Whitefish City Council on Monday is set to vote on a decrease in its impact fees based on a study last year recommending the change.  

An impact fee is a charge imposed by the city on new developments to fund additional service capacity as required by the development. Whitefish has been collecting impact fees since 2007. 

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

Consulting firm TischlerBise last year prepared an updated study on the city's water and wastewater impact fees recommending the city decrease both fees. After costs for the city's South Water Storage project returned earlier this year, a further decrease was recommended.  

Thus, Council will consider adopting an ordinance that reduces the water and wastewater impact fees. For a development requiring a three-quarter-inch meter, the water impact fee will be reduced by $843, and the wastewater impact fee will be reduced by $2,682.  

COUNCIL WILL also consider two requests.  

GMJ, LLC is seeking approval of a five-lot minor preliminary plat at 100 and 102 Murray Avenue. The properties are zoned as two-family residential and low-density multi-family residential.  

The proposal includes three single-family lots and two duplex lots. Access to the subdivision would be provided from both Murray Avenue and Ramsey Avenue. The request includes three subdivision variances: one to permit a T turnaround instead of a cul-de-sac, one related to shared access design that does not meet fire department standards for flag lot configurations, and one to allow the private driveway to serve seven residential dwellings where the standard only permits access serving up to two lots or three dwellings. 

Council is also looking at a request from Jaime Givens for a minor Whitefish Lake and Lakeshore variance to increase the height of an existing dry-stacked stone retaining wall within the Lakeshore Protection Zone at 300 Skyles Place.  

The request seeks to increase the height of a retaining wall by about 12 inches to create a level grade for a small patio area in the backyard. The owner is also seeking a standard lakeshore construction permit to reinstall and reduce the existing patio within the Lakeshore Protection Zone.  

Council is set to consider a resolution commemorating Juneteenth.  

Also on its agenda is approval of a letter to Flathead County commissioners asking them to look at a request from the Whitefish Fire Service Area's proposal to increase its assessment for fire service. The city provides fire service to the rural area for a fee as part of an interlocal agreement.  

“Our foremost goal is to continue providing high-quality, timely emergency response to all residents we serve,” the letter says. “To do so sustainably, it is essential that the WFSA honor the commitments outlined in the executed interlocal agreement.” 

The city notes that if the rural area is unable to make its payments, the city would be obligated to find it in default, which would mean suspending fire services until payment occurs. 

The rural area collects a flat annual fee of $180 per home but has been unsuccessful in getting commissioners to buy into a fee increase or make the change to a fire district, which would allow it to collect based on property tax value.  

Two topics are scheduled for the work session prior to the main meeting.  

At 5:15 p.m., Council will discuss the potential for the construction of a second city-owned fire station north of the Baker Avenue viaduct.  

Fire Chief Cole Hadley notes in a memo to Council that significant growth has occurred north of the viaduct where emergency response is dependent upon crossing the viaduct or one of the limited at-grade railroad crossings along the BNSF railway. It is a vulnerability for emergency services when responding and could lead to a delay in emergency response, thus pointing to the need for another fire station.  

"Establishing a northern fire station would reduce the department’s reliance on a single primary transportation corridor and improve emergency access, response reliability, and operational flexibility throughout the response area," Hadley said. 

At 6:15 p.m. is the annual mayor and city council goal-setting session.  

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.