166-unit townhouse subdivision revived

A San Diego developer plans to build a townhouse subdivision on the former Par 3 Golf Course property in Whitefish using the infrastructure that already serves 29 condo units.

Mark Panissidi of Deer Creek Montana, LLC, is asking for preliminary plat approval to develop Alta Views, a 166-unit townhouse development southwest of the intersection of JP Road and River Lakes Parkway.

The Whitefish Planning Board will hold a public hearing on the proposal at 6 p.m. Thursday at Whitefish City Hall.

The property, formerly known as The Views and Deer Creek at Whitefish, was approved by the city in 2005 as a 168-unit condo project. At the time the developer agreed to include 10 affordable housing units and refrain from using the condos as short-term rentals.

All of the infrastructure was installed by the city, including streets, sidewalks, street lights and utilities.

The 29 condo units and a clubhouse were build in 2007, but the city told the developer at the time that until an agreement with the Whitefish Housing Authority and a reasonable proposal for affordable housing was put in place, no more building permits would be issued for the project, according to the planning staff report.

Since then the property has had several different owners, but no further progress has been made on the conditions of approval.

Panissidi proposes to convert the existing 29 condo units into townhouses through a remodel building permit. The proposed townhouse development also will reduce the number of units by two from the original proposal. The planned-unit development overlay would remain a part of the project and includes the original conditions of approval, which means the affordable housing requirement is still a part of the project.

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