Off the cliff for commercial uses

Indirectly, the City's land use consultants CZB may have saved the City Council from going off a cliff.  

I will explain. For the City of Whitefish land use plan, the City hired CZB for the land use chapter. CZB proposed a preliminary zone called Heritage Downtown, which could become a zone for the area south of downtown to the river. This place name includes “general services” commercial, which could be many kinds of commercial, along with multiplexes up to 18 units. 

On Feb. 11, the residents of that area showed up in force. Maybe 30 people spoke at the meeting. Most were against the proposal. They pointed out that parking was completely inadequate. That the area did not need commercial, because they regularly walk down town. They pointed to disruption of small town character. The personal statements were powerful. The Planning Commission then changed the area back to Heritage Urban, which has only up to duplexes and no commercial. 

This episode gave a glimpse of the resistance the City can expect if the growth plan calls for mixed commercial everywhere and apartment buildings everywhere. The planning staff has proposed this. Mixed use commercial everywhere appeared in the Transportation Chapter draft.  

On Dec. 3, the Planning Commission removed mixed use everywhere. High density apartment buildings everywhere was proposed by the staff on Jan. 7, and the Planning Commission adopted that. As written that would include high rises everywhere.  

The Land Use Chapter draft by CZB says high density only "in appropriate locations.”  

So we’ll see what happens on March 2 when City Council votes. The people who spoke on Feb. 11 may not know they have to do it all over again on March 2.  

In my two years on the Planning Commission, I never saw a developer's project which planting staff did not support. This to me shows a bias for developers. Commercial everywhere and high density everywhere would be a boon for developers. They would not have to own a choice property with zoning for commercial. They could put their project anywhere.  

I think the response from residents gives a glimpse of the uproar that the City Council may encounter if they approve commercial everywhere and big apartment buildings everywhere. The silent majority showed up. CZB wisely limited commercial and big apartment buildings to selected locations. I also think CZB has way more commercial than is justified. 

John Heberling, Whitefish