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.