Board hears from public about economic development chapter of growth policy
The Whitefish Community Development Board met to discuss a draft of the economic development chapter of the growth plan, Vision Whitefish 2045. The three and a half hour long meeting featured three opportunities for public comment.
City Planner Alan Tiefenbach said the chapter draft does not mention moderate versus rapid growth scenarios but recommends strategies to increase economic diversity and access to daily goods and services. He said these two things were mentioned repeatedly by participants during vision sessions.
Tiefenbach said the city hired GSBS, a consulting firm, to complete a study of the city as a requirement of the Montana Land Use Planning Act. The study assessed existing and potential commercial businesses, local constraints to commercial enterprises and the feasibility of supporting businesses for the projected population, among other things.
The report and the draft chapter are available on the Engage Whitefish website, engagewhitefish.com.
No final decisions were to be made at the work session. While there were three chances for public comment, and the board voted 4-2 in favor of adopting the Heart of Whitefish version of the draft, there will be more meetings in the future. Members Mallory Phillips and Toby Scott voted in opposition.
Board members and city staff, including Board Chair Pro Tem Whitney Beckham, told the assembled crowd the document was still a draft. Tiefenbach said this was not the public’s only chance to give input, only its first chance.
The topic was so broad, comments ranged from incentives for affordable housing, and small-scale neighborhood commercial, to the ability to buy clothes and other common items in town.
In what Board Member Scott Wurster described as the most well-attended meeting the board has seen, 11 residents spoke in person, five more virtually, and they each had different takes on the draft and the meaning of economic growth in Whitefish.
Rhonda Fitzgerald spoke on behalf of Heart of Whitefish. She said the draft seemed to have a needless antagonistic tone regarding tourists and locals.
Whitefish resident Jamie Goguen suggested making downtown more dense, bustling and taller. Marti Brandt told the board the current state of the town has caused her to consider moving her family elsewhere.
Several said they did not want Whitefish to become another Aspen, a playground for the super wealthy.
Ed Docter, owner of Montana Tap House and two other local businesses, said it may be too late to keep the city from becoming an Aspen. He said Whitefish is too expensive for “normal people” to move here.
Board member Scott said Whitefish is a ski town and is already a mini version of Aspen.
Beckham announced that Steve Qunell stepped down from his position as board chair. The board will hold elections at its next meeting on June 19.