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Council approves City Beach ramp reinforcement and awards construction contract
Summary
Council granted a major‑variance and unanimously awarded the City Beach boat‑ramp extension and AIS inspection drive‑lane contract to JD Thinning. The project includes dredging, a cofferdam, precast concrete ramp panels and turbidity monitoring conditions.
The Whitefish City Council voted unanimously Sept. 2 to approve a major variance for the City Beach boat‑ramp reinforcement and to award the construction contract for both the ramp extension and the aquatic invasive species (AIS) inspection drive lane to JD Thinning.
Why it matters: City Beach is Whitefish’s most heavily used park; council and staff said the reinforcement is intended to stabilize a ramp undermined by boat propulsion, improve safety for trailering, and reduce future erosion of the lake bed. The work requires shoreline and in‑water permits and includes specific turbidity monitoring and erosion‑control conditions.
Planning staff described the project as installation of precast concrete panels over a crushed‑stone riprap foundation to stabilize roughly 980 square feet of submerged ramp base and about 400 square feet of riprap beyond the ramp to protect against undercutting. Staff said approximately 202 cubic yards of lakebed material will be excavated and partially replaced, with a net reduction of 72 cubic yards removed from the site. The applicant plans to perform the in‑water work inside a temporary inflatable cofferdam and scheduled the work for October when lake levels are typically lowest.
The Lakeshore Protection Committee and the Community Development Board both recommended approval; the Lakeshore Committee worked with a local expert to consolidate and clarify turbidity monitoring conditions, and the Community Development Board voted unanimously to recommend approval with the Lakeshore Committee’s modifications. Staff said the project requires Army Corps (404) permit approval, DEQ dewatering and short‑term turbidity permits, and an upcoming floodplain development permit.
The council also awarded construction contracts. Bids were opened Aug. 22; JD Thinning was the apparent low bidder on both schedules (boat ramp and AIS loop) and offered a $40,000 reduction because the company must purchase a higher insurance limit only once if awarded both schedules. The combined adjusted contract award to JD Thinning totals $200,040.98; the amount is about $7,043 above the current FY26 project budget, which staff said is likely to be absorbed through expenditure savings rather than a formal amendment.
City staff emphasized environmental protections: the Lakeshore Committee’s revised conditions include a turbidity monitoring plan tied to Whitefish Lake Institute background thresholds and best management practices for erosion control, contaminant prevention, and minimizing disturbance duration.
What happens next: The project requires final permit clearances (Army Corps, DEQ, floodplain), that the contractor mobilize this fall, and construction inspections. Staff will monitor turbidity and compliance with the Lakeshore Committee’s conditions during the in‑water work.
