East-side connector up for discussion in Whitefish

The Daily Inter Lake

The importance of a future east-west route over the Whitefish River will be weighed by the Whitefish City Council tonight as it considers a request from North Valley Hospital to abandon the potential road.

A few months ago hospital officials asked the council to rescind a portion of the city's Southeast Transportation Plan, specifically the connector road and bridge between 13th Street and Voerman Road, so more land would be available for townhouse construction.

At the time, City Manager Gary Marks provided an analysis and recommended that the council deny the request, but the council postponed a decision pending further review.

Marks stands by his initial recommendation, saying the transportation plan should not be changed out of context "to preclude viable future options, especially when the impetus for such change appears to be a drive to simply maximize developable square footage.

THE COUNCIL starts the new year with a smattering of public hearings, including:

-A two-lot subdivision on three-quarters of an acre at 120 Armory Road.

-An amendment to change the zoning from high-density multifamily residential to general business at 109 Miles Avenue and 119 East First Street.

-A request to abandon an unconstructed highway right-of-way along the southern boundary of the Lake Park Addition. The right-of-way is adjacent to Meadowlark Lane and intersects with State Park Road.

IN OTHER business, the council will vote on a Cow Creek sewer easement that will allow the city to install an interceptor line on the Kauffman property at 100 Wild Rose Lane, off East Second Street.

The Public Works Department is seeking support for a reasonable-use exemption to allow a portion of the interceptor to be installed within the streamside setback of Cow Creek.

Funding recommendations for the Central Avenue reconstruction and Sixth Street/Geddes Avenue projects will be discussed. The resort-tax committee has recommended the council authorize a $400,000 interfund loan for the design of the two projects, and also has advised the council put the Central Avenue project ahead of the Sixth/Geddes reconstruction.

Council member Cris Coughlin will address the council about steps the city may want to take to prevent the development of lifestyle centers that attempt to re-create downtown shopping environments.

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