Transportation plan in discussion at Whitefish City Council

The Whitefish City Council will look into updating the city’s 2009 transportation plan at its meeting tonight at 7:10 at Whitefish City Hall.

Craig Workman, director of public works, wrote in a report that “parts of the City’s transportation system are over capacity during the peak season” and “an update to the 2009 Transportation Plan is needed to assist city staff in coordinating proposed projects with the planned future transportation.”

The fiscal year 2020 budget has $50,000 set aside for updating the transportation plan, though Workman anticipates the project will last into fiscal year 2021.

The Council will decide on appointments for the rating panel and selection committee for the transportation plan update.

The Council will also look at appointing members to another rating panel and selection committee that will assess proposals for an audit of the city’s irrigation systems.

According to a report by Maria Butts, parks and recreation director, many of Whitefish’s irrigation systems are “antiquated,” contributing to a waste in treated water. The proposed audit would provide a comprehensive irrigation and vegetation plan “for the introduction of drought-tolerant, native landscaping in appropriate rights-of-way and open spaces.”

In addition, the Council is tasked with approving the terms of three public recreational trail easements to build additional trails in the Whitefish Trail system.

This is a key part of Phase III of the Whitefish Legacy Partners’ “Close The Loop” campaign, which calls for four miles of trail easements to connect the Big Mountain Trailhead with the trailheads at Smith Lake and Swift Creek. Whitefish Legacy Partners reports it has successfully negotiated easements with three private landowners and is “extremely close” to reaching an agreement with the final landowner.