Whitefish planning could take a lesson from Columbia Falls

Bravo to the Daily Inter Lake article published Sept. 12, 2019 regarding the status of a Columbia Falls subdivision proposed for the area near Flathead River and River Road.

The journalist covered the comments of Luci Yeats (and others) at the public meeting whose family has owned farmland adjacent the proposed subdivision for more than 100 years. For all the folks in shock and horror at the unprecedented growth in the Valley and more particularly Whitefish, her comments echo and ring true for all of us:

“If you like the changes happening currently in downtown Columbia Falls (how about Whitefish is my comment), then I’m sure you’ll have no problem voting for this PUD and major subdivision,” Yeats said. “But I don’t necessarily want my community to look like every other urban community in the United States. I don’t want people to move here for the natural beauty the area possesses, and make it look like the place they were trying to get away from. I don’t want a place that supports a second or third home for someone. I don’t believe we owe anyone a place to live by destroying our rural areas, our wetlands, and our wildlife habitat.”

The crowd gave her a big round of applause, as do I. Please think Whitefish planning and zoning, Council members, Mayor, of what you take away from the public good — views, trees, clean water, animal habitat, affordable housing, every time you approve another paved, treeless, dense housing subdivision that mostly likely becomes absentee housing except for vacation rentals.

Marguerite Kaminski, Whitefish