Whitefish looks to rezone Central Avenue property

A lot that had been planned for a hotel on Central Avenue in Whitefish is set to be rezoned after the hotel never came to fruition.

Whitefish City Council on Monday will consider rezoning the property to a general business district after a planned unit development overlay on the lot at 38 Central Avenue expired.

Council meets at 7:10 p.m. at City Hall, 418 E Second St. 

Averill Hospitality in 2021 obtained approval to construct a 40-suite boutique hotel, including a bar and lounge, on the property that had sat vacant for years. That plan never came to fruition, however, and a food truck park has been operating on the lot south of the Craggy Range Bar and Grill.

Last year the Whitefish Planning Department approved a conditional use permit for the food truck court to operate. Now that the PUD has expired, the planning department is requesting Council approve a rezone of the property.

Also on the agenda, Council will consider a request for a conditional use permit to construct a second 12-unit multi-family apartment at 719 Edgewood Place. Devin Stus of Modus America Corp is seeking the permit to allow for the construction of studio apartments on the site that already contains a 12-plex building constructed in 2020.

As part of the conditions of approval, city planning staff is recommending that internal sidewalks on the property be improved to a minimum of 5 feet clearance. In addition, the alley along the north of the project site must be paved from the eastern edge of the project to Colorado Avenue.

Council will consider increasing Parks and Recreation Department program fees for all recreation programs. The last increase was in 2020, and the department has determined that it is necessary to increase fees to bring revenues closer in line to associated expenditures.

Resident programs that serve as a form of child care are set for an increase of no more than 20% to stay in line with the last fee increase and non-resident rates were limited to a 25% increase.

The summer day camp rate for residents would increase from $55 to $65, while the non-resident fee would go from $65 to $80. The after-school fee would increase by $5 for both residents and non-residents.

Recreation program fees were increased to reflect the market comparison with similar municipalities and local recreation programs, according to Maria Butts, director of parks and recreation. Those programs are optional and do not serve as child care.

Most of the recreation programs would increase from $65 to $100 for residents and non-residents would go from $75 to $125.

The summer camp fee increase would begin April 1 and the after-school program rate change would take effect Aug. 1.

Prior to the regular meeting at 5:15 p.m. Council will hold a work session to discuss an update on garbage rates and compensation for Council members.

City Manager Dana Smith will present Council with suggested increases in garbage rates after the city’s solid waste fund has taken a loan from the city’s general fund. Garbage rates have not been adjusted since 2022.

An 18% increase in rates for residential bear cart customers is proposed which is a roughly $3 increase bringing the monthly proposed fee to just over $20.

The fee increase takes into account an annual 3.25% increase in garbage service fees from Republic Services, which handles the city’s garbage, and an increase in the city’s operating costs related to billing services for customers.

Smith is recommending that garbage rates be increased annually for the next three years, at about 3.5%, to ensure that the solid waste fund can recoup some of the loss it has incurred.

The city has about 4,100 residential garbage accounts and about 470 commercial accounts.

Council will review three potential options for providing compensation to Council members and the mayor. Voters in November approved changing the city charter to allow for compensation for the city’s elected officials.

The first option would provide councilors with a $5,000 salary, $900 annual stipend and health insurance in the amount of $11,455. The mayor would get a $9,000 salary, $1,800 stipend and health insurance. The option would cost the city about $130,000.

The second option provides health insurance of the same value and provides a stipend of $725 to both the mayor and councilors. Councilors would earn a $3,000 salary and the mayor would get a $6,000 salary. This option would cost the city almost $112,000.

Under the third option, elected officials could select either a salary of $11,455 or health insurance. This option would cost the city up to about $97,000.

Council is expected to provide direction to city staff and if ready to move forward a public hearing and vote will be scheduled.

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