Whitefish council OKs streetscape construction

Northwest Montana News Network

The first phase of Whitefish downtown street reconstruction will commence this fall, the Whitefish City Council decided Monday.

Following lengthy input and debate, the council on a 4-2 vote approved Sandry Construction's low bid of $1.25 million. Council members Nick Palmer and Turner Askew were opposed to proceeding with the controversial streetscape project.

Twenty-six people commented on the streetscape plans at the meeting, with 15 opposed and 11 in favor.

Reconstruction of Third Street from Spokane to Baker avenues will proceed this fall. The bid also includes next spring's work on the 200 block of Central Avenue.

Two amendments failed, including one introduced by council member Frank Sweeney that would have included language on how to change the construction contract should streetscape plans change later, and another by Palmer that called for narrower sidewalks on both Third and Central.

At the conclusion of the meeting, during the council's comment period, Palmer announced he is withdrawing from this fall's council elections. Referring to the street'scape vote, Palmer said the council had 'resolved some things, but we didn't do it right.

It's been an honor to serve on the council, but I've had enough, he concluded.

The downtown infrastructure project, outlined in the downtown master plan, became contentious largely because it will make sidewalks wider and streets narrower. City officials contend that the configuration will work for all vehicles except for double crew-cab pickup trucks and long vehicles with bike or storage racks on the back.

In other council news:

n Regulations for mobile vendors were passed 4-3 after three amendments failed and one passed, changing the time length for permits from six months to 60 days. Mayor Mike Jenson cast the tie-breaking vote. The regulations had failed to garner the necessary four votes at the council's Aug. 3 meeting and came back to the council for a second reading.

Dave Sheeran, the owner of Second Street Pizza and a late-night vending operation on Central Avenue, asked the council to support the new regulations. Two others came forward to support Sheeran, and several council members said they supported the idea of open-market competition between mobile vendors and established businesses.

n The council recognized concerns by downtown merchants about how to dispose of snow on bulbouts and wider sidewalks created by the downtown master plan's streetscape project. Snow and ice can be shoveled onto the street in the downtown WB-3 zoning district this winter, except on Second Street, which is a state highway, and where there is an existing boulevard.

n Aug. 31 will be celebrated as Charlie Abell Day, the council proclaimed, in honor of his 42 years overseeing Whitefish Credit Union and his contributions to the community.

n Hammer Nutrition and Stumptown Art Studio were recognized by the city's Pedestrian and Bicycle Path Advisory Committee for their contributions to the city's trails system.