Whitefish eyes lakeside lots for parking

The Whitefish City Council tonight will consider spending $450,000 to buy three lots near City Beach that could be converted into a parking lot.

It’s not often property becomes available for sale in the City Beach area at the sound end of Whitefish Lake. The city has wanted to expand parking in the congested area for years, according to City Manager Chuck Stearns.

“Adding parking in the City Beach area has been a priority from before my arrival,” Stearns said in his council report.

The lots for sale by Jacqueline Creon are at the corner of Lakeside Boulevard and Oregon Avenue, very near the beach area.

“I was told by several department directors that this property was our most desired piece of property around City Beach and that we should pursue it when it becomes available,” Stearns said.

The city could create about 40 to 45 parking spaces on the property. At roughly $5,000 per space for construction, it would cost $200,000 to develop the parking lot plus $30,000 in engineering costs. Add those costs to the purchase price and the project pencils out at around $680,000.

The city could take the money from its tax-increment finance account, which had about $1 million more than projected when the latest fiscal year began in July because the city hadn’t spent money yet on projects such as the new City Hall, Depot Park and Skye Bridge.

“I think it would be possible to purchase and construct the parking [lot] from the TIF, but that would come at the expense of other alternative uses,” Stearns said. “This purchase would come down to a matter of priorities.”

The council will vote on a resolution approving a buy-sell agreement for the lakeside property.

IN OTHER business, there are three public hearings on the agenda.

The first hearing will consider a conditional-use permit request from Richard and Roberta Bennett for an accessory apartment at 325 Lupfer Ave.

The second hearing is a proposed ordinance approving a preliminary plat and planned unit development for Phase 3 of Great Northern Heights behind Western Building Center. Rob Pero, on behalf of Hilltop Partners, proposes to subdivide 6.1 acres into 24 single-family lots.

The final hearing is an ordinance approving text amendments to Whitefish zoning laws to create a new Whitefish planned resort district.

The council will conduct interviews with prospective committee and board members from 5 to 7 p.m. The regular meeting begins at 7:10 p.m.; both sessions are at City Hall.