Whitefish ponders ban on box stores

The Daily Inter Lake

What does the future of development hold for Whitefish?

Possibly a ban on or regulation of big box stores.

The Whitefish City Council meets Monday night in a special session to discuss potential regulations on the type of big box stores, such as Wal-Mart or Home Depot, that often are built as an area grows.

At past council meetings, councilwoman Cris Coughlin has brought up the idea of either banning outright or regulating box stores.

Some fellow council members have voiced support for the idea or have said they favor discussing it. Past council comments have included interest in preserving Whitefish's traditional small-town character and controlling growth.

Whitefish planner Eric Mulcahy will bring to the council samples of ordinances regulating box stores that other cities, such as Bozeman and Aspen, Colo., have used, Assistant City Manager Mike Eve said.

The council can act on the matter Monday night, but the only action it likely would take would be to direct city staff to work on an ordinance that would go through the normal drafting and approval process, Eve said.

The meeting is open to the public and begins at 5:30 p.m. in the council chamber's conference room in City Hall.