Planning board needs public input

Unless you have attended meetings of the Whitefish City-County Planning Board, you would probably be surprised to learn how much we on the board value input from the public.

Time and again citizens have brought their understanding and insight to us during public hearings, which has allowed us to reach far better decisions than we would have arrived at without their help.

Indeed, during the year we have at times been able to iron out differences between developers and the adjoining neighbors right there in the council chambers during the board meetings.

The message I'd like to get across is that if you get involved and speak up, you'll be heard.

Because Boardwalk at Whitefish — the new project on Wisconsin Ave. — is large, complex and probably controversial, the planning board will be walking through the property with the developer and a couple of wetlands experts.

I'd like to extend an invitation for any citizen who has an interest in joining us. We can all take a look at this thing together and ask questions.

We'll meet in the council chambers at City Hall on Friday, Oct. 7, at 3 p.m. There will be a short presentation, and then we'll van-pool to the project site.

If you can't be there for the walking tour, you can write to the board through the Whitefish Planning and Zoning Department or come to speak at the public hearing in the city council chambers on Thursday, Oct. 20, at 7 p.m.

Nick Palmer is the president of the Whitefish City-County Planning Board