Plans for a “welcome center” at the entrance to the Iron Horse neighborhood in Whitefish have been put on hold by Whitefish City Council.

The Iron Horse Homeowners Association is proposing to remove the guardhouse on the south side of Iron Horse Drive and replace it with a new building in the middle of a landscaped median. The building will serve as an information booth and be staffed part-time by security.

In representing the homeowners association, Andrew Moshier said the changes are an effort to slow down traffic in the area and improve sight distances.

“Cars, bikes, golfers, children, dogs are all going through this one area,” Moshier said. “We don’t want this to feel like there is limited access.”

Councilors voted 4-2 to table the request and is asking the homeowners association to reconfigure the design.

Councilors Jen Frandsen and Richard Hildner voted in opposition. Hildner moved to deny the request, but the motion died for a lack of a second.

Councilor John Anderson said an information booth in the center of the road seems counterintuitive.

“I’m glad you want to try to do something about safety on the road,” he said. “If you put the building in the center, that will make people stop to get information — you’re creating a different safety hazard.”

City planning staff recommended denial of the request saying the building in the center of the road gives the appearance of limited access, while a structure off to the side of the road would not.

Moshier said the association is willing to install welcome signs and wants traffic to pass through the area smoothly.