Whitefish plans to raise impact fees
Impact fees are on track to increase by about $1,300 per new home in a proposal that will be considered for approval by the Whitefish City Council on Monday, Nov. 19.
The total impact fees for a new single-family detached home would increase to $7,972 on Jan. 1 if the council passes the resolution. Currently the impact fees are $6,659 per new residence. The total includes a 5 percent administration fee.
The city recently updated and adopted a capital improvement plan, and the proposed impact-fee revisions are in response to that plan.
“Based on previous council direction, the water impact fee and the paved trails impact fee will not be increased to the maximum defensible amounts,” City Manager Adam Hammatt noted in his report to the council. “All other impact fees will be either increased or decreased to the maximum defensible amount.”
At the council’s direction, the water impact fee will remain at $2,241 per home, even though the city could charge a maximum of $4,119. The wastewater impact fee is proposed to increase substantially, from $1,943 to the maximum defensible amount of $3,975.
The storm-water impact fee would decrease slightly, from $200 to $172, while the Emergency Services Center fee would drop from $775 to $446.
The paved trails impact fee would increase from $421 to $583; the maximum fee allowed is $2,464. Hammatt’s report notes that the recommended paved trails fee is increasing up to 50 percent of the maximum fee allowed over the next five years “due to other funding sources required for future projects not being readily available in the next 20 years.”
Compared to other cities, Whitefish’s recommended impact-fee rates would be roughly $2,000 per residence lower than Kalispell, and lower than Bozeman by $1,173. Columbia Falls doesn’t have designated impact fees, though the city does have connection fees for water and wastewater, Hammatt’s report noted.
The council will hold a public hearing on the proposed impact fees.
In other business, the council will hold a public hearing on a proposed ordinance amending a planned-unit development at Riverview Meadows Subdivision. Mkay Enterprises is requesting an amendment to a preliminary plat and PUD to develop 18 lots at 6361 and 6365 U.S. 93 S., in order to develop an additional six multifamily units on one of the lots. The site currently is undeveloped.
The Whitefish Planning Board struggled with Mkay’s request at its October meeting. The board made a number of motions, including a motion to deny, a motion to continue and ultimately a motion to approve the application, which passed unanimously, the staff report said.
“The Board had questions about the neighborhood-developer agreement, brought up during public testimony, and how it would affect their recommendation,” Hammatt’s report noted. “Ultimately the board suggested the neighbors and the developer work together before coming back to the council meeting.
The City Council will review and consider approval to proceed with the design of the State Park Road project that will rebuild the road from Lion Mountain Road to the railroad crossing. One of the biggest pieces of the reconstruction project is enhancing driver and pedestrian safety through intersection improvements and roadway alignment changes, plus the addition of an off-street shared-use path.
The $5.3 million State Park Road project will be funded with resort tax revenue.
The council meeting begins at 7:10 p.m. at Whitefish City Hall.
News Editor Lynnette Hintze may be reached at 758-4421 or lhintze@dailyinterlake.com.