Highway 93 apartments get final approval

A 60-unit apartment complex planned for Highway 93 South overcame its final hurdle last week when Whitefish City Council approved the project with an unanimous vote.

After praising the Whitefish Crossing development earlier in the month for providing affordable housing, councilors March 16 dealt with lingering details.

Jeff Badelt and Sean Averill of Montana Development Group are planning to construct five buildings on the 4.5 acre site west of Naturally Clean dry cleaners. Six of the apartments are planned to go to the Whitefish Housing Authority as deed-restricted rentals.

The project was redesigned after neighbors complained last fall about the planned unit development overlay.

Apartment buildings were shifted east, which left only parking and a club house on the portion of the property closest to the Park Knoll neighborhood

“The whole plan is a compromise with the neighborhood,” Averill told council. “This plan is what the Park Knoll neighborhood wanted.”

As part of the change, one parking lot was eliminated and some parking was shifted to on-street. The plan calls for two parking spaces per unit for a total of 120 spots. Guest parking on the street would add another 18 spaces.

Averill defended the deviation from the city standard that would have required 140 off-street spaces.

“About 25 percent of our units will be one bedroom,” he said. “The parking we have provided is typical for this type of development. Parking requirements impact affordable housing by increasing costs and then increasing rent.”

Council agreed to the new configuration and gave its OK for the parking deviation.

“There is a lot of information that tells us less parking is needed,” Councilor Andy Feury said. “I’m not concerned in the long-term. If there isn’t enough parking, the developer will have to respond to that.”

Council approved a condition that an open space and landscaping plan be submitted with the first building permit.

The developer asked to not connect a road that runs through the center of the development with a future Baker Avenue extension that is expected to run along the west edge of the property.

“We don’t know if Baker will even happen,” Averill said. “We’d rather dedicate the right of way than extend the street to nowhere. We’d rather leave those trees there.”

Council agreed to the request.

“I think Baker is a long way out,” Feury said. “I don’t want a street that doesn’t connect to anything. The developer will have to connect it when it happens.”

Council also asked for developers to build a covered bus stop and add recycling receptacles on the site.

Councilor Richard Hildner noted that the nearest bus stop is a 10-minute walk away at the Mountain Mall.

“Providing a covered bus stop is important,” he said. “This is important for those relying on public transportation.”