Whitefish continues critical-areas tweaking

The Daily Inter Lake

A text amendment clarifying the critical-areas ordinance's application to existing lots highlights a light Whitefish City Council agenda tonight.

At an Oct. 6 public hearing the council couldn't muster a majority vote to pass first reading of the proposed critical-areas amendment. The ordinance governs new construction in drainage-challenged areas.

Council members were split on the question of whether to require a site stability analysis if development were to occur on property with a slope of 40 percent or greater and located within 400 feet of Whitefish Lake.

The planning staff has drafted language that would strike that particular subsection if the council so wishes, and has suggested language to clarify that the exemption would apply only to single-family lots.

There are no public hearings on the agenda, but the council will deal with two other subdivision matters - rezoning three properties in Haugen heights and a request to approve five lots on 4.38 acres in Pine Grove Estates.

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