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2021 CONTINUED TREND OF RAPID RESIDENTIAL GROWTH 2021 brought an influx of new out of state residents to the Flathead Valley, and with that a 32% increase in housing prices in Whitefish in a twelve month period with an average house price of $1.1 million and a median house price of $800,000. While our total new residential units dropped from 302 to 220, most was due to a reduction in the number of new multi-family units. We did see a record number of new single-family homes at 129 units. New residential construction contributed over thirty-three million dollars in community investment. While we had no new commercial buildings, we did have over half a million in commercial remodels. Total building permits were the highest of the decade in 2021 with 1,167 permits. Land use permitting, including subdivisions, conditional use permits, and other types of planning applications were steady in 2021. Six new subdivisions were preliminarily approved with 14 new lots. Three subdivisions went to final plat, creating 9 new lots. Other permit numbers were similar to the last few years, with the exception of Lakeshore Permits, which doubled from the previous year. City planning staff made progress on several long range planning projects, including adoption of the Highway 93 South Corridor Plan, updating the subdivision regulations, and new regulations for marijuana facilities. We also continued to implement our Downtown Parking Management Plan with the Pilot Employee Parking Program. With regard to staffing changes in the Planning Office, we promoted Tara Osendorf to Long Range Planner and hired Jessica Nymark as our new current planner, while Hilary Lindh departed. In the Building Department, Major Robinson departed and Linda Broscheit retired, while Derrick Gosch was promoted to full time building inspector. Like other local businesses, staffing continues to be an issue, but we hope to fill our several vacant positions shortly. We expect our robust growth to continue through 2022 as the community continues to receive national interest and people escape big cities for our mountain lifestyle. All the best, David Taylor, AICP, Director of Planning and Building Special points of interest: • 2 acres annexed • 14 lots preliminary platted • 9 lots final platted • 25 conditional use permits • 35 architectural reviews • 8 variances • 54 lakeshore permits • 27 sign permits • 147 code violations resolved • 129 new single family home building permits • 220 total new dwelling units • 1 new commercial building permit • 1,167 total building permits • $34 million in construction- related community invest- ment Land Use Permits 2 Population/Annexation 3 Subdivision Activity 3 Affordable Housing 3 Building Permit Activity 4 Inside this issue: January 2022 Planning & Building Department: 2021 Annual Report ---PAGE BREAK--- Total land use permit activity in 2021 was among the highest in the decade. The Planning Depart- ment administered a total of 164 permits in 2021. Lakeshore permits and conditional use permits were both ten year highs in total numbers. 2021 Land Use Permit Activity Page 2 Planning & Building Department: 2021 Annual Report 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 Preliminary Plat Applications 1 6 5 12 7 8 12 11 3 6 Final Plat Applications 1 5 5 6 4 9 0 15 6 3 Conditional Use Permit 13 15 11 20 9 15 14 24 17 25 Planned Unit Development 3 3 4 0 2 3 9 0 0 3 Architectural Review 22 21 31 38 29 26 31 63 30 35 Zone Change 0 6 9 5 10 24 10 5 0 3 Variance 4 7 2 4 2 8 4 8 1 8 Water Quality Permits 11 11 3 1 2 1 0 0 1 0 New Food Vendor Permit 3 2 2 3 2 6 5 4 6 2 Temporary Use Permit 7 5 3 2 1 0 1 1 0 0 Floodplain Permit 5 4 1 2 2 0 1 3 0 2 Lakeshore Permit 40 40 41 38 26 36 17 35 27 54 Subdivision Exemption 13 25 29 17 19 13 17 32 17 17 Zoning Text Amendment 5 2 5 4 2 2 4 7 5 3 Subdivision Text Amendment 1 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 Growth Policy Amendment 0 2 1 2 1 1 1 0 0 2 Total Land Use Permits Processed 129 155 158 156 118 152 126 211 113 164 Short-term rental licenses continue to grow. In 2021, the City issued 151 licenses for a to- tal of 504 licenses in the past decade. The City continues to monitor STR activity and updated STR permitting regulations in 2021 to ensure all STRs are located within a proper- ly zoned area and are inspected by the White- fish Fire and Flathead City-County Health Department. ---PAGE BREAK--- According to the US Census Bureau, the population for Whitefish in 2020 was 7,751. This is a 18% increase in population from April 1, 2010. Flat- head County grew by about 13% and the State of Montana grew by approx- imately 9% since the 2010 census. Population Growth Subdivision Activity: 2012-2021 Page 3 1990 2000 2010 2020 Whitefish 4,368 5,032 6,357 7,751 Flathead County 59,218 74,471 90,928 104,357 Montana 799,065 902,195 989,415 1,084,225 Annexations: 2012-2021 The City of Whitefish expanded approximately two acres 2021. Over the past decade, the city has expanded its bound- aries by approximately 336 acres. 2012 28.83 2013 2.02 2014 53.93 2015 16.7 2016 26.44 2017 141.38 2018 31.1 2019 24.9 2020 0 2021 1.93 The city reviewed six preliminary plat applica- tions for a total of 14 new lots. This is consider- ably less than 2020’s 28 new lots. The City also approved three final plat applications for 9 new lots in 2021, considerably less than 2020’s 51 new lots. Affordable Housing Housing affordability continues to be a significant and ever growing issue in Whitefish. In 2021, hous- ing prices increased 32% from 2020 where the previ- ous four year average increase was The local worker has been priced out of homes for purchase and there are few rentals affordable for the average Whitefish worker. In 2021, after the state legislature eliminated our Inclusionary Zoning program, the City amended the program to become voluntary with certain incen- tives. The City continues to look for partnerships to expand affordable housing in our community and review regulations that could be an impediment to developing affordable housing. The 2016 Housing Needs Assessment determined the city needed an additional 980 units by 2020 to house our local workers and support our local busi- nesses, of which 60% should be priced affordably for a local worker. Since 2016, 21 ownership and 49 rental affordable units were built which is 5.9% of the total number of units built during that same time. To help meet affordable housing goals, the City will be adding a Housing Coordinator/Long-Range Plan- ner to their Planning staff in 2022. This new staff member will lead housing-related initiatives and code updates, coordinate with the Whitefish Hous- ing Authority, and help with other long-range plan- ning initiatives such as the Growth Policy update. ---PAGE BREAK--- Planning & Building Department 418 E 2nd Street PO Box 158 Whitefish, MT 59937 City of Whitefish Phone: [PHONE REDACTED] Fax: [PHONE REDACTED] Building Permit Activity 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 Single Family Residential 51 75 72 48 49 57 64 95 92 129 remodel - SFR 75 68 65 55 39 57 38 47 90 57 addition - SFR 25 14 27 31 42 44 36 22 29 28 Townhouse/Duplex 6 6 6 12 16 22 40 77 67 57 remodel - TH/DU 0 2 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 addition - TH/DU 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 Multifamily (units) 3 0 15 7 91 24 54 68 138 27 remodel - MF 1 3 7 0 0 5 1 0 0 0 addition - MF 0 0 1 0 1 1 1 0 0 0 TOTAL RESIDENTIAL UNITS 60 81 93 67 156 103 158 246 302 220 Commercial 2 5 2 4 11 5 5 8 14 1 remodel - com 22 40 28 22 35 30 28 29 34 27 addition - com 0 8 8 7 11 6 9 5 4 6 TOTAL COMMERCIAL 24 53 38 33 57 41 42 42 52 34 Electrical permits 159 176 184 170 208 181 208 231 231 329 Mechanical permits 97 134 157 144 135 141 151 212 189 288 Plumbing permits 95 148 152 139 147 133 203 230 225 296 TOTAL PERMITS 435 592 624 553 703 599 762 [PHONE REDACTED] New affordable housing units in the Trailview subdivision on Monegan Road The total number of new residential construction units in 2021 dipped from the previous year, but we had a record number of new single family homes permitted. Commercial permit activity was average for remodels and additions, but down for new buildings. Total building permits last year were a decade high. Residential Permit Types