Affordable housing on Whitefish agenda, again
The topic of affordable housing takes center stage once again at the Whitefish City Council meeting on Monday, May 7.
The council will hear a presentation from Whitefish Housing Authority and Homeword Inc. about a proposed low-income housing tax credit project. The federal government provides tax credits to states to provide affordable housing in the 40 to 60 percent of area median income range.
The Whitefish Housing Authority is looking at a roughly $7 million to $8 million, 38-unit project and is hoping for about $6 million in tax credits, according to the council staff report. Homeword and the housing authority would be the project developers. They are asking the City Council to approve a financial commitment to the Whitefish Housing Authority of $150,000, to be committed only if the project receives the requested funding from the Montana Board of Housing and is a go.
The state gets about $26 million a year for the tax-credit program. It’s a highly competitive process, typically with about 25 applications and awards made to five or six projects. Tax credits equate to about 75 to 80 percent of the total project cost, representing a significant funding source, the council report noted.
A key public hearing before the council is the proposed 58-lot single-family subdivision at the intersection of Monegan and Voerman roads, directly south of Creekwood Estates.
Jerry Dunker, the developer of Trail View, is asking for approval of a preliminary plat with a planned-unit development overlay. The entire subdivision is proposed to be deed-restricted housing, with four of the apartments designated as affordable. Fifty percent of the homes would have traditional deed restrictions based on income, and 50 percent of the homes would be for local workers and not income-restricted.
Trail View won a recommendation of approval from the Whitefish Planning Board in April, and has the support of the city planning staff as well.
The Trail View homes would be single-family two- and three-story structures ranging from 900 to 1,300 square feet. Massing, building height, materiality and color palette will vary within the development.
The proposed planned-unit development would enable a density of 6.6 units per acre on the 8.8-acre tract, while maintaining 66 percent open space, according to the application. Whitefish zoning regulations allow a 7-unit per acre density bonus when a minimum of 10 percent affordable housing is provided.
In other business, the council will hold a public hearing on a resolution to increase RescueCare program fees charged by the Whitefish Fire Department. The city created RescueCare as a membership subscription program in 2000 to help property owners with the cost of ambulance service.
Since its inception RescueCare fees have been $79 a year for out-of-city residents within the fire department’s jurisdiction. City residents pay $59 annually for membership. Because city property owners pay a disproportionate amount compared to non-residents for equal service, the city is recommending raising the non-city resident RescueCare fee to $185, while keeping the city resident rate at $59 annually.
GMJ is asking for a conditional-use permit to develop 14 condominium cabins at 514 W. Second Street. The property is zoned as a low-density multifamily district. The council will hold a public hearing on the permit request.
A hearing also will be held for a proposal to amend the city’s dog ordinance as it relates to “dangerous or potentially dangerous” dogs. According to City Manager Adam Hammatt’s council report, the current law “provides a burdensome and inefficient process for addressing dangerous dogs.”
Since the city has not employed an animal control officer for years and hasn’t used the outdated enforcement directives in the dog ordinance, the city wants a new ordinance that allows the police to investigate reports of dangerous dogs and issue citations if necessary.
The council meets at Whitefish City Hall at 7:10 p.m.
Features Editor Lynnette Hintze may be reached at 758-4421 or lhintze@dailyinterlake.com.