Project fees reduced; sister city proposed

Whitefish City Council unanimously

approved a resolution to establish project fees for various

services provided by the Whitefish Planning and Building

Department.

Sign variance fees were lowered to $660

for churches, schools and nonprofits. Commercial variances were

changed to $660, plus $200 for each additional sign, not to exceed

the standard variance fee.

A subdivision vacation fee was

suggested to be $750, but councilor Phil Mitchell asked that it be

lowered to $500. The council unanimously agreed.

• Council voted 4-2 to approve the

preliminary 2012 city budget. Councilors Turner Askew and Mitchell

were opposed. The $38 million budget won’t be finalized until

August.

• The idea of installing directional

signs around Whitefish will be explored. The small signs would

point visitors to major landmarks in town, including City Beach,

the Stumptown Ice Den and the skatepark. The signs would exclude

commercial properties.

Councilor Chris Hyatt said he liked the

idea of directional signs alongside the soon-to-be-released

Whitefish Convention and Visitor Bureau smartphone application.

Planning director David Tayor noted

that if the signs are built correctly, they can be discrete while

still allowing visitors to easily read and follow them.

• Whitefish resident Colin Sellwood

will explore the idea of establishing a sister city relationship

with Queenstown, New Zealand.

Mayor Mike Jenson noted that Queenstown

is a vacation area with wind surfing, bungee jumping and nearby ski

areas. He said local schools could benefit from a sister city

relationship through cultural exchanges.