Time to say no to development

I would be embarrassed to have any connection to a new development in Whitefish on Wisconsin Avenue called The Quarry. First the developer removed all the affordable housing that was once the mobile homes. Then they removed every tree. Then they put up “modern” cabins that look like match boxes. How many of these match boxes will we drive by each day? Eventually, 102. How much do they cost? $350,000 to $650,000! And will they be used as permanent residences? No, for the most part these odd match boxes will become vacation rentals.

Adding to the above mentioned issues, The Quarry will have a private pool for its units, not to mention the water to be used within the 102 proposed units themselves.

Where is the water coming from for all these Quarry units, as well as for all the other housing and subdivision units being built across the city? Already the state has shut down new water taps in Whitefish due to concern for the city’s capacity to treat water.

Whitefish has responded with a request for variance from the state’s ruling, and newly publicized ordinance, yet the city permits more subdivisions and tries to sell more water and sewer hookups. When will it all end?

Already Whitefish Lake (a source of some of the city’s water) is low. Wasn’t there a former campaign and ballot issue that passed for the preservation of water and wetlands in Haskill Basin with the slogan, “Just say yes to water?” This was to keep growth away from those precious lands. But when will the city stop saying yes to developers. Isn’t it time to “just say no” to greed, and this unprecedented speed of development?

Marguerite Kaminski,

Whitefish