Whitefish council to weigh in on big condo project
The Whitefish City Council will look at awarding a conditional-use permit for a large condominium project at its remote meeting this evening at 6 p.m.
Residents can find instructions to join the meeting through the WebEx platform or over the phone under “Agenda Info” in the Mayor and City Council section of the city of Whitefish website.
Applicants Ronnie and Sharron Kyle are seeking a conditional-use permit for a 52-unit condominium project at 1515 U.S. 93, across the highway from the Whitefish Lake Golf Course and just west of the Grouse Mountain Park.
The project would consist of three buildings: two 18-unit buildings and one 16-unit building. There would be a central open space with amenities for residents including hot tubs and a clubhouse.
According to the planning department’s staff report, the project integrates a small wetland on the property into its design and “the applicant designed the entire project around its protection.”
The project does not include any units deemed “affordable housing,” so the developer will pay a fee to contribute toward Whitefish’s Legacy Homes Program. The staff report estimates the fee to be about $1,216,000.
On April 16, the Whitefish Planning Board unanimously approved a motion to forward a recommendation of approval to the City Council. They noted the wetlands are more like a “wet field” and did not anticipate any negative environmental effects from the project.
The council will also consider a request by Rob Isaacson of Blackstar Partners, LLC, for a conditional-use permit to establish a bar, tavern and microbrewery facility at the former location of Great Northern Brewing Co.
The application for the permit states the existing building will remain the same except for the addition of rooftop patio, which “will not be able to be visually seen very easily from street level and will be similar in styling as the existing building.”
The Whitefish Planning Board unanimously recommended approval of the project. At that April 16 meeting, Tom Britz, owner and CEO of Glacier Hops Ranch, said the project is “a good plan and a perfect fit for our community,” according to notes from the meeting. He said “reducing the brewing capacity and having a rooftop bar is a better, common sense use of valuable space in downtown Whitefish.”
The council encourages individuals wishing to make public comment to send them prior to the meeting to City Clerk Michelle Howke at mhowke@cityofwhitefish.org. Comments will be read into the public record.
Reporter Colin Gaiser may be reached at 758-4439 or cgaiser@dailyinterlake.com.