Council approves small subdivision

Whitefish City Council last week approved a small subdivision on Whitefish Avenue.

Carolina Homes requested a preliminary plat in order to develop a nine-lot subdivision known as Whitefish Landing on Whitefish Avenue near the intersection of Akers Lane. The property is just less than an acre in size, currently undeveloped and zoned two-family residential.

The lots will range between .1 acres and .3 acres in size and will each have driveways along Whitefish Avenue.

Councilor Richard Hildner asked that as a condition of approval street trees as part of the development not be planted until homes are constructed in the subdivision.

“I’m concerned about the street trees,” he said. “I don’t want to happen here what happened at the end of Texas Avenue where the trees were planted and never watered because there wasn’t homes.”

Council added a condition that the developer must pay cash-in-lieu for street trees so that the city can plant the trees at the appropriate time.

Council also:

- Approved beginning the process to increase water and wastewater rates for the city. Whitefish in 2015 completed a rate study that suggested it increase its water and wastewater rates to cover the cost of services being provided. A public hearing on the rate increases will be held before Council on Monday, Oct. 1.

- Approved a request to rezone one parcel annexed into the city limits from county residential to suburban residential. The property is located at 2030 Highway 93 West.

- Approved a request to rezone three parcels annexed into the city from county two-family residential to city two-family residential. The parcels are along State Park Road and Salmon Run.