The city of Whitefish is eying its snow storage lot near the train depot as a potential site for affordable housing, but the 1.64-acre plot first needs a zone change.

Today the Whitefish City Council will hold a public hearing for a proposed ordinance that will change the zoning from industrial and warehouse zoning to high-density multifamily residential zoning. The property includes the unplatted road right of way of Columbia Avenue north of Railway Street. The proposal excludes the westerly 30 feet of the unplatted right of way.

Both the Whitefish Planning Board and city planning staff are recommending approval of the zone change, but there was opposition voiced from neighbors at the Planning Board hearing.

Opponents testified they believe the aesthetics of a multistory apartment building in a neighborhood of single-family homes would be out of character for the area. They pointed to a loss of views and even sunlight if a three-story building is built on the southern property line.

Others said using the snow lot for affordable housing could negatively affect the city budget because snow would have to moved elsewhere, requiring more fuel and labor, plus the cost of renting or buying other property for snow storage. It would also mean the loss of event parking in that area particularly for summer events.

A related public hearing will consider a resolution to modify the boundaries of the city’s Urban Renewal District to include the snow lot as a blighted area in need of redevelopment and rehabilitation. It would designate the area as appropriate for an urban renewal project and reaffirms the development of affordable housing near downtown as an urban renewal project.

In other business, the council will hold a hearing on an ordinance that amends zoning regulations for off-street parking regulations for studio and one-bedroom multifamily units. The change will require 1.25 parking spaces for studio or efficiency units, and 1.5 spaces per one-bedroom unit.

The amendment doesn’t change the parking requirements for multifamily units with two or more bedrooms; that standard will remain at two spaces per unit plus one guest space for every three units.

The council will vote on a resolution of intent to adopt the Wisconsin Avenue Corridor Plan, a planning document that, if approved, will be an amendment to the 2007 Whitefish growth policy. The plan won a unanimous recommendation of approval from the Planning Board in March.

A low bid of $1.66 million for the Somers Avenue reconstruction project will be considered by the council. This is the annual street project funded by resort-tax revenue. Work will be done this summer on Somers between East Second and Eighth streets.

A work session at 5:45 p.m. will include discussion of the use of the city snow lot, a review of the final draft of the city’s climate action plan and review of the Wisconsin Avenue Corridor Plan.

The regular meeting begins at 7:10 p.m.; both the work session and council meeting will be held at Whitefish City Hall.

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