County considers 'doughnut' deal

The Flathead County commissioners will meet on Tuesday, Nov. 30, to consider an amended interlocal agreement for the two-mile planning “doughnut” in Whitefish.

The 6 p.m. meeting will be held in the Whitefish City Council chambers at City Hall. While the meeting is open the public, it is not a public hearing.

The City Council last week voted to approve a revised interlocal agreement following a lengthy public hearing.

In the joint agreement, the city will agree to settle the city’s lawsuit with the county over the doughnut and authorize city officials to ask District Court to dismiss the lawsuit.

What remains to be seen is how the District Court will handle claims made by intervenors to the lawsuit who have said they can’t support a compromise on control of the doughnut if it doesn’t adequately address the representation issue for residents of the two-mile area.

The city of Whitefish and Flathead County have been at odds over control of the doughnut since the county rescinded the interlocal agreement in 2008 amid controversy over the city’s critical area ordinance that put in place for building and drainage regulations in environmentally sensitive areas.

The main argument was over the city mandating legislation in an area where residents can vote for city officials.

A memorandum of understanding still is in the works to define exactly how the city and county will work together to govern the doughnut area.