Whitefish Christian Academy requests to make temporary classrooms permanent
HEIDI DESCH | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 4 years, 6 months AGO
DEPUTY EDITOR, FEATURES Heidi Desch is the Deputy Editor at the Daily Inter Lake, overseeing coverage of arts, culture, lifestyle, community, and business. Desch leads reporters in developing stories that highlight the people, traditions, and events shaping Northwest Montana, guiding content across print and digital platforms. With more than 20 years of journalism experience, including serving as managing editor of the Whitefish Pilot, Desch is a graduate of the University of Montana School of Journalism. She has received multiple Montana Newspaper Association awards, including part of the team leading the Daily Inter Lake to Best Daily Newspaper in Montana Award and the General Excellence Award in 2024 and 2025. IMPACT: Heidi’s work connects readers with stories that deepen the understanding of the community beyond daily news. | December 15, 2021 1:00 AM
Headlining the Whitefish Planning Board agenda this month is a request by the Whitefish Christian Academy to allow for temporary buildings on the school’s property to become permanent.
The buildings located on the west side of the main school building on Ashar Avenue are used to house classrooms. The academy is seeking a conditional use permit for the change.
The planning board meets at 6 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 16 at City Hall.
City Council in 2014 approved the use of the two temporary buildings by the academy for up to four years as the academy planned to rebuild in a new location outside of Whitefish. The buildings were placed on the property and the school began using them in fall of 2015.
City Council in 2019 approved a second CUP for the academy to expand its school building at its existing location on Ashar Avenue and that also included an additional two years of using the temporary classroom buildings.
At this point, the CUP has expired and the school can either remove the buildings or make them permanent. The school opted to submit a new CUP to make the classroom buildings permanent as they’ve scaled back their expansion plans.
If the buildings can be brought up to city building code, the planning report notes, then planning staff would be comfortable with the request.
Also on the agenda are two requests for conditional use permits.
Joy Keuylian is seeking a CUP to construct a guest house at 465 Armory Road. The property already includes a single-family home.
Laurany Gergen is seeking a CUP to construct an accessory apartment over a new garage at 424 Somers Avenue. The property already contains a single-family home.
All of the items are set to go before City Council on Jan. 3.
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