Whitefish still wrestling with U.S. 93 plan

A development plan for 70 acres along U.S. 93 South in Whitefish is back on the Whitefish City Council agenda for a third time on Monday, Aug. 6.

Whitefish 57 LLC and Eagle Enterprises have further tweaked their proposal to create a neighborhood plan with four sections of commercial and residential development.

The developers revised the subarea plan to eliminate the high-density land-use designation on the west side of the proposed Baker Avenue extension. Instead, they want to designate that area as urban, with a possible one- or two-family zoning district. The remainder of the land use would be unchanged from the initial plan. The location of the previously designated urban area is unchanged, and no changes are proposed for the commercial areas.

The council continued its July 2 public hearing until the July 16 meeting to review extensive public comments and the revised plan.

Then on July 13 the applicant requested a continuation until Aug. 6 to meet and work with the Great Northern Heights and Park Knoll homeowner associations. As a result of those neighborhood meetings, the plan has been further amended to limit the total number of units within the proposed high-density multifamily residential and one-family residential districts to a maximum of 250 units and provide buffering between the proposed development and those neighborhoods.

In other business, the council will hold a public hearing on a proposed ordinance to establish alternative-side parking to assist with street maintenance. It would impose restrictions from 5 a.m. to 5 p.m. between Oct. 1 and April 30 each year.

On even-numbered days, vehicles shall be parked on the side of the street adjacent to lots and houses with assigned even-numbered addresses — generally the north and east sides.

On odd-numbered day, vehicles shall be parked on the side of the street adjacent to lots and houses with odd-numbered addresses — generally the south and west sides.

The city gave this parking example: if a person parks at 6 p.m. on Dec. 3 and does not plan to move the vehicle until 7 a.m. the next morning, the person would park on the even side of the street because it will be Dec. 4 after 5 a.m. and the alternate-side parking will go into effect before the person plans to move the vehicle.

The council will consider a resolution adopting the final environmental assessment for the wastewater treatment plant improvements project.

A work session starting at 5:15 p.m. will focus on the urban forestry budget, and at 6 p.m. the council will review parking management within the Planning Department.

Both the work session, and council meeting at 7:10 p.m. will be held at Whitefish City Hall.

Features Editor Lynnette Hintze may be reached at 758-4421 or lhintze@dailyinterlake.com.