A proposal to increase the city of Whitefish’s affordable home purchase and rental prices through the Legacy Home Program is the focus of a public hearing Tuesday before the Whitefish City Council.

The Legacy Home Program went into effect in July 2019, requiring 20% of certain residential development projects to provide affordable homes for the Whitefish workforce. The council adopted home prices serving those making 80 to 120% of Area Median Income, rental rates serving those making 60 to 80% AMI and a fee in lieu of providing affordable housing.

When the administrative procedures were adopted, the council expected to update the numbers annually to keep pace with current income and housing costs. So, to compensate for rising home and rental rates in Whitefish, the city proposes raising the maximum rent of a one-bedroom apartment from $914 to $970 and the maximum affordable home price from $245,273 to $260,104 for a three-bedroom home.

A two-bedroom apartment would bump up from $1,097 maximum rent to $1,164.

The council has a number of public hearings on the agenda, including an emergency ordinance prohibiting organized gathering not subject to a special event permit after 7 p.m. and prohibiting the use of amplified sound.

Lookout Ridge, LLC, is proposing a resolution discontinuing, abandoning and vacating an unimproved portion of Lookout Ridge. The limited liability company owns about 250 acres of land in Whitefish north of Iron Horse, and is in the process of developing the property into a private resort with a variety of features including a water park and equestrian facility.

Whitefish Lookout Road dissects the property and is the primary access to the various facilities, according to the council staff report, and although the road is maintained by Lookout Ridge LLC, there is a short section of road owned by the city of Whitefish. City staff is recommending approval of the resolution.

Two accessory apartment requests are up for public hearings, one at 35 Columbia Ave. and the other at 25 Oregon Ave.

A public hearing will be held on the city’s proposed zoning code amendment to allow personal services as a conditional use rather than a permitted use in the secondary business district.

The meeting begins at 7:10 p.m. Tuesday at Whitefish City Hall.