Multi-building development planned for Baker Avenue

Developers are seeking approval to construct a multi-building project that includes a small hotel, cooking school, restaurant, and a music school on a tract of land along the south end of Baker Avenue.

The Whitefish Planning Board will consider on Thursday a conditional use permit and a zoning map amendment to make way for The Mix at Whitefish.

The developer is proposing a multi-tenant mixed-use campus in four new buildings on properties near the intersection of Baker and Commerce Street. Access to the site will be a 1830 Baker Ave.

A permit application says the developer has been approached by people looking to start a cooking school in conjunction with a restaurant and a music school. There is also the opportunity to build a new, small, boutique hotel.

According to a planning staff report, the existing zoning on the property of WI/WB-2SC was created in 2013 and includes the site of the Montana Shirt Company as well as some industrial condo units. A conditional zoning provision was used, which allows a property to be rezoned into a blended zone that has restrictions on development and future uses in exchange for the inclusion of some uses allowed in an adjacent zone.

The majority owner of the property now wants to add two adjacent condo units into the blended zoning district and amend the conditions to add music schools, trade schools, and hotels as allowed uses.

The proposed expanded zoning district contains approximately 2.7 acres.

Shared parking will be located throughout the project for all the uses and adjacent buildings. A total of 123 spaces are being provided on the entire project, above the 91 required.

The city planning department is recommending approval of both the CUP and zone map amendment.

The project is set to go in front of city council on Nov. 2.