City works with ski resort on dormant subdivisions

The Whitefish City Council Feb. 19 approved an extension for a preliminary plat for one Big Mountain subdivision, while it chose to delay a decision on a second plat extension also on the mountain.

Winter Sports Inc. requested an extension of the Big Mountain Village preliminary plat and The Glades preliminary plat for both subdivisions located at Whitefish Mountain Resort.

The Big Mountain Village was first approved in 2007 by the city and in 2005 Flathead County Commissioners approved The Glades. The requests seek to extend both plats for two years.

Resort CEO Dan Graves said the resort would like to hold off on developing the subdivisions. He told the council that as a small resort, WMR has fought hard to gain financial stability in the last few years and is on a record pace this year.

“The real estate market crashed in 2007 and hit the mountain extremely hard,” Graves said. “We already had these plats in play at that time. The forward moment we have gained in the last five years could be quickly set back if we have to trigger these plats.”

Council voted unanimously to approve the extension for Big Mountain Village, but concerns regarding The Glades caused the council to put off a decision for that plat.

The village is an 11-lot resort and commercial development on 12.6 acres at the end of Big Mountain Road. Council twice previously approved extensions for the plat in 2010 and 2011.

The subdivision is one part of a plan to redevelop the core village area on the mountain. The lots are proposed to be resort-related with development centered around a new skier ‘hub’ at the base of Chair One and Chair Two.

“I’m in support of this,” councilor Phil Mitchell said. “It’s one of our biggest employers in the valley. We’ve had some economic downturns and they seem to be trying to get through this. We need to work with them.”

Since the original approval of the subdivision, certain city standards have been amended including the water quality protection regulations. The stream buffer of 25-feet in the subdivision met regulations in place at the time, but the current regulations call for a 100-foot buffer with a 10-foot setback from streams. Also some of the lots exceed 10 percent slope which now requires geotechincal review and others exceed 30 percent slope, which currently isn’t permitted. The subdivision is only required to meet the regulations from its first approval and not those in place now.

Councilor Richard Hildner voiced concern that the subdivision doesn’t meet today’s standards for environmental protection.

“Are we compromising any resource protection?” he asked. “I’m worried about that as we extend and extend. Our understanding of the situation changes over time and this may give us an opportunity if we don’t extend to improve the water quality protection.”

During public comment, Ben Cavin asked for protection of area resources in the subdivision.

“It seems to me this is a good opportunity not to give the extension and upgrade it to current standards,” he said. “Time goes by and things change. Water is a very important thing in the world.”

Council also raised questions about the economics of developing the projects.

“Are you going to be back here in two years looking for another extension?” councilor Bill Kahle asked. “I understand I’m asking you to dust off your crystal ball, but what do you think?”

In response, Graves pointed to the Northern Lights West subdivision phase one that was platted with 18 lots in 2006 and eight lots that remain unsold. One lot sold last year, but was the first to sell in five years.

“I would love to tell you that I won’t be back in two years,” he said. “I wish I knew what was going to happen with the economy and real estate. To just build it for the sake of building it, we’re going to be sitting on stuff we can’t sell.”

Council decided to continue the public hearing on The Glades after concerns were expressed about the proximity of two condominium units in The Glades to Haskill Creek.

The Glades original plat contained 21 single-family residential, 135 townhomes and 22 cabins lots on 55 acres located south of the Base Lodge on Big Mountain. The plat is set to expire in August.

Graves said the design for The Glades has changed dramatically since it was first approved. In 2006, with the adoption of the Big Mountain Neighborhood Plan the unit count went from 178 down to 60 units that are single-family and multi-family homes, and 23 acres was set aside as open space.

“The cost to bring just one phase to development is $700,000 to $1.5 million,” he said. “And unfortunately the single-family homes is the hardest hit sector of real estate for Big Mountain.”

City planning staff recommended that only three of the original 11 phases of the plat be extended to keep the project in line with the neighborhood plan. Graves agreed to the recommendation.

Hildner again pointed to protection of resources as a concern specifically regarding a portion of the project that contains two condominium units near Haskill Creek.

“Haskill Creek predominately runs through the edge of phase six and I think we have an opportunity here,” he said. “Given the fragility of our water source there is importance in protecting it. We need to do everything we can to provide an improved buffer along Haskill Creek.”

Under state law, the city has the ability to extend preliminary plats, but not to add conditions to those plats. Council asked for some redesign for the condo lots near the creek, and directed city staff to work with the resort and return to the council with a proposal.