Commissioners reject city offer to work on 93 plan

Flathead County Commissioners have rejected a request by the city of Whitefish to partner on a corridor study for U.S. Highway 93 South saying to work with the city would be a “fool’s errand.”

In a March 1 letter to the city, commissioners said it would take months before both governmental entities approve of the process and then it could take years to complete the study.

“Our experience with Whitefish for the past decade teaches us that, in the end of the process, you likely will object and sue us,” the letter says.

Commissioners on March 1 voted 2-1 in favor of sending the letter. Commissioner Pam Holmquist voted against the motion noting she was not in agreement with language in the letter.

A private plan for Highway 93 south of Montana 40 has been submitted to the county. The zoning amendment and proposed overlay zone would rezone 490 acres of agriculture land on U.S. 93 just outside city limits to allow for more commercial development.

The changes are being considered for the area about 1.5 miles along the highway corridor south of Montana 40. The area is part of the former planning “doughnut” outside of the city limits. A Montana Supreme Court ruling in 2014 ceded planning control of the doughnut from the city to the county following a long-running legal battle between the two governments over its control.

After learning about the proposed changes to U.S. 93, City Council in November held a public hearing on the plan. Mayor John Muhlfeld in January sent a letter to the commissioners asking the county to join with the city on a corridor study for Highway 93 South.

In his letter, Muhlfeld acknowledges that the city and county haven’t always seen “eye to eye on development issues.” The city has concerns about the proposal on issues of transportation, land use, sewer and water availability and aesthetics.

“The city is concerned that making such sweeping changes that greatly increases commercial opportunities and density without the benefit of a corridor plan is short sighted,” he says in the letter.

During the March 1 commissioner’s meeting, Holmquist said she would not sign the letter as presented, but did agree with rejecting the city’s offer.

“I don’t think partnering on a study at this time is appropriate,” she said. “We have an application already on the table.”

Commissioner Phil Mitchell said he has been on both sides of the issue as a member of the Whitefish City Council and as a county commissioner.

“What Whitefish does and says tends to be two different things,” he said.

Commissioner Gray Krueger said the county can’t wait any longer to produce a plan for U.S. 93 and said Whitefish’s effort to work with the county is a “delay tactic.”

“In this case citizens of Flathead County have been put on hold for eight years,” he said. “People were told to put their lives and property decisions on hold and that’s not fair.”

The letter outlines several times when the county’s attempts to work on joint issues didn’t work out.

It pointed out the doughnut disagreement dragged on for nearly a decade, and the county’s attempt to work with Whitefish on joint lakeshore protection regulations on Whitefish Lake meant doing it “Whitefish’s way.”

The letter notes failed efforts by the county to work with the city on the U.S. 93 West corridor study.

The proposed zoning map amendment and text amendment for the corridor will go before the County Planning Board for a workshop and likely another meeting, as well as a public hearing before the commissioners, the letter notes, and says city officials are urged to comment and provide suggestions.

“We care deeply about our county landowners as Whitefish does its own city residents,” the letter concludes. “We will consider all input for this corridor application, and fashion a result that is consistent with the law, our regulations and what we think best for our beautiful valley and its property owners.”

The Flathead County Planning Board is set to hold a work session at its March 8 meeting on the proposed changes for the highway corridor. The meeting begins at 6 p.m. in the South Campus Building in Kalispell.