Work sessions stack up for county Planning Board

Ready to tackle the work of determining how to proceed with long-range planning and zoning in the “doughnut” area around Whitefish, the Flathead County Planning Board has scheduled a second work session at the county commissioners’ request.

The board will meet at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 1, in the second-floor conference room of the Earl Bennett Building, 1035 First. Ave. W. in Kalispell.

This is a separate workshop from the one scheduled for this evening, at which the Planning Board will discuss Whitefish area lake and lakeshore regulations. Tonight’s work session also begins at 6 p.m. in the same location.

Planning Board workshops are for in-depth discussion and educational purposes.

“No formal action may be taken at a workshop, so any outcome of Planning Board discussion at workshops will require future agenda items and appropriate notice,” Planning Director BJ Grieve noted.

 Public comments will be taken at the beginning and end of workshops so participants can comment, then listen to discussion, then comment again.

“The primary reason for these workshops is to listen to concerns, comments, suggestions and ideas from the public and help inform the Planning Board as they tackle a variety of issues in the newly acquired jurisdiction outside Whitefish,” Grieve said.

Any written comments submitted in advance to the Planning Office will be forwarded to the Planning Board.

Both workshops are aimed at helping the county determine how to govern planning and zoning areas in the doughnut area, in the wake of a Montana Supreme Court ruling in July that gave control from the city of Whitefish to Flathead County.

The commissioners recently approved interim zoning in the doughnut to allow time for the county to move toward permanent zoning in that area.