Whitefish council to vote on controversial apartment project

A proposal to build a 54-unit apartment complex on Skyles Place in Whitefish could be rejected by the Whitefish City Council tonight as it makes a final decision on the project.

Earlier this month the council voted to delay a decision on a conditional-use permit request from 519 Skyles Place LLC to construct two apartment buildings. Council member Andy Feury made the motion, which passed unanimously, to postpone a decision to give city staff time to prepare the documentation that would support denial of the permit.

During an Aug. 5 public hearing the council heard from several neighbors about issues ranging from traffic and public safety to neighborhood intrusion from so many dwelling units.

However, the property is zoned for high-density residential development and is designated as such in the Wisconsin Avenue Corridor Plan.

The develop proposes 12 studio and 12 one-bedroom apartments in the north building, and 12 one-bedroom, 12 two-bedroom and six studio units in the south building.

In other business, the council is poised to adopt a $55.7 million final budget for the fiscal year that began July 1. The final budget is roughly $2.2 million higher than the preliminary budget projection, due to capital project timing and additional projects within the tax-increment fund in which at year’s end it was determined additional cash funds could be moved from restricted to available status.

The city intends to budget an increase in revenue from property taxes by 3.58% because of the anticipated increase in taxable value from new property and the reappraisal of current taxable property. The taxable valuation of property in Whitefish grew by just over 6 percent. The increase in property taxes will vary per property, according to city Finance Director Dana Smith. If a property owner’s valuation increased by that same percentage, the property owner can expect about a 5.2 percent increase in property taxes, Smith said. That includes property-tax levies as well as maintenance assessments.

The projected increase in the 2020 fiscal budget is largely due to planned capital projects, with a new wastewater treatment plant topping the list. The city is budgeting $9.4 million to be spent on the plant construction as the project begins this year.

Another big capital project is the expansion of the water treatment plant, with $1.4 million budgeted for the coming fiscal year. The Montana Department of Environmental Quality has mandated that Whitefish expand its water treatment plant to meet demand.

Other capital projects in the coming year are $1.1 million for Depot Park improvements and $250,000 for stormwater work on the State Park Road project. Resort tax-funded projects, including State Park Road reconstruction, are budgeted to increase by about $500,000, according to the city’s budget message.

The council will discuss the final budget during a work session from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m.; the regular meeting begins at 7:10 p.m. Both sessions will be held at Whitefish City Hall.