Planning board tightens wildfire language, urges updated CWPP and stronger post‑plat maintenance

Whitefish planning board members and staff on Aug. 27 revised wording in the growth‑policy hazards chapter to emphasize local wildfire risk, push for a modern Community Wildfire Protection Plan and add new objectives that encourage ongoing vegetation management through subdivision covenants and homeowners associations. At the meeting, participants also discussed limits the city faces under state law and how water‑system upgrades factor into fire response.

The changes follow detailed public and board comments about how past fire‑suppression policy has affected fuels. “Fire suppression has led to an unnatural accumulation of woody biomass,” said resident Richard Hillerne (4 Fifth Street) during public comment, urging the draft text be revised to reflect that dynamic. Planning staff accepted that edit and the sentence was changed in the draft.

The moves matter because the board also agreed to insert a clear statement that the city’s Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP), last adopted in February 2009, is currently out of date. Alan (staff member) told the board that the city and state are coordinating on a new CWPP and that the…