Whitefish to large landowners: Can we talk?

Meeting June 9 includes biggest property owners

The city of Whitefish wants to get to know its neighbors - its big neighbors.

Mayor Mike Jenson has invited large landowners within the city's two-mile planning "doughnut" to a forum on June 9 that will give those property owners a chance to say whatever's on their minds.

"We're looking for a better understanding of what their perspective is," Jenson said. "These folks rarely have an opportunity to speak without others saying 'Yeah, but…'"

The meeting was Jenson's idea, and he will conduct the forum. Some City Council members may attend, but they're not expected to participate in the discussion.

Landowners can address any concerns, such as access to public lands and trails, sustainable forest management or wildfire management in the wildland-urban interface.

"They've never been given an opportunity to put their issues on the table, and there are obvious issues the city has with each of these entities," Jenson said. "The whole idea is we have to start somewhere."

Whitefish Planning Director David Taylor said invitations were sent to property owners with roughly 1,000 or more acres.

Those include Plum Creek, F.H. Stoltze Land & Lumber, Flathead County, Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation and Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks, U.S. Forest Service, Whitefish Mountain Resort and philanthropist Michael Goguen.

Jenson said he doesn't have any expectations for the meeting, but hopes it will be a precursor to future dialog with Whitefish's biggest stakeholders. The idea for a forum emerged as the Whitefish City Council reviewed and passed the city's growth policy.

The city also intends to one day meet with residents of the doughnut area, but that meeting has been postponed until a lawsuit over jurisdiction of the doughnut is resolved, Jenson said.

The large landowner meeting begins at 7 p.m. June 9 at Whitefish City Hall and is open to the public.

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