Whitefish council considers architectural review changes

The Whitefish City Council tonight will hold a public hearing to consider a number of changes to the city’s mandatory architectural review standards.

The council and the Architectural Review Committee held a joint work session two years ago and developed amendments to the existing standards that include:

• New standards for a mock-up; when it is required and what is required.

• Standards for projects with multiple buildings.

• Standards for accessory commercial buildings

• Refinement of standards for townhouse/duplex/triplex

• Enforcement of approvals

• Downtown Plan implementation

• Highway 93 South Corridor implementation

• Update the standards with drawings and photos for a better final product.

The Whitefish Planning Board on Sept. 17 recommended approval of the proposed changes.

Whitefish adopted architectural review standards in 2003 that later became mandatory and have otherwise evolved over time.

During the 2018 work session with the council and committee, the council was supportive of the proposed changes, according to the staff report to the council. However, the council had two items for future committee work, including reviewing residential projects with multiple single-family homes so they don’t all look the same, and reviewing the process of the design changes from the City Council public hearings to actual Architectural Review Committee submittals. These items will be put on future Architectural Review Committee agendas, the staff report indicated.

IN OTHER business, the council will hold a work session from 5:30 to 7 p.m. tonight to review the city’s annual affordable housing report and review recommended changes to the Legacy Home program. The housing report can be found on the city’s website.

The council also will interview candidates for the city's Planning Board and its Lake and Lakeshore Protection Committee and make appointments.

The regular council meeting will begin at 7:10 p.m.

The meeting will be held virtually via Webex video conferencing. Information on how to tune in can be found on the city's website.

The COVID-19 pandemic also remains a top concern for city leaders. In a memo to the council, City Manager Dana Smith said City Hall would remain closed through the weekend due to concerns about coronavirus transmission, but the building could reopen as early as Monday (today) if conditions allow.

"Community spread continues to increase in Flathead Valley," Smith wrote. "We are recommending that families find alternatives to traditional trick-or-treating, which has been deemed high risk by the CDC during the pandemic. We also would like to remind adults to plan a costume that includes a face covering and to remember to social distance while enjoying our downtown businesses."

Smith added that the city will not issue any special event permits for Halloween. "Therefore," she wrote, "it is up to each business to participate in any Halloween traditions, such as trick-or-treating on Central Avenue or providing any entertainment."