The Whitefish City Council will focus on a water and sewer rate structure study and talk about options and cost estimates for wastewater treatment center improvements during a work session at 5 p.m. today.

Whitefish is reviewing its water and wastewater financial plan and rate structure. Earlier this year the council approved a $69,000 contract with Advanced Engineering and Environmental Services of Kalispell to complete an analysis of the city’s utility system.

The study will include a rate structure analysis, including a compliance review of state law, capital project financing analysis and recommendations for the city moving forward.

The engineering firm will review the current water and wastewater rate structure and look at the advantages and disadvantages of the structure. In addition, it will outline rate structure alternatives.

During the second hour of the work session the council will turn its focus to discussing options and cost estimates for wastewater treatment plant improvements to meet new discharge permit requirements from the Montana Department of Environmental Quality and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

The city’s existing wastewater treatment plant is not expected to meet the new standards.

Anderson-Montgomery Consulting Engineers of Helena will have a representative at the work session for the treatment plant discussion.

During the regular council meeting that begins at 7:10 p.m. the council will hold two public hearings regarding a proposed zone change and conditional-use permit request to accommodate the Commerce Street Condos on the south end of Baker Avenue.

Elaine Edwards, on behalf of 1840 Baker LLC, is asking to add condominiums at 1820 and 1822 Baker to the adjacent industrial and warehousing zoning district, and amend the statement of conditions to add three additional uses to the zoning for that area: trade schools, music schools and hotels.

The second public hearing deals with a conditional-use permit request to develop a project with multiple principle structures at 1842, 1844, 1846 and 1848 Baker Ave.

The work session and council meeting will be held at the interim City Hall, 1005 Baker Ave. in Whitefish.

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