Whitefish City Council talks housing

Whitefish City Council on Monday will hold a discussion regarding community housing as it provides feedback to the municipality’s housing committee.  

During a work session, Council is set to provide feedback to the Whitefish Community Housing Committee about the implementation of housing strategies identified in the 2022 Whitefish Community Housing Roadmap. The work session begins at 5:45 p.m.  

Council meets for the regular meeting at 7:10 p.m. Both meetings are at City Hall, 418 E. Second St. 

The roadmap is designed as a framework with a range of strategies to drive action to address community housing needs over the next five years, City Manager Dana Smith notes in a memo to Council.  

“Community Housing is defined as housing not being provided by the existing housing market at prices attainable for community members that live and work in the Whitefish area,” she said in her memo.  

As work on the roadmap implementation continues, the housing committee wants to ensure that individual action items are of interest to the City Council and appropriately prioritized. The committee is recommending four action items as the next priorities.  

First, the housing committee will advise on housing and land use sections of the update currently underway of the city’s growth policy.  

Next, the committee is set to review and consider necessary changes to the city’s zoning code related to housing. It will also review the city’s Legacy Homes Program to determine if any changes are needed regarded zoning.  

Third, the committee will review the Legacy Homes Program incentives for smaller projects with a focus on encouraging more ownership units. Additional incentives for community housing will also be considered.  

Finally, the committee has undertaken mapping exercises to identify land that is ripe for developing community housing, both rental and ownership units. Once complete, the committee plans to have an inventory of preferred developable land for entities like Housing Whitefish to use in planning future projects.  

DURING THE regular meeting, Council is set to vote on an ordinance amending the administration of the resort tax. Part of the update comes as a result of voters in November 2023 approving changes to the tax along with extending it for an additional 20-year term to 2045. Changes to the tax are set to take effect on Feb. 1, 2025.  

Resort tax funds will be split as 25% for property tax relief, 48% for streets, sidewalks and underground utilities, 10% for community housing, 10% for paths and other park acquisitions and improvements, 2% to the Whitefish Trail for maintenance, and 5% goes to merchants for the administration of the tax.  

Housekeeping items in the update include changes under the goods and services that are subject to and exempt from the resort tax, along with clarifications and corrections. 

The ordinance will also update the penalties for failure to report or remit taxes. The tax would have a 30-day grace period after the due date and then, if payment is still not received, a $50 late fee would be assessed. Continued failure to file or remit the tax results in a fee of $100.  

Smith said the city looked at other municipalities that collect resort tax for a guide in updating the penalties.  

“The new late fees are expected to help with timely reporting and remitting of resort tax but are not intended to, nor are they expected to, generate a significant amount of revenue,” she said.  

ALSO ON the agenda, Council is set to consider a zoning text amendment to make housekeeping changes to allow for bulletin boards, clarify flag clearances, clarify ground mounted sign clear vision triangle setbacks, revise and clarify sidewalk A-frame sign standards downtown, and better regulate park monument signs in residential districts.  

Council will look at amending an agreement related to the BNSF Loop Trail. The agreement with the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation with respect to bridge foot easement.  

Council will consider approving an engineering contract with HDR engineering for the city’s Railroad Crossing Elimination Plan. The city was awarded a grant from the Federal Railroad Authority for the plan which is expected to examine the existing crossing in Whitefish and propose projects to improve safety.  

Some of the specific projects that would be examined include a possible grade separated crossing east of the existing viaduct and cross improvements to State Park Road and Birch Point Drive, according to a memo from Public Works Director Craig Workman.

Deputy Editor Heidi Desch may be reached at 758-4421 or hdesch@dailyinterlake.com.