Trust lands plan up for vote

The Daily Inter Lake

The Whitefish City Council votes today whether or not to adopt the Whitefish area trust lands neighborhood plan that'd5s been in the making for more than two years.

The document, which provides a land-use plan for more than 13,000 acres of Montana school trust lands around Whitefish, has already gotten a green light from both city and county planning boards.

The state Department of Natural Resources started the neighborhood planning process in March 2003, and later that year the state Land Board approved the formation of a group of local community leaders to work with state officials. A final plan was completed in November 2004 and approved by the Land Board.

In other business, the council will hold a public hearing on the proposed Old Town subdivision, a 51-lot development on 13.7 acres at the southwest corner of State Park and Haugen Heights roads.

Drainage and traffic concerns surfaced at a planning board hearing last month, but the project moved forward with some conditions.

The council will revisit a sign-variance request for a new building at 307 Spokane Ave.

The request was tabled in May, but now has the support of city staff. Developer Greg Carter proposed the use of several smaller building-mounted signs instead of a single, large mounted sign.

Expansion of the city'd5s latecomers agreement policy for developers will be considered.

The existing policy allows developers to seek repayment for capital costs involved in extending water and sewer mains as other developers tap into the improvements.

The council will decide whether to broaden the policy to include streets, sidewalks, bike paths, curbs and gutters, street lighting and storm drains.

A special session begins at 5:30 p.m.; first on the agenda is discussion with City Judge Bradley Johnson over compensation issues. Discussion on impact fees follows at 6 p.m.