Whitefish Planning Commission votes to forward revised growth policy to City Council
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Summary
The Planning Commission voted Feb. 26, 2026 to recommend the revised Whitefish growth policy and future land-use map to City Council, after weeks of edits, public comment and several contested changes; one commissioner recorded opposition. Council will review the package at a March work session and public hearing.
The Whitefish Planning Commission voted on Feb. 26, 2026 to forward the city nd county growth policy update and the revised future land-use map to City Council for review and possible adoption. The recommendation follows multiple nights of hearings, a new map prepared by staff and scores of public comments.
Commissioner Frank (recorded as the lead for the motion) said the Commission had incorporated changes made during earlier meetings and during the Feb. 26 session. Commissioner Frank stated the motion to send the document to council "as revised this evening for recommendation to the city council." Commissioner Mallory cast the lone recorded dissent during the final recommendation vote and several commissioners said they would present individual concerns to Council in the March 2 work session and the public hearing that same evening.
The revised package contains detailed place-type map edits, policy clarifications on where commercial uses should be allowed, added guidance on housing types (townhomes and missing-middle prototypes), and multiple implementation notes and reporting recommendations. The Commission also approved narrower language limiting any future expansion of short-term rentals to very specific, annexation-driven circumstances (for example, resort-area land if annexed) and added a provision asking for caution on fireworks with perchlorates over Whitefish Lake pending a toxicology report.
City staff said Council will receive the full record of edits and the public commentary compiled during the planning process. A March work session is scheduled so Council members can review the changes and ask staff questions before the subsequent public hearing and potential action.
Next steps: the Planning Commission ocument and map will be delivered to City Council for its March work session and public hearing; commissioners and members of the public may present supplemental testimony and written comments to Council at that time.