JP Road, Baker truck traffic top Whitefish agenda
The Daily Inter Lake
The Whitefish City Council has scheduled another round of discussion and two public hearings Monday on a proposed special improvement district for JP Road.
Last month the council tabled the proposal until the city could work out details with county property owners within the planned district. The project taps both city and county property owners to share in the $1.1 million cost of improving JP Road from U.S. 93 to the Whitefish River bridge. A traffic light at JP and U.S. 93 is included in the project.
The proposed district includes 145 parcels, six of which are outside city limits. Owners of city lots signed waivers of protest for the district.
At last month's hearing, several property owners questioned the city's plan to assess property based on square footage. Riverside developer Mark Johnson said he'd like an opportunity to talk to the bond counsel about the idea of using a different assessment method such as a combination of property value, front footage and square footage.
The first hearing deals with the joint city-county resolution approving terms for the improvement district. The second hearing focuses on the resolution to actually create the district.
Truck traffic on Baker Avenue is another meaty item on Monday's agenda. At council member Doug Adams' suggestion, the council will consider removing the "No Trucks" signs on Baker Avenue to allow trucks bound for Wisconsin Avenue, the thoroughfare to Big Mountain.
Baker Avenue was open to unlimited truck traffic prior to 1999, but the condition of the road discouraged most truckers from using the street. Once the connector street was upgraded in 1998, truck traffic increased and complaints started coming in from Baker homeowners and Post Office customers.
Given the increasing volume of truck traffic on Second Street through downtown, a discussion of allowing limited truck use on Baker is warranted, City Manager Gary Marks said.
A workshop begins at 6 p.m. at City Hall to review the city's past efforts and discussions regarding impact fees.
The council meets in regular session at 7:10 p.m., also at City Hall.