Whitefish hearing outlines parking structure rules
As the city of Whitefish makes the final preparations to open its new City Hall and parking garage this month, the City Council tonight will hold a public hearing to establish parking restrictions for the new facility.
To generate the money required to cover the operation and maintenance of the parking facility, the city intends to lease parking spaces to the public. The leased parking permits will be valid from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, excluding holidays. During that time, people who haven’t purchased a parking permit may park in the other areas of the facility for up to three hours. During all other times, the entire structure will be available for use of the public without charge or time limitations.
The proposed ordinance makes it unlawful for a person who doesn’t have a permit to park in leased spaces during those designated hours. It also makes it unlawful t to park more than three hours in unleased portions during the weekday hours. Also, oversize commercial vehicles won’t be allowed in the facility and no vehicle can be parked for more than seven days.
The council has two other public hearings scheduled. One is to consider a conditional-use permit request from Mireille Bierens to build an accessory apartment at 553 Park Ave. The other will consider rezoning 10 acres of land along Armory Road from county suburban agricultural to Whitefish country residential zoning, because the city intends to annex the property.
With the summer season just weeks away, the council also has three lakeshore permits to consider. Two of the three proposed permits have been recommended for denial by the lakeshore protection committee.
Randy Dunlop has asked for a lakeshore variance at 736 Birch Point Drive to install a boat canopy above a permitted boat lift next to a permitted dock. The proposal exceeds the constructed area allowed on lakeshore frontage by 77.3 square feet. Both the city planning staff and lakeshore protection committee have recommended denial of the application.
A lakeshore permit application from Lakeshore Group LLC for gravel placement in the lakeshore zone at 1340 Wisconsin Avenue also is recommended for denial by the lakeshore committee, which maintains that adding gravel to the shoreline doesn’t comply with all of the standards in the lakeshore regulations and “is not in the best interest of the city.” However, the planning staff recommended approval, contending the proposed application of gravel does comply with lakeshore regulation standards.
A third lakeshore permit application from Brian and Lori Alter to install stone veneer, stone stairs and gravel placement within the lakeshore zone at 1476 Barkley Lane is recommended for approval by both the planning staff and lakeshore committee.
The council will hold a special session at 5:30 p.m. to interview candidates for volunteer boards. The meeting begins at 7:10 p.m. at the interim City Hall, 1005 Baker Ave.
Features editor Lynnette Hintze may be reached at 758-4421 or lhintze@dailyinterlake.com.