Council adopts Vision Whitefish 2045 with amendments encouraging home-ownership in multi-unit projects
April 20, 2026 | Whitefish, Flathead County, Montana
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The Whitefish City Council adopted the Vision Whitefish 2045 community plan (Resolution 26-07) on April 20 after a lengthy discussion and a set of council-driven amendments.
Councilor Frank proposed a specific amendment to encourage multi-unit projects—duplexes, triplexes, townhomes and similar—to be structured so they can be transferred to individual owners over time, arguing the change would increase opportunities for home ownership at lower cost. "The city encourages multi-unit projects to be structured in such a way as to promote the individual ownership of the separate units," Frank said during discussion. Councilmember Steve seconded the amendment and the body voted to adopt it as part of the final plan.
Members also debated and restored language the council had removed at an earlier meeting regarding preferred maximum building heights in downtown core areas. Concerned council members said leaving a clear vision about downtown character in the policy document helps guide later zoning decisions. After discussion, the council voted to restore the prior references and adopted the plan as amended.
Alan (staff) and other planning staff briefed council members on place-type mapping on key sites (locations B and C along US 93 and the old hospital site) and confirmed the adopted language directs commercial activity to the arterial frontages while preserving residential character behind those frontages. Thomas (staff) explained that mixed-neighborhood and neighborhood-center place types were crafted to permit walkable housing and limited neighborhood commercial uses where appropriate.
Council members emphasized the growth policy is a visionary, not regulatory, document; regulatory details and implementation will be addressed in forthcoming zoning and code updates. The council acknowledged additional work remains during the regulatory phase but said the adopted Vision 2045 provides the policy framework for those steps.
The motion to adopt Resolution 26-07 carried unanimously.
Next steps: staff will begin drafting code and zoning updates to implement the plan and return to the council for regulatory changes and map/zoning amendments.
Councilor Frank proposed a specific amendment to encourage multi-unit projects—duplexes, triplexes, townhomes and similar—to be structured so they can be transferred to individual owners over time, arguing the change would increase opportunities for home ownership at lower cost. "The city encourages multi-unit projects to be structured in such a way as to promote the individual ownership of the separate units," Frank said during discussion. Councilmember Steve seconded the amendment and the body voted to adopt it as part of the final plan.
Members also debated and restored language the council had removed at an earlier meeting regarding preferred maximum building heights in downtown core areas. Concerned council members said leaving a clear vision about downtown character in the policy document helps guide later zoning decisions. After discussion, the council voted to restore the prior references and adopted the plan as amended.
Alan (staff) and other planning staff briefed council members on place-type mapping on key sites (locations B and C along US 93 and the old hospital site) and confirmed the adopted language directs commercial activity to the arterial frontages while preserving residential character behind those frontages. Thomas (staff) explained that mixed-neighborhood and neighborhood-center place types were crafted to permit walkable housing and limited neighborhood commercial uses where appropriate.
Council members emphasized the growth policy is a visionary, not regulatory, document; regulatory details and implementation will be addressed in forthcoming zoning and code updates. The council acknowledged additional work remains during the regulatory phase but said the adopted Vision 2045 provides the policy framework for those steps.
The motion to adopt Resolution 26-07 carried unanimously.
Next steps: staff will begin drafting code and zoning updates to implement the plan and return to the council for regulatory changes and map/zoning amendments.
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