Happy New Year, Beacon readers! Lauren Frick here, and I’m quite a fan of goals. Between a regimented childhood and adolescence of athletics and my nerdy, overachiever disposition, goal-setting has become a way of life. That’s probably why I’m so fond of the ritual we call New Year’s resolutions.
Some of my 2026 resolutions include: finally learning to play piano (which is making its third consecutive appearance on my list), reading more nonfiction books and finding more opportunities to try new things (starting with skiing for the first time next weekend!).
One of my main resolutions, however, is to get to know the Flathead Valley even better this year. I’ve already enjoyed my month-and-a-half here, and I’m looking forward to diving in throughout 2026 — listening to even more stories from community members and absorbing as much as I can. As a reminder, I cover the north valley (Whitefish and Columbia Falls in particular) as well as arts, entertainment, and sports. Don’t hesitate to drop me a line and share something I should keep an eye on in 2026, your favorite story about the valley, or just to say hi.
For Whitefish, Kalispell and Columbia Falls, a central New Year’s resolution will be completing the first phase of updating their respective growth policies — a planning document intended to guide the city through growth and development over a 20-year-period — per Senate Bill 382, also known as the Montana Land Use Planning Act (MLUPA).
In reports to the planning commission and city council, City Manager Eric Hanks told officials that factoring historic flooding of the Flathead River in June 2022 into the estimated maximum capacity for the current wastewater treatment facility would hamper the city’s room for population growth to roughly 816 people. Seeing the flooding as an anomaly and removing its metrics would boost the city’s wastewater capacity for population growth to 1,894 people, he said.
Either way, the city’s current wastewater infrastructure would still be short of the roughly 2,100 people accounted for in approved and current/near-term development applications, Hanks told council members at their Dec. 15 meeting.
The city’s planning commission will continue discussing the matter at a 6 p.m. meeting on Jan. 8, while the city council and planning commission will have a joint workshop to discuss MLUPA on Jan. 26.
While several city staff and officials have expressed a confidence the city will meet the necessary requirements by the May deadline, it’s no secret that everyone’s feeling the time squeeze, especially as some of the most important policy elements — housing and land use — are yet to be wrapped up.
Here’s a list of the several meetings and chances for public participation in the growth policy in Whitefish this month:
Jan. 7 at 6 p.m. — The planning commission will discuss the direction regarding the revised housing element. Submit public comments on the Housing Element draft to the city’s longe-range planner, Alan Tiefenbach, by today, Jan. 2.
Jan. 15 at 5 p.m. — There will be a work session prior to the usual planning commission meeting where the Whitefish High School classes will present their ideas on Vision Whitefish 2045 as has been done the last two years. After the student presentations, czb LLC will hold a work session with the planning commission to discuss the land use element.
Jan. 20 at 5:30 p.m. — There will be a work session with the city council where staff will present the council with the first assembled version of Vision Whitefish 2045. As the planning commission will still be working on the plan at this time, no council action on the draft is anticipated at this work session; this is intended to be an informational session for staff to familiarize the council with the plan and all associated topics and issues. Portions of the plan that will be presented include the planning framework, setting, demographics, history and the Economic Development, Environment, Natural Resources and Hazards, and Public Facilities elements. Public comment will be taken at this work session.
Jan. 28, 2026 at 6 p.m. — This time slot has been reserved for a work session for continued planning commission discussion on the Land Use Element.
Now to complete my first resolution of the year: taking you through the rest of today’s Daily Roundup.
Montana Set to Receive $233 Million Through Federal Rural Healthcare Program
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services awarded the Treasure State the fourth largest grant out of all 50 states that applied for the Rural Health Transformation Program
For nearly 40 years, the internationally acclaimed Japanese-born photographer and Coram resident has chronicled Glacier Park’s most charismatic creatures
Flathead County Election Department Forms Independent Administration
After historically operating under the Clerk and Recorder Office, the Flathead County Board of Commissioners appointed Paula Buff as the nonpartisan election administrator to run the newly independent department, which is designed to eliminate conflicts of interest and provide greater oversight
Known across the globe as “the ultimate-feel good show,” THE CHOIR OF MAN offers up indisputable joy for all ages! Featuring pop, classic rock, folk, Broadway and pub tunes, THE CHOIR OF MAN has something for everyone. A multi-talented cast of nine guys combine hair-raising harmonies, foot-stomping singalongs, world-class tap dance and poetic meditations on the power of community in this riotously enjoyable homage to that gathering place we all love so much: your local pub!
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