Looking Back: City limits extended by nearly a mile
Jack and Abbey Nelson crawl around on the playground equipment at Kiddie Park in Whitefish in 2004. (Photo by Lindsey Nelson)
A look back at past Pilot articles by Julie Engler
50 Years Ago
June 27, 1974
According to Leo Fisher, Whitefish City Attorney, the discharge or firing or use of any fireworks within the municipality was prohibited unless the use was under the direction of some organization and the organization had a permit from the city. City penalty for disobeying the fireworks law was a maximum fine of $300 and or no more than 90 days in jail. The list of permitted fireworks was extensive. The Jay-cee organization investigated the problem and was selling only legal fireworks at their stand. Illegal fireworks, besides firecrackers, included skyrockets and Roman candles.
40 Years Ago
June 28, 1984
Developers of a downtown mall would ask city council to approve over $2 million in Industrial Revenue Bonds for the project. Tallman and McDonald Construction was designing the mall and was in the process of working out a lease agreement with officials of Burlington Northern, owners of the land. The land on which Tallman would build the mall was bordered by Railway, Central Avenue and the viaduct. The mall would house a grocery store, offices and miscellaneous retail stores.
30 Years Ago
June 23, 1994
The city council voted to add property on both sides of U.S. 93 to the city extending the city limits nearly a mile south. Whitefish Mayor Jimmy Welch broke a 3-3 vote by the Whitefish City Council to approve the annexation, which extended the city limits to the junction of U.S. 93 and Montana 40. Council members Coco Bee, Craig Scott and Vic Workman voted in favor of annexation. Bee said the businesses and residences in the area already benefit from city police and fire protection and many needed city utilities. “When you live right next door to the city, you are in the city.”
20 Years Ago
June 24, 2004
Neighbors in the Geddes Avenue area between Seventh and Second streets were putting together a petition drive that would create a ballot issue calling for a one-year moratorium on new subdivisions in Whitefish and the one-mile planning jurisdiction. The idea of a building moratorium was sparked by neighborhood frustration over approval of the Montana Group’s minor subdivision at Geddes Avenue and Fifth Street. Developer Tim Hinderman planned to build 20 condominiums on the five lots, allowed under current zoning, but after a meeting with neighbors said he would try to come up with a new plan that's more palatable to the neighborhood.
10 Years Ago
June 25, 2014
The city of Whitefish was looking at creating a permitting process for commercial vendors that want to sell goods and services on the water of Whitefish Lake. Concerns were raised about the number of businesses conducting retail sales on the lake. Counselor Frank Sweeney said the city needs to think about managing the number of businesses or restricting where businesses can operate so the lake doesn't become overused. “The lake’s purpose and benefit to the community is not as a facility for commercial transactions,” he said. “We don't want 30 boats circling City Beach, each trying to sell something.”