Extensions sought for Big Mountain subdivisions
The Whitefish City Council on Tuesday turns its attention to development on Big Mountain with requests from Winter Sports Inc. to extend the preliminary plat time limits for two subdivisions.
Winter Sports, the parent company for Whitefish Mountain Resort, is asking for a 24-month extension for Big Mountain Village, an 11-lot resort/commercial development on 12.6 acres at the end of Big Mountain Road.
The plat was approved in 2007 and extended in 2010. It expires March 5 unless the council takes action.
Big Mountain Village was one part of the plan to redevelop the core village area as outlined in the 2006 Big Mountain Neighborhood Plan adopted by the City Council. The city planning staff recommends approval of the two-year extension.
The other Winter Sports request is a two-year extension for phases 3 to 13 at The Glades. The subdivision was approved by the Flathead County commissioners in 2005. The Whitefish council has granted a couple of extensions since then, and the plat now is set to expire Aug. 18 this year.
The Glades was platted for 21 single-family homes, 135 townhomes and 22 cabins on 55.7 acres south of the Base Lodge.
The planning staff said it has concerns with extending the entirety of The Glades preliminary plat since conditions have changed considerably since the project was approved. It is recommending extending for two years only the portions of the plat that are consistent with the Big Mountain Neighborhood Plan — phases 3, 6 and 7.
IN OTHER business, the council will consider approving a two-year contract for prosecution legal services with the Hedman, Hileman and LaCosta law firm for a $90,000 flat fee for legal services and $3,600 for expenses.
The council will designate city negotiators and talk about how to move forward with a proposal from Averill Hospitality to build a boutique hotel on city land at Third Street and Central Avenue.
A work session from 5:30 to 7 p.m. will be a joint meeting with the Park Board to talk about a proposal to increase facility use fees for city parks, including the heavily used Depot Park. Public comment will be taken.
The council delayed action on proposed park fee increases until a joint work session could be held.
Supporters of popular summer events such as the Downtown Farmers Market and Whitefish Arts Festival asked the council to reconsider what they believe are exorbitant fee increases that could jeopardize some of the resort town’s most popular events staged in Depot Park.
The city’s Parks and Recreation Department has proposed a new $500 event support fee plus a public use sliding fee of up to $500 per event, depending on the number of vendors.
Following the work session, the regular meeting begins at 7:10 p.m.; both meetings are at Whitefish City Hall.