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ShelterWF and citizens press council to keep mixed-use in growth policy, call for clearer public participation
Summary
ShelterWF and Citizens for a Better Flathead urged the council to preserve mixed-use language in the transportation element and to restore clearer, more open public participation in the growth-policy update, citing the Montana Land Use Act and requesting staff post comments and meet with advocates.
Speakers representing community groups told the council they want the growth-policy update to prioritize multimodal transportation and preserve mixed-use zoning language, and they urged clearer public participation procedures.
Keegan Siebenaler, executive director of ShelterWF, said downtown business interests urged removing mixed-use from the transportation element and warned that doing so would undermine efforts to make Whitefish more walkable and multimodal. "If we want Whitefish to be a multimodal community, one half of that is having slower and safer streets and better pedestrian access...unless you have people near amenities, if you live near where you work and want to spend time, unless you have that, then you're not going to have a truly multimodal community," he said.
Mary Flowers of Citizens for a Better Flathead urged the council to correct public-participation procedures for the growth-policy update and said the current practices may not align with the Montana Land Use Act (citing MCA 76-25-201 and coordination with 76-25-106). She said CBF will meet with the city manager to deliver concrete recommendations and asked that those comments be posted on the EngageWhitefish site for public review.
City Manager Dana told the council staff has provided an updated timeline for growth-policy work sessions, warned that three work sessions may not be enough time to address the plan and zoning changes, and suggested scheduling a special work session in late January or early February to allow fuller review. Dana said some zoning code updates are required by May 2026 to comply with state requirements and described staff options: a limited contract amendment to get into compliance or a future full rewrite under a separate RFP.
What happens next: staff will pursue scheduling additional work sessions and consider consultant recommendations to meet the May 2026 timeline; CBF and ShelterWF said they will follow up with written recommendations and participation.
