Planning board has full agenda
The Whitefish Planning Board has a full agenda for its meeting on Thursday, May 16.
The board meets at 6 p.m. at City Hall.
There are four public hearings on the agenda:
- A request by the city for a zoning text amendment that is a companion to the zoning for affordability of the Legacy Homes Program to add two new subsections with development standards for multifamily developments as well as mixed-use and nonresidential developments.
The proposed text changes provide more stringent review criteria including for building orientation, protection of natural features, landscaping and parking lot standards, open space requirements, pedestrian and bicycle accommodations, and neighborhood scale and compatibility.
With the changes to the zoning code to implement the Strategic Housing Plan, staff lowered the threshold of when conditional use permits are required for multifamily in order to capture more developments in the affordable housing program, according to the planning staff report, and part of that change involved broadening the use of the administrative CUP tool, and these standards provide a more in-depth review process prior to any approval by staff or the Planning Board and City Council.
- The city is proposing several housekeeping amendments to the zoning code. The amendments are to fix errors and inconsistencies found by staff, remove a loophole involving guest quarters, implement a portion of the downtown master plan regarding ground floor use restrictions and implement a portion of the Wisconsin corridor plan regarding formula retail/restaurants and setbacks along Wisconsin Avenue.
- A request by Del Mar Pacific Group for a conditional use permit to construct a mixed-use building containing three commercial units and 13 residential units located at 206 Lupfer Avenue on the southwest corner of Lupfer and Second Street East.
The property is currently developed with two residential buildings, although at least one has been used for commercial use in the past, and is zoned general business district. The existing structures are planned to be removed.
The proposed three-story building would include on the ground floor three commercial units and one residential unit. The remaining 12 residential units would be on the second and third floors.
A CUP is required as the structure’s footprint would be great than 7,500 square feet and include more than four residential units. The plan calls for 16 parking spaces split between under the building and off the alley to the south.
The property is within the boundaries of the downtown master plan, and the growth policy designation on the property is core commercial which is characterized by a mixed and multiuse developments such as residential above retail or office space.
Planning staff is recommending approval of the request with 15 conditions.
- A request by Betsy and Dan Kohnstamm for a conditional use permit in order to construct an accessory apartment above a two-care garage behind an existing single-family home at 573 Somers Avenue.
The planning board packet with supporting documents is available on the city’s website at http://www.cityofwhitefish.org/