Whitefish may expedite city study for U.S. 93 corridor

County zoning proposal put on hold

By LYNNETTE HINTZE

Daily Inter Lake

A proposal to expedite a city corridor study for U.S. 93 south of Whitefish will be considered Tuesday by the Whitefish City Council.

The Flathead County Planning Board last week delayed a decision on a county citizen-initiated corridor plan to change the zoning to allow more commercial development along the highway. The board instead scheduled a March 8 work session to continue discussion about the corridor proposal and to give board members ample time to review the full scope of public comment that has been received about the citizens’ corridor plan. That delay gives the city an opportunity to still have a seat at the table.

Even though Whitefish does not have control over land-use decisions in the area south of the city, the City Council in December asked city staff to put together a scope of work and a time-line for initiating a U.S. 93 South corridor plan.

That stretch of highway was identified in the 2007 Whitefish growth policy as an area in need of a corridor study, but the city deemed studies for Wisconsin Avenue and U.S. 93 West as greater priorities. The U.S. 93 South study was sidelined.

In the meantime, the Montana Supreme Court ceded control for planning to Flathead County in 2014, ending a years-long legal battle for control of the Whitefish “doughnut” area.

“The issues facing Highway 93 South are much more complex than Highway 93 West or Wisconsin Avenue, so there is likely to be more time, expense and controversy involved,” Whitefish Planning Director David Taylor advised the council in a memorandum for Tuesday’s council meeting.

The study would divide the highway into three key sections that need extensive individual review, Taylor said. Two of the sections are within city limits — the stretch from East Sixth Street to the Whitefish River culvert and the commercial strip from the river to Montana 40. The third stretch is the agricultural/light commercial area from Montana 40 past Blanchard Lake Road; that’s the area under rezoning consideration by the county.

Property owners along the 1.5-mile stretch of highway south of Whitefish city limits say they have been waiting at least 10 years for more zoning flexibility in how they can use or develop their land. Their citizen-initiated zoning proposal changes the zoning from largely agricultural and suburban agricultural to commercial and business service zoning on 490 acres along the highway.

Public opinion is stacked up on both sides. Property owners along the highway want options, including commercial zoning, to develop their land. Opponents contend changing the zoning opens the door to strip development that will clutter the aesthetic appeal of that area.

Taylor estimates a city-driven corridor plan will cost upwards of $100,000, and “there are budget concerns with that.” Only the Wisconsin Avenue Corridor plan was budgeted for this year, but the city could use some of the tax-increment funding allocated for the City Hall/parking structure contingency to get the ball rolling on a U.S. 93 South study, he added.

Commencing with a new corridor study while the Wisconsin Avenue study is still under development would be challenging for the planning staff, Taylor said, but he is confident is can be done.

The City Council meets at 7:10 p.m. Monday at the interim City Hall, 1005 Baker Ave. in Whitefish.

Features editor Lynnette Hintze may be reached at 758-4421 or lhintze@dailyinterlake.com.