Whitefish aims to tighten fireworks law
A skyrocketing number of complaints over the discharge of fireworks in Whitefish has prompted the city to propose tightening the city’s fireworks law and increasing the fine for violators.
A public hearing for the proposed changes to the fireworks ordinance will be held at Tuesday’s Whitefish City Council meeting.
The city proposes to limit the period for discharging fireworks over the Independence Day holiday to only two days: July 3 and 4. Currently the city allows fireworks over a three-day period.
The fine for violating the ordinance would be $300 for the first offense and $500 for a second or subsequent offense. Currently the law states a person may be punished by a fine of not more than $500, but in some cases fines have been as low as $50.
City Manager Chuck Stearns said he and his staff asked for input from Municipal Judge Bradley Johnson and City Prosecutor Caleb Simpson before proposing the stiffer fines.
A second public hearing will consider the creation of a new Whitefish Planned Resort District.
The new zoning classification would be similar to a planned unit development in that there is flexibility built in to deviate from some development requirements provided the development offers significant public benefit of some sort.
A neighborhood plan would be required for the area slated for Whitefish Planned Resort zoning and a binding site plan is among the requirements.
The growth policy defines Whitefish Planned Resort as zoning for master-planned, dense, mixed and multi-use destination resort complexes. Architecture and streetscapes would be of “very high quality.” Land uses would include resort, retail, eating and drinking establishments, spas and fitness centers.
Residential development with the new zone generally would be medium to high density, clustered around open space and other resort amenities.
The Whitefish Planning Board held a work session on the new zone last October, then held a public hearing in November. The board unanimously recommended approval but added two proposed amendments: to notify property owners within 1,500 feet for a neighborhood plan update and move conference centers from conditional to permitted uses.
In other business Tuesday, Caryn Miske and Chas Cartwright of the Flathead Basin Commission will make a presentation on aquatic invasive species and results from the Coram monitoring station in 2013.
The council will consider moving ahead with soliciting requests for proposals to design and engineer the reconstruction of West Seventh Street from Baker to Karrow Avenue. The project has been recommended by the Resort Tax Monitoring Committee as the next priority for street reconstruction using resort tax revenue.
A work session on the proposed Planned Resort District will begin at 5:10 p.m., followed by the regular council meeting at 7:10 p.m. Both meetings are at Whitefish City Hall on Tuesday (Monday, the normal meeting day, is the Presidents Day holiday).