93 West plan reflects needs of community
Whitefish City Council’s decisions on the Highway 93 West corridor plan reflect the needs of the community, not the desires of a single individual or a small group of people. That is their responsibility. While there are those who may wish to have the Whitefish Planning Board to revisit the council’s decision there is no precedence for the board to recommend zone changes to the city council which are inconsistent with approved zoning.
Further consideration by the Whitefish Planning Board and Whitefish City Council about this topic is not ethical and is a waste of valuable time. We need to move ahead to study current issues which benefit our community.
A recent letter to the editor of the Whitefish Pilot submitted by Lola Zinke, “A Vision for Something Better on West Second” included a statement that “a handful who opposed even the addition of a crosswalk were able to block Whitefish from building a better future.”
The crosswalk was not disallowed by Whitefish citizens. The Montana Department of Transportation denied adding a crosswalk within the corridor area because a crosswalk was not required for residential use, and for safety reasons.
Mrs. Zinke wrote that a few citizens voiced their opposition “to make any business impossible on West Second…”
Sixty-six citizens who live along the Highway 93 West corridor signed a petition to encourage the city council to “support the use of existing Whitefish zoning districts, which already provide opportunities for limited non-residential uses in this plan area.” Whitefish City Council minutes dated Feb. 5, 2015 include this petition and the signatures of neighbors who signed the document.
The Whitefish City Planning office and the Whitefish City Council continued to review the corridor plan, and the final Whitefish Highway 93 West corridor plan was adopted unanimously by Whitefish City Council on June 1, 2015. This document is on file with the city.
Area B of the Plan is described:
Area B is gradually transitioning from single-family residential to other uses such as professional offices and personal services allowed in the current WR-3 zoning as a conditional use.
These uses are appearing in Area B because the larger size and depth of the lots can accommodate these uses. There was discussion during the public process that the area will continue to transition away from single-family residential to allow additional uses beyond those allowed in the WR-3 zoning which would require a zoning change.
Public input: During the planning process, the public indicated Area B forms the entry sequence into the downtown which is the historical heart of Whitefish. The entry sequence should reflect the scale of the residential neighborhood, complement the open space uses along the river, preserve views to the mountains and accommodate non-residential uses allowed in the current WR-3 zoning.
It is important to note that the existing zoning for WR-3, including Area B of the corridor plan provides for one-family, duplex, triplex, fourplex and attached single-family residential uses. Land uses include: residential, professional offices, personal services, resort residential, artisan manufacturing, coffee shops and sandwich shops.
Micro-breweries are not included as a part of the WR-3 zoning in the final Whitefish Highway 93 West corridor plan.
The plan preserves the residential character of Area B and commercial uses permitted within the existing zoning helps provide economic vitality.
Whitefish Highway 93 West corridor, including West Second Street is an inviting entry to our city. The new wide sidewalks encourage pedestrian and bicycle use, change lanes have decreased the chance of traffic accidents, and the tree-lined grassy boulevards are attractive.
We can be proud of our city’s west entrance.
— Gail Shay Linne, Whitefish