Whitefish City Council on Monday will consider awarding a construction bid for work at Armory Park.  

City Council meets at 7:10 p.m. at City Hall, 418 E. Second St. 

Council is looking at a bid with Vada Contracting for about $300,000 to perform work on the parking lot and open space at the park.  

The work continues multiple phases of projects to complete upgrades to Armory Park.  

Council is set to adopt the 2045 Vision Whitefish Community Plan, which will guide growth for the next 20 years. The plan was created as required by the Montana Land Use Planning Act.    

The plan calls for directing growth within the city’s existing boundary to support walkability through mixed-use development, efficiency in infrastructure, protecting surrounding landscapes and strengthening existing neighborhoods.     

A zone change to secondary business and the removal of a planned unit development on property at 509 E. Sixth St. and 806 Spokane Ave. is set to go before Council. The property was rezoned with a PUD in 2022, but that has since expired and is being removed.  

Council will also consider removing an expired PUD at 1291 E. Edgewood Drive and properties to the east with an address. The plan was approved in 2022 to develop the property with industrial, multi-family units, hotel and residential lots, but it never came to fruition.  

ALSO ON the agenda, Council is poised to approve an update to city code that would allow staff from the Parks and Recreation Department to manage private trees and shrubs that encroach in the right-of-way. 

Maria Butts, director of Parks, Recreation and Community Services, said it’s the city’s responsibility to keep public ways clear for vehicle, bicycle and pedestrian traffic, but city code doesn’t allow staff to clear encroachments from roadways and alleys.  

The update would allow this to take place, along with streamlining the process of clearing the obstructions from sidewalks and bike lanes.   

Council will also look to update city code regarding transportation. The update is part of a periodic review to ensure that code stays current with the needs, interests and actions of the public, according to a memo to Council from Police Chief Bridget Kelch.  

Changes include making 25 mph the speed limit for through streets and 15 mph for alleys. 

Deputy Editor Heidi Desch can be reached at 406-758-4421 or [email protected]. If you value local journalism, pledge your support at dailyinterlake.com/support.