Water and sewer rates for Whitefish residents are on track to increase once again as the City Council vote on a resolution tonight that outlines rate increases in anticipation of upcoming improvements to the city’s utility systems.

A public hearing on the proposed rate increases will be held at tonight’s meeting.

The city hired AE2S to complete a water and wastewater financial plan and rate study four years ago, and the firm completed a cost-of-service analysis as well. That analysis looked at projected costs and revenues generated from each user class from 2017 to 2021 for water and 2017 to 2026 for sewer, according to a city staff report to the council.

“Since that time, significant capital needs for water have been identified and a final funding arrangement for the wastewater treatment plant has been solidified,” the report notes.

Customers inside city limits with a ¾-inch meter with usage of 6,000 gallons of water and sewer monthly will see an increase from $61.32 to $61.56 for water and $64.77 to $66.88 for sewer.

Customers with a landscape/irrigation meter with 10,000 gallons per month usage will see a bump up from $48.80 to $50.90.

This round of increases comes on the heels of several other increases over the past several years as the cost of upgrading utility facilities bears down on the city.

In other business, the council will hold a public hearing on a proposed ordinance amending zoning regulations in the general business district, as requested by the city staff, to add a change to the side-yard setback. Proposed is the creation of a “shopping loop” setback section similar to what the council recently adopted for Wisconsin Avenue.

“This clarification will ensure the setbacks being proposed are only for buildings within and adjacent to the shopping loop,” a staff memo said.

The council will consider a request from Whitefish Housing Group, LLC, for a five-lot minor subdivision — WF 57 — on 6.3 acres along U.S. 93 S. The applicant is proposing four commercial lots — three along the highway and one south of Park Knoll Lane, and a residential lot along the western edge of the project.

Access to the subdivision will be a new access to U.S. 93. An east-west private road would serve the lots and a frontage road will provide access to First Baptist Church to the south of the subdivision.

City staff is recommending the council approve the preliminary plat for the commercial subdivision, along with 20 conditions of approval.

Genevieve Prizeman is asking for a conditional-use permit to build an accessory apartment at 537 W. Third St.

During a work session from 5:30 to 6 p.m. the council will review the city’s standards for retaining walls. The council requested a work session to look at existing zoning regulations for retaining walls and whether they should be regulated within required building setbacks. Structural retaining walls typically are used on steeper slopes to prevent landslides and provide more building area, according to a memorandum to the council from Planning Director Dave Taylor.

From 6 to 7 p.m. the draft downtown parking management plan will be reviewed. The plan provides an evaluation of the existing parking system and a menu of recommendations designed to facilitate growth downtown, while making parking more convenient and user-friendly. It was developed following a series of meetings with stakeholders.

Among the key strategies recommended in the parking plan are for the city to budget for parking staff, procure a parking citation software tool, provide a vehicle for parking staff, pilot a shuttle during summer and peak events and develop an all-day permit program with focus on downtown employee needs.

The council plans to hold a public hearing on the parking plan on Oct. 21.

Public comments will be taken for both work session topics.

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

News Editor Lynnette Hintze may be reached at 758-4421 or lhintze@dailyinterlake.com.