Whitefish makes progress on CAO

Inter Lake editorial

When the Whitefish City Council passed the controversial critical-areas ordinance earlier this year, council members said it was a work in progress and promised to tweak the drainage law when it was clear changes were needed.

The council appears to be making good on its promise, this week taking steps to make the law more flexible as it relates to existing lots and subdivisions.

One proposed change will allow construction to proceed without a critical-areas compliance permit for subdivisions that are built according to the preliminary plat or planned-unit development for which they were approved.

A second change would develop a CAO "lite" for existing lots, still requiring erosion control plans for lots within a certain distance of a lake, river or other critical area.

The council also this week approved 10 housekeeping measures aimed at further clarifying the law.

It makes sense to rule with a light hand on lots and subdivisions that were approved before the critical-areas ordinance was adopted. That's only fair.

We encourage Whitefish city officials and the council to continue to earnestly listen to the public's concerns about the new drainage law and be willing to adapt it without jeopardizing its goal of protecting water quality.

If Whitefish can strike a balance between respecting personal property rights and imposing regulations that preserve our most precious resources, the critical-areas ordinance will be legislation everyone should be able to support.

Evergreen got good news this week when the state decided to commit to cleaning up a Superfund site between Whitefish Stage Road and U.S. 2.

This mess dates back to the days before people really understood the consequences of chemical contamination in the environment, including a refinery that was on site from 1924 as well as a pole and timber treatment plant that operated till 1990.

The budget of $32 million shows a substantial commitment to the project, although no one knows what the total costs might actually be. Cleanup work probably won't begin until 2010, but at least it is not being ignored any longer.

Congratulations to Bigfork builder John Norrish, who became just the 12th person in 43 years to be inducted into the Montana Housing Hall of Fame.

It was an appropriate honor for Norrish, 70, who has been building since 1960 when he and his twin brother Joe started their construction business.

Norrish is widely respected for his years in the industry, and his simple philosophy offers wisdom all of us could take to heart.

"I get more out of doing something for somebody else," Norrish says. "That's why I'm still working."