The public got its first look at the Wisconsin Avenue Corridor Plan, a document that has been in the works for nine months.
The plan, introduced at the Whitefish City Council chambers on Aug. 23, is the result of months of committee work to build a framework for growth in the corridor running along Wisconsin Avenue, linking Whitefish’s downtown to Whitefish Lake and Whitefish Mountain Resort.
Creating the plan would help make future decisions for the area over the next 10 to 20 years, taking market forces, city infrastructure investment, environmental protections, and community character into account.
Dave Taylor, Whitefish’s planning director, said the plan’s unveiling was met with concerns from some residents about a potential lodge development on the lakeshore near the intersection of Big Mountain Road and East Lakeshore Drive.
No official plans for development have been filed with the city, Taylor said, and at this point the corridor plan hasn’t changed the zoning in question to allow for commercial or resort development.
Taylor said working with the land owner while making the corridor plan allows for the city to potentially add infrastructure, such as a roundabout at the intersection or a fire department on nearby land.
The plan is not yet finalized, and could still undergo changes. The next committee meeting about the corridor plan is Sept. 21, from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. The committee is expected to discuss the plan and make a recommendation regarding approval. If it passes muster, it will move on to the Whitefish Planning Board, and from there, to the City Council for final approval.
For a full copy of the Wisconsin Avenue Corridor Plan, visit http://www.cityofwhitefish.org/planning-and-building/long-range-plans.php.