Make ordinances affordable

I was not able to attend the last workshop held by Whitefish City Council on Jan. 28, but had I been able, I would have liked to have asked councilor Nick Palmer why he thinks property owners have such deep pockets as to be able to afford $5,000-$10,000 to hire professionals to locate stormwater conveyances on their land?

This is exactly the type of thinking that will turn our town into the next Jackson or Aspen — only affordable to the rich.

What has always made Whitefish special is the fact that it is a real town, where everyday people have made their home and found a way to make a living. Just who has this kind of loose change ready to spend in addition to all of the other fees involved in doing something with their land?

I am also appalled by comments made by a member of the planning board stating that the ordinance is "in the public's interest," therefore "cost shouldn't be an issue."

Is it not possible to have an ordinance that is effective in protecting our assets but also one that is cost effective to administer?

Let's have an ordinance that protects our environment, but also one that, we the people, can afford.

Cathy Galbraith

Whitefish