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Whitefish council grants second 24-month extension for Big Mountain River preliminary plat; inclusionary housing requirement removed
Summary
The Whitefish City Council unanimously approved a second 24-month extension for the preliminary plat of the Big Mountain River subdivision, a proposed 20-unit townhouse project on 2.4 acres of West Second Street.
The Whitefish City Council unanimously approved a second 24-month extension for the preliminary plat of the Big Mountain River subdivision, a proposed 20-unit townhouse project on 2.4 acres of West Second Street, during its June 16 meeting.
Wendy, a city planning staff member, told the council the plat was originally approved in 2020 and received a 24-month extension in 2023 that will expire July 6, 2025. “The request before you is for a second, 24 month extension of a preliminary plat. It's a 20 unit townhouse subdivision on 2.4 acres,” Wendy said.
Wendy advised councilors that changes to the city’s zoning and subdivision regulations removed the local inclusionary zoning requirement that, at approval, had required affordable housing as a condition of the plat. “We lost the inclusionary zoning. This is the first subdivision that was going to provide some sort of affordable housing. As such, condition 21…cannot be enforced,” Wendy said. She also noted that the project is not eligible for the legacy home incentives unless the developer chooses to provide affordable units.
Councilor Giuseppe Caltabiano moved to approve the extension; the motion was seconded by Councilor Norton and passed unanimously.
Why it matters: The extension preserves the developer’s preliminary approval while giving the applicant more time to meet final plat requirements. At the same time, the removal of the inclusionary zoning requirement means the project no longer must provide affordable units under current city rules; the developers would need to amend the plat or voluntarily include affordable housing to realize the project's original affordable-housing commitments.
What’s next: Staff recommended approval subject to four findings and attached conditions. If the applicants—listed in the staff report as Aden Merchant and Jeff Aga—proceed with final platting and want the legacy home incentives, they must provide affordable housing or amend the plat to reflect changes such as reduced lot sizes or increased coverage.
