Residential projects occupy Whitefish council

The Daily Inter Lake

Residential subdivisions on both ends of Whitefish are the focus of public hearings Monday at the Whitefish City Council meeting.

First on the agenda is the 25-home second phase of Great Northern Heights, located off U.S. 93 South behind Western Building Center. The planning board recommended approval of the project, subject to 24 conditions, last month, despite citizen concerns over the need for a traffic light at the intersection of JP Road and U.S. 93.

Zoning on the west side of Wisconsin Avenue is the focus of the second hearing. The Tollestrup Development Group wants the zoning on 4.5 acres across from Alpine Village Market changed from two-family residential to high-density, multifamily status. Planners recommended the zone change be denied after hearing concerns over increased traffic, size of buildings and the allowance of timeshare or overnight rentals.

In other business, the council will decide whether to amend the 2005 utility master-plan consultant contract to provide for an additional $17,642 for aerial photography and topographic mapping work. Positive Systems, the original subcontractor for the work, notified the city's contractor, HDR Engineering, saying it will be unable to perform the work.

The meeting begins at 7:10 p.m. at Whitefish City Hall.