Board recommends zone change for potential housing project

Whitefish Planning Board last week gave a positive recommendation for a rezone that could pave the way for an affordable housing project on Edgewood Place.

The Missoula nonprofit Homeword is requesting to rezone about 2 acres on Edgewood Place near Wisconsin Avenue to high density multi-family residential. The property is owned by Alan and Lisa Stinson who have agreed to sell the property to the Whitefish Housing Authority, which is working with Homeword to develop the site with an affordable housing project.

Board chair Steve Qunell praised the potential project that could develop on the property.

“This will increase our housing affordability,” he said. “The city has made a commitment to that and this is a great step in that process.”

Heather McMilin, with Homeword, said the project will likely return seeking a planned unit development overlay to eventually develop the property with what’s planned to be a 38-unit housing complex. Homeword and the housing authority are applying for federal tax credits to assist in funding the project.

During public comments, a few residents from the City Beach neighborhood near the project expressed concerns about developing housing on the site that while was once a mobile home park is now largely vacant except for a few accessory buildings.

Patricia Greenspan said the project is not a good idea.

“I love the City Beach area,” she said. “This is a very major change in the community. I have concerns about the number of cars there could be there. There is never enough parking and there is a huge amount of traffic in this neighborhood.”

The Wisconsin Avenue corridor plan designates the land use on the property for high density multi-family residential.

Earlier in the day, Homeword held an open house at City Hall to get community input and answer questions about the housing project. The goal is to create a housing complex that would include affordable one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments.

McMilin explained that the project is expected to include two- and three-story buildings on the property with parking lots, landscaping and open space. Only a portion of the property is expected to be used for the project and the remainder would be retained for future housing, McMilin noted.

Rent on the housing units is expected to be between $400 and $890.

“We’re looking to serve those with a wage of 60 percent of area media income for the county,” she said. “Depending on household size that could be someone earning $9 to $15 per hour.”

As the project develops, McMilin said Homeword will be looking for input on a number of items related to the project including how the buildings are situated on the site, what materials should be used in construction and even a name for the project.

Homeword and the housing authority are currently in the process of applying for federal tax credits with the Montana Board of Housing to develop the project. The low-income housing tax credit is a federal income tax credit for owners of rental housing that meets certain low-income occupancy and rent limitation requirements.

The Board of Housing is expected to make a decision in November on which projects in the state will receive the tax credits. The housing authority is looking at a $7 million to $8 million project and hoping to obtain about $6 million in tax credit.

City Council has pledged city funds up to $150,000 for the purchase of property.

The rezone request is set to go before City Council on Sept. 4.