Shaping the Future: A Recap of Vision Whitefish 2045

Shaping the Future: A Recap of Vision Whitefish 2045

Written by FFRG Executive Director Alyssum Ahler, March 12, 2024

Vision Whitefish 2045 

Greetings, Whitefish community! We’ve recently embarked on an exciting journey to update our Growth Policy, and I’m thrilled to share with you the latest updates from the first visioning sessions held on February 21st and 22nd at City Hall.

First and foremost, I want to express my gratitude to the 110+ individuals who joined for the visioning sessions. Your enthusiasm and active participation were truly inspiring as we collectively worked towards shaping the future of our beloved Whitefish. From dynamic polling exercises to lively group discussions, it was evident that everyone present was deeply invested in the process.

However, our work is far from over, and we need your continued involvement. While over 500 residents have already signed up on EngageWhitefish.com, we’re still reaching out to the remaining 9,000 to join us in this crucial endeavor. Your voice matters, and we want to ensure that every perspective is heard and considered.

For those who couldn’t attend the sessions in person, fret not! You can still contribute your valuable input through online exercises until March 15th. Simply visit EngageWhitefish.com to participate in the same mapping exercise conducted during the visioning sessions. Your insights are invaluable in shaping the future direction of our community.

Looking ahead, our long-range planner, Alan Tiefenbach, will analyze all responses and compile them into a comprehensive report. This report, along with the original materials, will be made available on the website for further review and feedback.

In the coming month, they’ll be scheduling area-specific visioning sessions at strategic locations within the community. Keep an eye out for announcements regarding these sessions, and be sure to sign up for updates on EngageWhitefish.com to stay informed.

Additionally, mark your calendars for a work session with the Community Development Board on Thursday, March 21st, 2024, at 5:30 PM. During this session, they’ll discuss the results from the recent visioning sessions and explore potential dates for future sessions.

Together, we have the opportunity to shape the future for Whitefish. Your participation is key to realizing this vision, so let’s continue to work hand in hand towards a brighter tomorrow.

Stay engaged, stay informed, and let’s build a future we can all be proud of.

Warm regards,

Alyssum Ahler, FFRG Executive Director

What is Vision Whitefish 2045?

The Montana Legislature that has recently passed requires numerous statutory mandates that have significant impacts on the Growth Policy process of our town. In addition, statutory mandates require review and changes to the City’s Municipal Code.

Enter Vision Whitefish 2045 – the document that will guide our community through growth and change for the next 20 years.

EngageWhitefish.com is the City of Whitefish’s online resource for all things related to the Growth Policy (now called Vision Whitefish 2045) and will allow you to participate right from the website!

Please register to participate, and subscribe to all updates throughout the process.

We need your voice to make this plan truly representative of Whitefish and it’s community members!

vision-whitefish-timeline
Vision Whitefish 2045 Growth Policy Update

Vision Whitefish 2045 Growth Policy Update

The following is an email sent from Alan Tiefenbach, Long Range Planner for the City of Whitefish.

We are pleased to announce we have just launched the Engage Whitefish Public Engagement Site!

This will be the all-in-one resource for information and participation in the Growth Policy update. Information will be provided through regular updates, newsletters, a calendar of upcoming events and posting of text, documents, and video recordings of meetings. Participation will be possible through message boards viewable to the public to allow discussion and response to Growth Policy topics or feedback, online map “widgets” where users can place markers in geographic locations and offer suggestions, and survey and comment input boxes embedded within the content on the website.  Users will be able to subscribe to the site to receive alerts. The website at this point is primarily informational, but you will see the full capability and tools develop as the project moves forward.

Here is the direct link to the Vision Whitefish 2045 Growth Policy Update Page.

https://engagewhitefish.com/vision-whitefish-2045

Here is the “hub” where any city projects can be listed. At present, Vision Whitefish 2045 is the only project on this page. There will likely be other projects accessible from this page in the future.

https://engagewhitefish.com/

PLEASE NOTE THAT YOU WILL NEED TO SIGN UP AND SUBSCRIBE TO THE NEW ENGAGEMENT WEBSITE TO RECEIVE ALERTS AND UPDATES FROM THIS POINT FORWARD. THE EXISTING EMAIL LIST WE HAVE BEEN USING DOES NOT IMPORT INTO THIS SITE AND WILL NOT BE USED FOR CORRESPONDENCE. 

Attend the Kick-Off Meeting!

The first Growth Policy Update kick-off meeting is scheduled! This kick-off will be from 5:30 PM to 7:00 PM on August 24, 2023 at Whitefish City Hall Council Chambers, at 418 E 2nd St. This kick-off meeting will be in a town hall-style format. Staff will give a general overview of the project, present the existing conditions of the City, describe how interested parties can stay involved in the process, and explain how to use the Public Engagement Website. The methods staff will use to notify the public of this meeting are described in the “Tools for Outreach” section of the Public Engagement Plan posted on this website.

We hope to see you in Council Chambers for the kick off meeting on August 24th at 5:30 pm!

Alan Tiefenbach

Long Range Planner, City of Whitefish

418 E. 2nd Street, Whitefish, MT 59937

Ph: 406-863-2413 / Fax: 406-863-2419

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