Safeway expansion talks resume tonight

The Whitefish City Council will resume discussion tonight on Safeway's proposed expansion and is expected to vote on a conditional-use permit needed to carry the project forward.

A $12 million renovation of the Safeway grocery store hangs in the balance as the council works through the city's new box-store law.

Safeway wants to rebuild the store and expand into the former Ben Franklin/True Value Hardware space. For stores larger than 15,000 square feet, Whitefish's new box-store law requires conditional-use permits that consider building mass, traffic and landscaping.

The council balked at the store design and landscaping plan and asked Safeway to bring back an architectural plan that breaks up the expanse of the rear and side walls. Although the proposed landscaping meets minimum requirements, several council members want more greenery.

The grocery store's loading dock came under fire, too. Safeway wants it on the north side of the store where the elevation and access are better. A north-side dock also would allow the store to stay open during the remodeling, Safeway officials said.

Since the June 4 meeting when council concerns were raised, the architectural review committee met and unanimously voted in favor of Safeway's plan to locate the dock on the north side. Whitefish Public Works Director John Wilson, in an e-mail to city planner Nikki Agidius, said he has no concerns about the proposed truck movements into a loading ramp (on the north) off of 13th Street.

Other e-mail correspondence from architectural review committee member Scott Elden indicated that "Safeway has in fact met the 'letter of the law' in breaking the facade in the steps required, use of materials and so on.

"Also, they have made many efforts to meet the spirit of the law given the challenging nature of their business model as applied to this property," Elden said.

IN OTHER business, the council has four public hearings slated, including proposed planned-unit development plans for the Lookout Ridge and Cold Water Basin subdivisions.

Lookout Ride is located on the reconstructed Big Mountain Road between Ptarmigan Village, Iron Horse subdivision and Big Mountain Village. It calls for 49 homes and 70 cabins on 228.5 acres.

Cold Water Basin is located on the east and west side of Big Mountain road, north of East Lakeshore Drive. Developers plan 50 single-family lots on 27 acres.

Other hearings will consider increased planning fees and readoption of existing building permit and plan review fees.

A work session at 6 p.m. will include a report from Doug Adams on the U.S. 93 South median project.

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

Features editor Lynnette Hintze may be reached at 758-4421 or by e-mail at lhintze@dailyinterlake.com