Whitefish rejects planned resort zoning

Whitefish has rejected a proposed zoning district intended for high-density resort development.

City Council voted unanimously Feb. 18 against adoption of a Whitefish Planned Resort district that could be used to develop destination resorts on parcels of land 5 acres or larger.

A long list of permitted uses in the district included hotels, conference centers, art galleries, banks, grocery stores, restaurants, gas stations, heath clubs, medical clinics and schools. Some of the conditional uses included golf courses, amusement parks, multi-family housing, and RV parks.

“I have to be one of those people that says, ‘This thing scares me,” councilor Andy Feury said. “It’s extremely broad in nature.

“As written, someone could come and create a town within a town.”

The planned resort zone would have been similar to a planned unit development overlay in that there would be flexibility built in to deviate from some development requirements, provided there are significant public benefits.

A neighborhood plan for the area would be required prior to adoption and a binding site plan would be part of the development requirements.

Planning Director Dave Taylor told council at a November work session that several developers have approached the city with ideas for resort-type developments.

“This provides a tool for this type of development,” he said.

Feury said the city already has the tools with the WRB-1 and WRB-2 zones, and PUDs.

“By doing those processes, it still gives the property owner the opportunity to come in with a proposal,” he said. “It’s not like we’re closing the door 100 percent.”

“I’m very leary about putting a tool in the toolbox and as soon as it gets pulled out it gets beat over our heads.”

Feruy compared the zoning district to the planned resort community of Sunriver Resort in central Oregon.

“Sunriver happens to be one of my least favorite places on the planet,” he said. “That’s the vehicle that creates those kinds of things.”

Councilor Richard Hildner agreed and said it’s not the right time for the zoning district.

“Former councilor Bill Kahle used to remind us about the grit of Whitefish,” Hildner said. “I’d hate to see us exchange grit for Teflon.”

During public comment, Whitefish resident Rhonda Fitzgerald told council the proposed resort zone would hurt Whitefish’s tourism economy.

“We have a real town and that makes us appealing to visitors too,” she said. “It’s a vibrant, small town full or real people who work, and that is appealing to a certain niche group of visitors who drive our visitation economy. This is our competitive advantage. We are most definitely not a resort town, and if we become ‘any resort town USA’ we will irrevocably damage that visitation economy.”

Former councilor Chris Hyatt spoke in favor of the zoning district and said it allows the city to have “strong involvement and control” over the development process.

“I believe there is a need for this,” he said.

“Change is inevitable, but at the same time we want to control change too.”