Apartment complex proposed on U.S. 93

A 60-unit apartment complex has been proposed on the south side of Whitefish.

Deer Track Residences would be located at 6348 U.S. 93 on 4.5 acres that includes the Naturally Clean dry-cleaning business. It would be sandwiched between Pizza Hut and Big Mountain Lodge to the north and the Hampton Inn & Suites planned to the south.

Jeff Badelt and Sean Averill of Montana Development Group are asking for a planned-unit development overlay and zone change.

The Whitefish Planning Board will hold a public hearing Oct. 16 on the project.

Deer Track Residences would create 60 residential apartments in five buildings, and a clubhouse is included in the design, according to the developers’ application filed at the Whitefish Planning Office.

The developers said they’ve been working with the Whitefish Affordable Housing Office to provide six affordable apartments dispersed among three of the apartment buildings.

Under the terms of the planned-unit development the developers would be required to provide 30 percent of the area as open space, but they propose to offer 33 percent as a landscaped area, with amenities including a barbecue area, playground and community garden. Trees at the rear of the property would be preserved, the application notes.

Construction of the buildings would be done in phases, with two buildings constructed the first year, two buildings the second year and the final building in the third year.

The majority of the property is in the WB-2, or general commercial zone, with the rear of the property zoned Whitefish limited residential. The developers contend the proposed multi-family use is a good transitional use between the intensive commercial use and the low intensity use of single-family residential development to the west.

A height variance is proposed to make the development more architecturally pleasing. The developers are requesting 39.5 feet for a maximum height, which is 4.5 feet above the 35-feet height limit.