It's decision time for big apartment project in Whitefish
The Whitefish City Council will pick up where it left off Jan. 7 with a proposal to build seven apartment buildings on the former North Valley Hospital site at Tuesday’s meeting.
A public hearing was held Jan. 7 and public comment was taken, but the council opted to continue its deliberation and decision. The public hearing is no longer open, according to City Manager Adam Hammatt’s report to the council.
Riverbank Properties, LLC, is asking for a planned-unit development overlay to build the apartment buildings — each containing 32 to 34 units for a total of 234 apartments — on 11.8 acres.
The project, Riverbank Residences, calls for 90 studio apartments, 90 one-bedroom units and 54 two-bedroom units. Riverbank Properties would use the planned-unit development provisions of the city zoning code to facilitate the land use and density, according to the application.
As part of the project, Riverbank Properties will build two public rights of way, their portion of the Whitefish River Trail and 47 permanently deed-restricted rentals for affordable housing.
William A. MacDonald is the applicant; the property owner is listed as Mike Goguen on the application.
The applicant has submitted an updated site plan that includes two spaces for community gardens, a “tot lot” to the south of an optional pool area and a hardened river access area.
The project comes to the council without a recommendation from the Whitefish Planning Board. The board considered the proposal at its Nov. 15 meeting, but a motion to recommend approval the project failed on a 3-3 vote. Since that public hearing, city officials have met with Eagle Transit officials and are requesting the installation of a bus stop along U.S. 93 S., north of the intersection with 15th Street.
Among the concerns voiced at the Planning Board hearing were the change in community character, removal of trees, traffic, rental rates, parking, and whether the affordable-housing allocation is a community benefit.
The council has several other public hearings scheduled:
- A conditional-use permit request from Aaron McPherson to convert an existing detached garage into a guesthouse at 220 Peregrine Lane.
- A request from James Dodkin from BCD Engineering for the Big Mountain Vista preliminary plat, to subdivide a property into two parcels at 441 Armory Road.
- A conditional-use permit request from Bald Eagle, LLC, and Nicole Erickson to construct a mixed-use building with a winery on the first floor and three residential units on the second floor at 20 Spokane Ave. The Planning Board split its vote 3-3, so the request is forwarded to the council without a recommendation.
There was discussion during the Planning Board hearing about operating a winery so close to Whitefish Middle School. However, unlike a retail beer and wine license, a winery would be considered a manufacturing license and has no distance requirement, Hammatt’s report noted. Additionally, in 1997 the city amended its code to eliminate any distance requirement between beer and wine license establishments and churches or schools, if the location is within the WB-3 zoning district.
- A proposal to add a new section to public parks and grounds code to ban the erection of structures in city parks and public grounds. The proposed ordinance forbids groups and individuals from erecting tents, lodges, shelters or any other structures on park or public property. It also bans unattended displays, though it makes an exception for displays erected by the city.
A joint work session will be held with the Whitefish Lake and Lakeshore Protection Committee at 5:15 p.m. to discuss rip-rap and retaining-wall standards. At 6:15 p.m. there will be a discussion and review regarding fireworks and noise issues and enforcement.
The council meeting begins at 7:10 p.m.; both the work session and meeting will be held at Whitefish City Hall.
News Editor Lynnette Hintze may be reached at 758-4421 or lhintze@dailyinterlake.com.