Air quality, paving headline Whitefish workshop

| October 17, 2005 1:00 AM

The Daily Inter Lake

Air-quality issues and city policies for paving driveways are up for discussion at a Whitefish City Council workshop tonight.

Joe Russell, the Flathead County health director, will attend to talk about revisions to county air-quality regulations.

The most significant amendment affecting the Whitefish area would be to set the air-quality district boundaries to match the new Whitefish planning jurisdiction, according to Whitefish Public Works Director John Wilson.

The city's expanded planning jurisdiction also has prompted the need to address policies for paving driveways.

One- and two-family dwellings outside city limits aren't required to be paved, but must be a "smoothly graded stabilized dust-free surface that has been treated with dust retardants."

But home-improvement projects that require a building permit kick in the requirement to pave the driveway.

"Considering that paving raises numerous concerns regarding the cost of paving, impacts on rural character and potential pollution of storm-water runoff, it may be worthwhile to consider regulations that provide for dust abatement and some threshold on building-permit triggers, rather than a blanket requirement for asphalt on all driveways," Wilson said in his report to the council.

The council has two public hearings on Monday's agenda.

They are a conditional-use permit for Christ Lutheran Church's proposed 44,706-square-foot church at the northwest corner of River Lakes Parkway and Montana 40; and approval of the seven-lot Eagle Lake Subdivision behind Mountain Mall.

The issue of gaming machines outside the city's casino district will be discussed.

Specifically, the Moose Lodge is asking for a text amendment to allow nonprofit organizations outside the casino zone to have gaming machines. The lodge's machines were removed a few years ago after the council established a casino zone between U.S. 92, Commerce Street, Baker Avenue and 15th Street.

The council will reconsider a conditional-use permit request from Dennis and Jeanie Konopatzke to build a second principal structure on a residential lot at 2194 Houston Drive.

The matter was tabled earlier to allow the planning department to finish revisions to regulations for guest houses and accessory buildings, but since the 90-day deadline for council action is Nov. 1, it's back on the agenda.

The work session begins at 5:30 p.m. and the regular meeting follows at 7:10 p.m., both at Whitefish City Hall.