Frustrated board deadlocked on critical-areas law

The Daily Inter Lake

A deadlocked Whitefish City-County Planning Board will send the city's critical areas ordinance to the City Council without a recommendation.

After months of work sessions on the comprehensive piece of legislation aimed at protecting sensitive drainage areas, the board ended its quest in frustration and failed amendments to make the proposal palatable enough to approve.

A motion by board chairman Martin McGrew to deny approval of the ordinance failed on a 4-4 vote. Board member Scott Sorensen was absent, leaving an even number for voting.

Then a couple of board members tried to evoke approval by proposing a number of amendments to address issues still nagging the board, such as a complex soil stability matrix for slope construction and limits for sediment discharge from disturbed areas.

All of the amendments failed.

A motion to approve the ordinance failed on a 5-3 vote. Those voting in favor of approval were Frank Sweeney, Lisa Horowitz and Kerry Krittenden. Those against were Steve Qunell, Jack Quatman, Ole Netteberg, Peggy Sue Amelon and McGrew.

The board then voted 7-1 to send it on without a recommendation. Sweeney was the lone opponent on that vote.

"I don't know if it matters if we approve or deny it," McGrew said. "It is flawed, and yet there are some good things in it. Then some things are a mess."