Trail section to extend over river

The Public Works Department got the green light to proceed with surveying and an engineering request for proposals for the Riverbend Path Project at the Whitefish City Council Meeting last week.

Landscape Architect Bruce Boody volunteered his time and created the design for an elevated path built on helical piers for this important section of the Whitefish River Trail.

According to the staff report, the elevated design allows the 10‐foot wide path to extend over the Whitefish River while utilizing the six‐foot easement the city holds over property owned by the Riverbend Condominium Homeowners' Association.

Two designs were presented to the Whitefish City Council in September and the council unanimously approved the elevated design. Staff would like to continue the momentum and move forward with the surveying and engineering of the project.

Mayor John Muhlfeld asked if there was an estimate about the cost of the project but Public Works Director Craig Workman said there is no ballpark estimate and that engineering has to come first.

Workman added that although there isn’t any money dedicated to the Riverbend Path Project in the FY 2023 budget, staff believes there could be $100,000 dedicated to the project from General Fund cash reserves.

The council authorized Workman to proceed with the surveying and engineering and appointed a rating panel and a selection panel in accordance with the city’s policy for consultant selection. Muhlfeld volunteered to be on the selection panel along with Workman, Senior Project Engineer Karin Hilding, and Parks and Recreation Director Maria Butts.

City implements parking program

Council Council approved a resolution establishing the Employee Parking Permit Program which allows employees of downtown businesses to purchase parking permits.

Whitefish City Clerk Michelle Howke’s report says in 2019, the City Council adopted the Whitefish Parking Management Plan to establish sustainable parking in the City of Whitefish.

A pilot program was implemented so that downtown business owners and employees would be able to park all day in certain areas, thus alleviating the need to move their vehicles to avoid parking citations. The program also ensures that on-street parking in front of businesses is available for customers.

The Parking Pilot Program ran during the summer of 2021 and was deemed to be a success, and was then extended to run from January 2022 through December 2022.

One hundred permits will be available to purchase through the online portal on the City of Whitefish website. The cost of the permits will be $20 per month, per license plate, per permit, with 5% discount for a 12-month purchase.

The permits will be valid Monday through Friday, from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. and permit holders may park in one of four designated lots.

Next up, Karrow Avenue

Whitefish Public Works Director Craig Workman received the council's approval last week for Karrow Avenue to be the next Resort Tax Roadway Project. Workman will proceed with a request for proposals for engineering.

Workman said that both the Texas Avenue and the Edgewood Place Reconstruction Projects were nearing completion and typically, the next project is chosen based on proximity, making Armory Road the next on the docket.

However, vehicular traffic counts showed that Karrow Avenue has far more traffic than Armory Road, with 35% more average weekday trips and 138% more average weekend trips.

In addition to the heavy traffic, the report notes that Karrow Avenue has unsuitable roadway conditions and that the community needs a bike/pedestrian connection between West Second Street and West Seventh Street.

Construction is anticipated to include road, storm sewer and pedestrian improvements. The estimated cost for the Karrow Avenue Reconstruction Project in the Transportation Plan is $2,348,000.

In accordance with the city’s policy for consultant selection, council appointed a rating panel and a selection panel. Councilor Steve Qunell volunteered to serve on the selection panel with Workman and Hilding.

Impact Fee Report adopted

Whitefish Finance Director Lanie Gospodarek provided the impact fee annual report to the council last week and it was accepted unanimously.

The report shows the source and amount of all monies collected, earned or received, the public improvements that were financed in whole or in part by impact fees and any administrative expenses incurred by the impact fee funds.

Impact fees are collected from new construction and remodels that expand the number of dwelling units or usable square footage space. In addition, water and wastewater impact fees are also collected on new connections to the system.

There are five impact fees imposed by the city: paved trails, park maintenance, emergency services, city hall and stormwater. Every impact fee category increased cash reserves except water and wastewater.

“It is the city’s policy that revenue generated from impact fees be spent within five years or shortly thereafter,” Gospodarek said. “This is based on developers paying impact fees to help fund capital projects related directly to their developments’ increased demand on public facilities.”

Large amounts of water and wastewater impact fees were allocated in the FY22 budget for the Water Treatment Plant Expansion Project, the Cast Iron Water Main Replacement project and the Wastewater Treatment Plant Project.

Additional projects in the FY22 budget using impact fees include the Whitefish Avenue Stormwater Upgrades, Edgewood Place Drainage Improvements, Voerman Path Extension and the Armory Park Improvement Project Phase III.

“Extensive outlays were made in the water impact fee fund in the amount of $1.2 million for the Water Treatment Plant Expansion Project and in the sewer fund in the amount of $849,000 for the Wastewater Treatment Plant Project,” Gospodarek said.