Whitefish board recommends conditional use permit to convert former office into nine hotel suites at Riverfront Hotel

The Whitefish Community Development Board on Oct. 16 recommended that the City Council approve WCUP25-10, a conditional use permit request from Whitefish River Hotel LLC to convert an existing office building adjacent to the Riverfront Hotel into nine one- to three-bedroom suites to be managed as part of the hotel rental pool.

City planning staff said the conversion would not change the mass or scale of the building and would reuse the existing access, parking and utilities. "This is a conditional use permit to expand the Riverfront Hotel," planning staffer Wendy said, noting the units meet the zoning definition of a hotel and will share parking and amenities with the main building.

The property comprises about 2.6 acres at 920 and 940 Spokane Avenue and is zoned WB-2 with a growth-policy designation of general highway commercial. Staff reported the site meets parking requirements — the application shows 93 spaces where 90 are required — and recommended approval subject to eight conditions that include providing additional bicycle parking, obtaining architectural review for exterior changes, compliance with water-quality protections, and a condition that the new units not be offered as individually owned short-term rentals but instead be managed through the hotel.

Board members questioned whether future physical changes near the Whitefish River would trigger water‑quality review. "If they make any changes into that river buffer, they will have to meet the water quality protection regulations," Wendy said. She noted the existing buildings and retaining walls predate the city’s 2008 water-quality rules, but any future work in the buffer would need to comply. Applicant Justin Dahl said a geotechnical engineer determined a previously failing retaining wall when the property was purchased about a year ago; the board was told the failing wall was replaced "same for same" under a prior permit.

Toby moved to recommend approval of WCUP25-10 "in accordance with the Whitefish City Code Title 11 Chapter 7 subsection 8 based on the findings of fact presented in the staff report and subject to the 8 conditions of approval," and the motion was seconded; the board voted to recommend the permit to the City Council and the motion passed unanimously.

The staff report and conditions will accompany the application when the City Council reviews the recommendation. The board recorded no public comments during the hearing.

Notes: the application was presented as a recommendation item to the Whitefish Community Development Board, which is transitioning to be called the Whitefish Planning Commission in coming meetings.