Dear Whitefish Planning Board and City Council Members and the Mayor,

This letter to oppose any changes to the zoning at East Lakeshore Drive from residential to commercial. I would hope that is a semi-sacred promise to the residents when they buy and build into a neighborhood that they can expect that it remain the same zoning as when it was established.

We faced a similar threat to our neighborhood two or three years ago when Joe Gregory was trying to create a high-density development on this property, which was comprised of seven lots on the Whitefish Lake in addition to the 30 acres that is on both sides of Big Mountain Rd starting at East Lakeshore Drive. That high-density proposal would have adversely affected our neighborhood, the lake, and the beautiful nature corridor that East Lakeshore Drive passes through. So will the new developments being proposed on these same parcels.

As I understand it, new groups of investors are targeting the same properties (currently owned by
Joe Gregory) to fundamentally change this same neighborhood, with one group hoping to place a
hotel on the lake property while another unrelated group hopes to build a high-density development
on the 30 acres straddling Big Mountain Road. It appears that both groups would look for a change
to the zoning.

I oppose both efforts for the following reasons:

• The residential zoning that affects the current owners should be respected.

• High-density housing (potentially 340 units!) will change the low-density neighborhood
  significantly

• The potential 5-star hotel that is being considered for the seven lots on Whitefish Lake
  (adjacent to the 30 acres), although a different development from the housing development, should be part of the discussion of long-term planning for this East Lakeshore / Big Mountain Road area.

• The lake prevents parallel paths to handle the traffic. This is compounded by the railroad. The Wisconsin Ave/East Lakeshore Drive route (which feeds into the viaduct and downtown and Highway 93) is the only way to and from the development, creating a funnel. It is already a crowded route with the destination ski resort on Big Mountain Road, in addition to the existing residential properties on the lake, on the mountain, and in-between. Missoula and Kalispell have seeming unsurmountable traffic problems that could be foreseen. This route is already suffering from consistent and predictable traffic problems because there are no parallel paths out. There comes a point when it has to be addressed. It is a matter of time before a medical emergency will be fatal because of choked traffic, in the most dramatic case 

• The desirability of the area between Whitefish Lake and the Whitefish range will drive a demand for further development of this beautiful corridor, but the land can house more people than the road can serve. The one-way-in and one-way-out reality of the area between is the limiting factor for this area.

• Additionally, accommodating the increasing demand for development in this area fundamentally change what currently makes it so desirable to the Whitefish community and its visitors (lake, trees, mountains, streams, wildlife, small town, and of course, NATURE)

• Although it must be acknowledged that the zoning for the 30-acre parcel does allow a fairly
  high density, the traffic and other issues should require a rethinking of what should be permitted on this currently-undeveloped property.

Sometimes the best vision for the future is preserving the nature and natural beauty. National parks are the best example of that. Whitefish isn’t a national park, but I hope the town of Whitefish and its community leaders see the merits of protecting what makes Whitefish so special. It can never be turned back once the vision to protect the natural beauty is forfeited.

I appreciate the efforts of those who have created a web presence to make this discussion available
to the public: https://ffrgmt.org/

Thank you for
considering the opinions I have offered.

Sincerely,
(name redacted)
Whitefish resident since 1993
Fourth-generation Montanan

I’m writing to provide public comment on the Mountain Gateway Project’s PUD and Zoning Map Amendment applications. This proposed project involves changing the zoning for multiple properties at the intersection of Big Mountain Road and East Lakeshore Drive to allow for commercial development and the development of 318 residential units, including 270 high-density units. As proposed, the project is inconsistent with the existing land use of the properties and does not represent the community’s vision for the area as referenced below.

As such, I urge the Planning Board to recommend denial of the applications as submitted. The character and density of this proposed development is not consistent with the community vision embodied in the City’s growth plans. In particular, it is a high-density development, with potential commercial buildings, in an area that is currently low-density single-family residences and townhomes. This will have a negative impact on traffic, water quality, the environment, and the quiet enjoyment of this unique area, and these issues have not been adequately studied or addressed. The Wisconsin Avenue corridor is already congested and in many cases difficult to access, even with current levels of traffic.

In addition, there is no guaranteed provision for emergency services, which could put additional pressure on the Wisconsin corridor and downtown fire station. The land grant does not provide capital or ongoing funding for the potential additional fire station, making its actual opening highly uncertain. Please consider the potential short- and long-term impacts of this decision on this beautiful area, and Whitefish in general, and deny these applications.

Thank you for your careful consideration of this issue.

To whom it may concern,

I do not agree with the dramatic change in density and proposed development. This seems to be a 180 redirect from what

Whitefish is all about.

I agree some additions to the town are potentially needed but this is a huge project. I am a developer. 

I couldn’t fathom getting something like this approved in a city that is attractive because it keeps a

small town feel with housing and amenities.

This is a major shift to what I love about Whitefish and why I have a home here.  Please do not approve this development. 

Thank you

Dear City Council and Planning Board:

The summer news is filled with the reality of massive wildfires. We endure them every

summer here in Whitefish in the form of smoke, but they have not hit here, yet. When one hits

Town, or nearby, and begins ripping eastward towards Big Mountain, how will citizens

escape?

There is only one road out in the event the fire spreads north of town and the Lake…East

Lakeshore Drive and Wisconsin Avenue.

Did you notice the traffic this summer on Wisconsin Avenue, absent any Canadians? It is a

horror show, as two lanes can not possibly accommodate the summer crowds, much less a

Zoning change to allow hundreds more to access safety via Wisconsin Avenue.

All the other arguments against this large a development pale by comparison to the

dysfunction we have NOW on Wisconsin Avenue, and it makes zero sense to pretend

otherwise. Is the City going to build a new viaduct and 4 lanes in and out of town….and if so,

how will Baker Avenue absorb such growth?

The answer to this application is obvious: Do not change the zoning, and pray that an

alternate escape to Wisconsin Avenue can be envisioned first in the future.

Thank you,

Dear Whitefish Planning Board & City Council Members:

We are writing to share our concerns about the proposed Mountain Gateway

project. As we grow, it’s critical that we do so in a manner that protects and

preserves the character of our community and follows the rules and

regulations for development. The Mountain Gateway PUD and Zoning

Amendment raises several concerns for our family including zoning changes,

variances, traffic and public safety, and responsible development. We

respectfully request that you deny the Zoning and PUD applications as

submitted.

Zoning Changes and Variances– A project including more than 300 high

density units and 500 parking spaces is inconsistent with the existing City of

Whitefish zoning of adjacent properties. This project does not complement

adjacent developments whatsoever. There are zero community benefits to

the project which are undeniably outweighed by the negative impacts this

development will bring to our neighborhood. Please mirror the surrounding

WLR WER and WSR zoning and deny all requests for variances from existing

rules.

Traffic– Wisconsin Ave is at max capacity. In the event of a fire or other

emergency, I’m not sure we’d be able to safely evacuate or receive

emergency services in a timely manner. At points in time during the ski

season it can take an hour to reach Wisconsin Ave from the Base Lodge. My

children are resistant to ride the school bus due to the amount of time it

takes them to get to/ from school. Finally, I’m hesitant to let my children ride

their bikes to school on the bike path as a result of the increased vehicle

traffic and lack of staffed crosswalks. Please require the developer to

perform a legitimate traffic study. The developer provided study took place

during the pandemic and shoulder months in Whitefish.

Responsible Growth/ Infrastructure– The real issue is that current

infrastructure is inadequate to support a project of this magnitude in this

location. We don’t want to see another single wide trailer hanging over

Wisconsin Ave as a solution to pedestrian traffic. A roundabout will take

away the ability to staff the intersection of Wisconsin and Big Mountain

Roads to expedite traffic. The City has a responsibility to confirm that the

developer has the ability to provide adequate infrastructure before any

development is allowed. We simply do not have any meaningful traffic,

water quality and wildlife impact studies from the developer to understand

the true impact of this project.

We respectfully request that after an objective assessment of the proposed

PUD and Zoning Map Amendment, you deny the applications as submitted.

Respectfully, 

(name redacted)

Dear Planning Board and City Council Members,

I am writing today in opposition of the Mountain Gate Development.I have many concerns but
I will stick to two primary reasons.

1- Road infrastructure

* Our town is divided by the railroad North and South and the only true
access is the viaduct. Normally it is only during the winter months, on a powder
day ,that we experience a major traffic jam. But this year it has
been an ongoing problem. Until there is at least one other ,continual
access over the tracks, I feel that it is imprudent to allow any more high
density north of the tracks.

* The two major roads thru Whitefish are Federal (93) and state Baker Ave –
East Lakeshore Dr (MT).We have only advisory say in development. We
must work with the state and federal government to try and come up with
positive input that will help to maintain the Whitefish we are striving for.
But we also need to address our own streets and help to deflect the
negative impact on our neighborhoods , with traffic using them as a
by-pass to the major roads.

2- Water/Sewer Development

* Strain on our water/sewer plants will be felt and the substations, Viking
Station, will need to be reevaluated with a development of this size. We
as a community are already being charged the highest water and sewer
rates and do not feel that all this development is helping this issue.
In closing we and the country as a whole have experienced a total change. The move to rural
spaces and the Covid Pandemic have brought about changes much faster than normal. We still
have developments that are not totally built out and are going to impact our resources. I think
we need to STOP, LOOK, AND LISTEN, before any more projects are approved.

Thank you

Dear Whitefish Planning Board and City Council Members,

I’m sending this letter as public comment on the Mountain Gateway project, and the proposed
zoning changes to allow commercial development at the intersection of Big Mountain Road
and East Lakeshore Dr.

My husband and myself are strongly opposed to this proposed development. A zoning
change in this area would forever change the nature and character of the gateway to our
mountain and neighborhoods. We have lived at the head of Whitefish Lake for 35 years, and
have watched in alarm as traffic congestion on Wisconsin Ave has dramatically increased in
the past few years. It is absolutely preposterous to think that a development of this size is
feasible with the one and only artery connecting Big Mountain and downtown Whitefish, with
the only access across the viaduct. It is not uncommon in the winter to have the traffic backed
up at the turn to Big Mountain all the way down Wisconsin Ave into downtown. It has been
made even more frustrating with the Quarry and other developments adding many more cars
on this limited roadway.

We sincerely urge you to honor the Growth Policy vision statement and preserve the values of
open space and maintaining a small town feel, which is what makes this town so special. It’s
why we all chose to live in Whitefish, and those values feel increasingly threatened on a daily
basis.

Whitefish and the entire Valley deserves thoughtful development, and we strongly urge you
to deny setting this dangerous precedent for commercial and high density residential
development in this area.

Dear Whitefish Planning Board & City Council Members,

I am writing as a whitefish citizen to provide public comment on the Mountain Gateway
Project’s PUD and Zoning Map Amendment applications and request that the current
applications be denied.

This project is not only out of step with the character and charm of our town but will also
exacerbate existing infrastructure problems.

Furthermore, after attending the gatherings put on by the developers and reading the
application I do not believe they are operating in good faith with the community.

I believe the city should move slowly and deliberately to deliver responsible growth.
The planning board and city council should not approve any project in conflict with our growth policy and confidently deny the Mountain Gateway Project as submitted.

Thank you for the opportunity to express my opinion. Please remember you represent the people of whitefish and know you will be supported in protecting our community.

I’m writing to comment on Mountain Gateway’s PUD and Zoning Map Amendment applications. I am asking the planning board to deny both applications.

The proposed density of this project is far greater than that of neighboring properties which are zoned single-family residential. The developers of Mountain Gateway are requesting multi-family zoning with unacceptably high density and a commercial component that is entirely out of place in
this residential area.

Second, even the existing WR-2 and WR-3 zoning designations on portions of the properties involved
in the application are inconsistent with adjacent properties along Houston Drive and East Lakeshore Drive that are zoned WER and WLR. The WER or WLR zone designations would be much more appropriate for the Mountain Gateway property. The proposed PUD Overlay and the Zoning Map
Amendment would make the existing inconsistent zoning situation even more out of balance by introducing extensive multi-family and commercial development.

The scale of the proposed development would create a very significant population increase in the Wisconsin Corridor which already suffers from an insufficient road system resulting in frequent traffic congestion. Any further development along the Wisconsin Corridor should be tabled until the City addresses the serious infrastructure issues facing this area.

I feel the proposed development is the wrong project, in the wrong place, and fails to meet the vision for Whitefish outlined in its Growth Policy.

Dear Whitefish Planning Board and City Council Members,

We are both strongly opposed to the overall scope of Mountain Gateway Project PUD and the Zoning Map Amendment Applications. We feel that due diligence has not been done for a development of this magnitude and that it will have drastic ramifications on the heart and soul of our community for decades to come.

This sheer number of parking spaces — over 500 — is enough to make your head spin. Our infrastructure cannot handle that kind of capacity. Anyone who lives on the north side of the viaduct as we do can attest to the daily traffic clog going north and south, even into October. Safety is an issue as well, as our community is very outdoor-oriented and I fear for children walking to school and older adults trying to cross Wisconsin Avenue. In addition, as far as we can see, there are no actual plans for any of the properties to be affordable housing. That is what our community needs, not units that will house over 600 additional people who are not part of our significant work-force.

The development itself is downright scary, but the zone map amendment to commercial is even scarier. We may be wrong, but we think that the zone change could happen even if the development is not approved. A commercial zone change at that intersection will forever change the character of the area and it sets a dangerous precedent for neighboring properties. This area is quite rural with hundreds of trees and lots of wildlife. (Just how many trees would be cut down to develop this project?) We need to preserve this now more than ever.

Part of Whitefish’s growth policy states “The citizens of Whitefish value the scale, character and small-town feel of the community and will preserve those values as the community grows.” If there is any part of the Mountain Gateway Project PUD and Zoning Map Amendment Applications that agrees with that statement, we’d like to know.

Dear Whitefish Planning Board & City Council Members,

October 8th, 2021

We bought property in Whitefish over 20 years ago and built our home just off E. Lakeshore in 2008. We fell in love with Whitefish, like most people we know, at first sight.

We love the community and its values and have regularly donated to entities like the Whitefish Foundation, Whitefish Lake Institute, Whitefish Legacy Partners, Glacier Park, etc. In fact, when the town couldn’t afford to put on the 4th of July Fireworks back in 2009, we assembled a group that has filled that gap for the past decade. Point is, we love this place, we are invested in it, we live here 6 months a year and will retire here eventually.

We have all seen a lot of growth in the past two decades, and that is to be expected. We support growth and in fact over the summer began looking at ways to support low-cost affordable housing, especially for our younger, front-line workers.

That said, we understand that this proposed project involves changing the zoning for multiple properties at the intersection of Big Mountain Road and East Lakeshore Drive to allow for commercial development and the development of 318 residential units, including 270 high-density units. As proposed, the project is inconsistent with the existing land use of the properties and does not represent the community’s vision for the area which we have researched the public records (see below)

We request that the planning board recommend denial of the Mountain Gateway PUD and Zoning Map Amendment applications as submitted. The due diligence has not been done for a development of this magnitude in regards to traffic implications, water quality, stormwater, and environmental impact. It is paramount that traffic implications be considered all the way to the viaduct as this is the only grade-separated route for emergency evacuation. And traffic jams we have on the big ski days now will be commonplace ALL YEAR ROUND at that intersection no matter what traffic control methods are imposed.

There are thoughtful ways to grow and develop our community and for the entire Flathead County…this isn’t one of those ways. There is a reason high-density housing and
commercial businesses haven’t been proposed for this neighborhood and intersection – it flies in the face of the city ‘charter’ on growth policy, and given structural constraints, no improvement in road, stoplight, circle, etc infrastructure can remotely accommodate the ensuing traffic levels.

We all want a Whitefish that responds to growth needs, yet never, never loses its fundamental character. This isn’t Big Sky, this isn’t Aspen or Telluride, this is Whitefish. We owe it to future generations to do the right thing, and grow thoughtfully and not burden them with permanent mistakes.