Townhome project OK'd for River Lakes Parkway

A townhome development on River Lakes Parkway was approved last week at Whitefish City Council’s regular meeting.

The nine-unit townhouse project called Under the Crescent Moon includes three two-unit townhomes and one three-unit townhome on 2.5 acres at 2041 River Lakes Parkway. The council voted unanimously to approve both a conditional-use permit and the preliminary plat.

One of the lots is accessed by River Lakes Parkway and the remaining lots front River Lakes Drive. The property is zoned WR-4 which permits for high density, multi-family developments.

Whitefish Senior Planner Wendy Compton-Ring explained that, in 2019, the owner received approval for a conditional-use permit and a subdivision for nine townhomes.

“So the project you’re seeing is exactly the same,” said Compton-Ring. “None of the rules that impact his particular project have been changed since 2019.”

She explained that a lawsuit was brought by the neighbors against the owner and the city. In 2021, the Montana Supreme court ruled in favor of the city. Meanwhile, the application expired, so it was, once again, on the council’s agenda.

Compton-Ring said the applicant is proposing to set aside 0.75 acres for park land and will dedicate that land to the city.

“The proposed density is well below the underlying WR-4 zoning district development standards which would allow up to 52 units,” said Cate Walker with Northwest Design Studio, the applicant. “These are single-family residences. They are not condos or high-density housing units.”

The project does not require a traffic impact study because it will generate an estimated 90 daily trips, which is short of the 200 daily trips needed to trigger a study.

Two residents of River Lakes Drive spoke during public comment. John Lewis had already submitted letters but questioned the estimated number of daily trips. He proposed three or four units rather than nine. 

Councilor Frank Sweeney moved to approve the conditional-use permit and the preliminary plat and addressed the River Lakes Drive residents.

“This was private property. When [the River Lakes Drive] neighborhood was developed, it was always going to be developed into something — multiple homes, multi-family or commercial,” Sweeney said. “I think that this development on this particular piece of property is … other than undeveloped, is probably the best that you could possibly expect to fit into your neighborhood and be consistent with it.”

Last month, the Whitefish Community Development voted 4-1 to recommend the request to the council with Heberling voting in opposition. At that time, he said the project was not helping with the city's lack of affordable housing.

At that meeting, seven residents of the River Lakes Drive neighborhood spoke during the public comment period and voiced concerns about parking, a pond, traffic and townhomes built near the single-family home neighborhood.

Doug Peppmeier, a civil engineer with TD&H Engineering, responded to many of the public comments at the Community Development Board meeting.

“This is the conditional-use permit step and preliminary plat,” Peppmeier said. “We’re not getting a building permit. Nobody’s going out and breaking ground tomorrow.

The property is near a pond that serves as a stormwater facility for a nearby neighborhood. The Water Quality Protection regulations classify the fringe around the pond as exempt from the wetland requirements but does place a 15-foot setback around the pond.

Additionally, the city staff is recommending a permanent delineation, like fencing or landscaping, be installed along the length of the wetland where it meets the property.

WHITEFISH HOUSING Coordinator Luke Sponable presented a request from the Northwest Montana Community Land Trust to facilitate the purchase of three Trailview homes. 

The NMCLT would like to purchase the land under three homes so they may be offered for sale to households in the 80-120% area median income range. They are in the process of raising $260,000 to do so.

“The request to the city today is to provide $90,000 from the Affordable Housing Fund to facilitate the transaction,” Sponable said. “That is about 35%, what we’d be contributing, to the total project budget.”

The council approved the request for funds with a unanimous vote.

“We are very close to having the full amount raised … your contribution would really help us push it forward and make it happen,” said Kim Morisaki, executive director of NMCLT

WHITEFISH Finance Director Lanie Gospodarek presented her staff report and requested review and consideration of the annual 2023 impact fee report. Staff also recommended that the council authorize the city manager to negotiate a contract for a transportation impact fee study.

The council voted unanimously to approve both items.

ANOTHER request for funds came from Whitefish Fire Chief Cole Hadley. He said the department was interested in obtaining a thorough analysis of current billing practices and rates to ensure that they are competitive, fair, and in alignment with industry standards.

To that end, they put out a request for proposals and received two bids. They opted to go with Baker Tilly Municipal Advisors LLC, with a bid of $27,500.

Sweeney confirmed that the city has worked with that firm in the past.

The council voted unanimously to award the bid to Baker Tilly Municipal Advisors LLC for the ambulance and fire rescue billing rate study.

Hadley said the department’s primary emergency response area covers 90 square miles and that they travel farther to provide mutual aid.

“Right now, the only thing we bill for is EMS services,” Hadley added, and said people transported by ambulance are billed. “But no other rescue services, motor vehicle accident services, hazardous materials clean up, none of that is currently being billed.”

WHITEFISH CITY Manager Dana Smith reported that the city hired a short-term rental specialist and code compliance officer and she will start March 18.