Whitefish council adopts ordinance renaming Community Development Board as Planning Commission to comply with state law

The Whitefish City Council unanimously approved Ordinance 25-11 on a vote to designate the Whitefish Community Development Board as the Whitefish Planning Commission and revise city code to align with the Montana Land Use Planning Act. The ordinance changes how members are appointed and updates the board's duties to track state law. The change takes effect as the city prepares to comply with MLUPA ahead of the May 2026 deadline. Why it matters: the ordinance standardizes local terminology with state statute, clarifies duties required by MLUPA and changes some appointment mechanics — moves that city staff said will reduce confusion for applicants and prospective members. City Manager Dana (staff) told council the change is primarily administrative and intended to “minimize confusion, when referencing state law.” The ordinance replaces references to Community Development Board and planning board with Planning Commission in the cited sections of city code, and adds statutory language describing the commission’s duties, including review of the land use plan and zoning regulations. One substantive appointment change requires a majority vote of city council rather than a mayoral appointment. The ordinance also retains an option for one seat to be filled by a county resident; staff said the county will no longer directly appoint a representative. During the public hearing, Scott Wurster, a member of the Community Development Board, urged the council to keep the “Board” title, saying the change “does signal that, a reduction in that authority, and I would prefer to see counsel keep the term Board as describing it.” Councilmembers discussed the practical reasons for the change, including a state code citation that requires local governments to establish “a planning commission.” Councilors asked staff to make the remaining references across other code sections consistent; staff explained text amendments across zoning and subdivision regulations require separate public-noticed processes. The ordinance passed unanimously. The council also accepted a friendly amendment clarifying that the county seat member “may be a resident of the county not living within Whitefish city limits,” keeping flexibility for applicants. The council directed staff to continue systematic code updates to replace legacy references to planning board or Community Development Board where necessary.