Whitefish City Council set to adopt community plan

Months of work will meet a decision on Monday when Whitefish City Council is poised to adopt a community land use plan.  

The Vision Whitefish 2045 plan is expected to guide growth in the community for the next 20 years. The plan was created as required by the Montana Land Use Planning Act. 

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

The plan calls for directing growth within the city’s existing boundary to support walkability through mixed-use development, efficiency in infrastructure, protecting surrounding landscapes and strengthening existing neighborhoods.   

“Originally a gritty working-class railroad and lumber milling town, Whitefish is now known as a haven for active recreation,” the vision section of the plan says, pointing out that the same qualities that make Whitefish special have also led to rapid change and development pressures. 

It predicts the full-time and seasonal population of Whitefish to grow between about 3,000 and 5,000 by 2045. The community is projected to need about 2,100 new housing units, which will require increased density through rezoning and offering incentives to create affordable or workforce housing.   

The economic development section includes a goal to support local business retention and expansion. Both residential and commercial growth will require planning to accommodate additional densities in certain areas, the plan says.  

Also on the agenda, Council will look at awarding a construction bid for the reconstruction of Armory Road.  The low bid on the project was Knife River at $6.8 million, which is about $175,000 below the engineer's estimate for the project.  

Public Works Director Craig Workman said the road needs reconstruction because it has surface concerns, lacks bicycle and pedestrian amenities, and has significant influences from school traffic.  

The road is set to be reconstructed from East Second Street to the east boundary of Armory Park.  

Deputy Editor Heidi Desch can be reached at 406-758-4421 or hdesch@dailyinterlake.com. If you value local journalism, pledge your support at dailyinterlake.com/support.