Now that interim zoning is in place for the “doughnut” area around Whitefish, the big question facing Flathead County is how to make the leap from interim to permanent county zoning.

“It’s logical to have this discussion,” county Planning Director BJ Grieve said. “Where do we go from here?”

Interim county zoning can be in place for one year, with a one-year extension if needed. It replaces Whitefish city zoning classifications with similar county classifications in most cases.

The city of Whitefish’s 2007 growth policy was the guiding planning document for the doughnut area until a Montana Supreme Court ruling in July gave planning control to the county.

However, the county’s most recent master plan for the doughnut area was done in 1996. At the very least, that plan would need to be updated.

Commissioner Gary Krueger said the first course of action should be to have the county Planning Board review the 1996 plan with the goal of updating it.

“We need a simple document that meets the needs of the area and allows us to go forward with permanent zoning,” Krueger said, adding that the 1996 version may be so old the county will need to scrap it and start over.

Krueger further said that whatever plan is developed “needs to relate to Whitefish’s ability to provide services,” especially in areas that Whitefish eventually would consider for annexation.

Commissioner Pam Holmquist said she wants public input to be a big part of the process.

“I’m looking forward to what the public has to say,” Holmquist said. “Doughnut residents have waited a long time and they’re the ones with boots on the ground.”

Commissioner Cal Scott said he agreed with Krueger’s approach of having the Planning Board take the lead in deciding, with public input, what the scope of review should be to develop permanent county zoning in doughnut areas that had Whitefish zoning designations.

“We’re starting at a base and moving forward,” Scott said.

Both the Planning Board and Planning Office have their hands full in the switchover from city to county planning in the doughnut.

The Planning Board will talk about how to proceed with lakeshore protection regulations for Whitefish and Lost Coon lakes on Sept. 24. The commissioners directed the board to study the lakeshore regulation situation because that’s another area of planning control that was converted from city to county control in the high court ruling.

The ruling suspended the Whitefish Lakeshore Protection Committee from reviewing lakeshore permit applications.

Until the county decides how to proceed, any lakeshore permit applications for the two lakes that involve county property are being processed by the county, with the commissioners giving final approval for lakeshore permits.

Grieve encouraged anyone wanting updates on the planning processes to put their name on an email distribution list at the Planning Office. Call the office at 751-8200.

Features editor Lynnette Hintze may be reached at 758-4421 or by email at lhintze@dailyinterlake.com.