Sounding off on downtown plan

Planning board members agree —like it or not, Whitefish is a tourist town

By RICHARD HANNERS / Whitefish Pilot

Is the city's downtown master plan intended to promote tourism or residents? That was a question raised by members of the Whitefish City-County Planning Board during a June 19 work session.

Board members were asked to look at half a dozen zoning changes that would help to implement the downtown plan, but discussion soon turned to bigger issues.

Among the plan's recommendations — limiting groundfloor businesses to retail-only, restricting the size of front setbacks to keep stores more closely in line, clarifying building heights, and limiting the number of "formula retail" or chain-owned stores allowed.

Mary Jo Look, a new member of the city's Architectural Review Committee and a second-generation Whitefish native who has worked in retail for 50 years, called the downtown master plan "expensive and unnecessary." She also said streetscaping Central Avenue — which was not on the agenda — "will ruin the 100-year-old railroad town."

"Whitefish will look like every other town," she said.

In an emotional speech, board member Ole Netteberg said he agreed with Look.

"The plan is for tourists," he said. "Don't camouflage it as doing something for the local people."

With talk directed by board vice chairman Steve Qunell toward "affordable retail," Netteberg said he was a firm believer in shopping at locally-owned stores.

"But there's a lot of things not available in Whitefish," he said. "It's not a railroad town, it's a tourist town, a cute, lovable town."

Pointing out that he wants to continue parking his big crew-cab truck on Central Avenue, board member Greg Gunderson said he agreed with Netteberg.

"Ole nailed it," he said. "We're a tourist place."

Board member Ken Meckel pointed out a Catch-22 situation — chain stores are generally more affordable and would help local residents.

"I agree with Ole — we're a tourist town," he said.

City planning director David Taylor pointed out that the city's new growth policy calls for using "character-based zoning" to protect neighborhoods like downtown.

But whose character and from what time period, board member Peggy Sue Amelon wanted to know.

"Some people like funky mistakes," she said. "We don't want a generic look."

In other planning board news:

? The board unanimously approved a request by Michael Smith and Diane Carter to build an accessory apartment above a detached garage on Lupfer Avenue.

Rhonda Fitzgerald, who lives nearby, expressed concern that allowing such apartments created a "watchtower effect" and threatened the privacy of next-door neighbors. She said such "two-story monstrosities trash neighbors."

Carter said Fitzgerald raised "valid concerns," but she pointed out that she had talked to her neighbor to the north, who had a large tree providing privacy.

Board member Ken Stein called the request "a no-brainer," and Amelon pointed out that if the small 900-square-foot railroad-worker home was remodeled, it could go to 35 feet tall, whereas accessory apartments are limited to 24 feet.