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Consultants outline where Whitefish could add —mixed neighborhood— and a single neighborhood center in updated growth plan
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Summary
CZB consultants walked commissioners and the public through clarifications to place‑type definitions, identifying four mixed-neighborhood sites and one proposed neighborhood center near the mall, and recommended limits on commercial footprints in neighborhood centers.
CZB consultants presented the revised land-use draft at the Feb. 11 Whitefish Vision 2045 meeting, walking through clarifications prompted by prior public comments and redlined changes released shortly before the meeting.
Thomas, the lead consultant, clarified that a mixed neighborhood is primarily residential but may include small neighborhood-serving commercial uses such as a coffee shop or bike repair, and said the designation aims to allow a range of housing types "from single family to duplexes to townhomes to small multifamily." He identified four locations for the mixed-neighborhood place type, described one proposed neighborhood center near the mall and former hospital site, and recommended that neighborhood centers limit commercial uses to no more than 20% of total development footprint with individual commercial spaces capped at about 3,500 square feet.
Thomas said the consultants adjusted the place-type map to improve legibility and added a heritage downtown place type to reflect the existing W4 zoning south of downtown, noting W4 allows multifamily residential (up to 18 units per building) and that a separate place type was added because development pattern there differs from the east side of Spokane Avenue.
The presentation also included the consultants' view that place types capture character more than exact parcel-level zoning and that a one-to-one translation is rarely possible; they recommended additional specific zoning callouts be drafted to implement the commission's policy preferences.
Thomas told the commission the team would prepare updated map slides and redlines to reflect the commission's direction and assistance in drafting targeted language for the next packet.
Why it matters: These place-type definitions and location calls will shape follow-on zoning implementation that determines what gets built, where parking and services will be expected, and whether mixed-use neighborhood centers can support both businesses and housing.
