property since 1959 and that the application met the county’s variance standards. Commissioner Holder said the ordinance review made the variance request sensible. Commissioner Bullock asked a clarifying question during discussion: “What in the world is freeboard?” Jensen replied, “Freeboard is an engineering term relative to the floodplain, which is an additional height from base flood elevation.”

After discussion, a motion to grant the variance “as requested” was made and put to a vote. All commissioners present voted in favor; the motion passed.

The board did not set other conditions beyond those noted in the staff report. County staff indicated the floodplain ordinance is under review and that the county may adjust the freeboard requirement as part of that rewrite.

The developers and planning staff said they will proceed with the building plans under the variance as approved.