Neighbors say 2nd Street project too dense

For the second time in as many months, the developers of a proposed apartment complex on East Second Street are expected to redesign their project after hearing once again from neighbors that it’s still too dense for the area.

During the Whitefish City-County Planning Board meeting May 16, William MacDonald and Sean Averill, of Community Infill Partners, presented their plans for 2nd Street Apartments, a development planned for 24 acres just east of Cow Creek. The project is calling for 150 housing units made up of apartments, condominiums and single-family residences.

The project was first presented at the March planning board meeting and called for 174 housing units made up of apartments and condos. The planning board May 16 voted to table the project for a second time and give the developers another 60 days to return with a revision. Developers are requesting a zone change and planned unit development overlay for the site.

“When you develop something you can’t have no impacts — the goal has been to minimize the impacts as much as possible,” Averill said. “There’s a few ideas we’re kicking around. I think we’ll do a redesign again.”

Those who spoke during an hour and a half of public comment said the new project is better, but still not the right fit for the area. Neighbors cited a list of concerns including density, impacts to traffic on Second Street and Armory Road, and a feeling that the project will negatively change the neighborhood.

“The revised plan is an improvement,” said Kate McMahon. “I still have some concerns. The mass of the multi-family housing is not compatible with the neighborhood. The traffic impact has not been addressed for pedestrian-safety issues.”

The new design calls for 112 apartments, nine attached condos and 29 single-family homes. The overall density is now 6.31 units per acre versus the previous 7.3 units per acre with 69 percent of the property remaining in open space.

Susan Stagg said the project remains too dense.

“It’s great to put single-family homes in front, but it’s just camouflage,” she said. “This doesn’t fit the character of the neighborhood.”

Under the redesign, the apartments are spread through 10 buildings clustered at the center of the property. The two-story apartment buildings are a mix of eight-plexes and 16-plexes.

Single-family homes would be along East Second Street and condo units are planned to bookend the project to the east and west. Developers said the change in location of the building types was an attempt to make the transition into multi-family housing more in keeping with the neighborhood.

Melinda Morrison said the project is too dense and will hurt the neighborhood.

“If this does happen it will change our neighborhood forever, and not for the better,” she said.

Velvet Phillips-Sullivan said the city’s growth policy designates this type of density for other places in the city.

“This does not respect the integrity of the neighborhood,” she said. “This is somebody else’s vision of this community. The multi-family housing is a con. If we as a neighborhood had wanted this density it would have been in the (growth policy).”

The traffic impact study expects the project to add more than 1,000 vehicle trips per day to the roads. About 85 percent of the traffic is expected to use Second Street and the remaining vehicles will likely access the development using Armory Road.

“People want to live here,” Averill said. “We need to be progressive about how we address our housing needs and be responsible in how we develop for the greater need for the community.”

Prior to voting, some of the planning board members said they would support the project at a lower overall density. They also took issue with the size of the apartment buildings.

Board member Chad Phillips called the new design a “major improvement.”

“It’s the style of apartments that I have a concern for,” he said. “There’s no privacy in this type and people want to leave quickly. If they were cottage-style apartments, people would want to stay and raise their kids there. I would support five units per acre, but not as it is.”

Board member Dennis Konopatzke said the issue comes down to traffic and Second Street’s ability to absorb the extra cars.

“I have empathy for the neighborhood,” he said. “The city needs to look at the traffic and infrastructure.”