A. Purpose: The architectural design standards are based on a commitment to preserving the city's historic character and heritage through high quality design of new and significantly modified buildings. The purpose of this section is to inform property owners about the adopted design policies. Understanding these policies will help owners in making decisions about their buildings by focusing on the principles of urban design which promote an environment scaled to pedestrians, while maintaining cohesive neighborhood identity and respecting the unique qualities of Whitefish.
B. Scope: The architectural standards apply to construction of all new buildings, including residences constructed in a commercial district, except detached single-family and duplexes within the city’s zoning jurisdiction. In addition, with regard to all applicable buildings, any additions or exterior modifications or alterations will invoke compliance with the standards for altered components. The zoning administrator or designee may waive this requirement if it is determined that the modification is insignificant and inconsequential to the purpose and intent of the architectural standards. Finally, any resumption of use after abandonment will require compliance with the standards.
In cases where the city council has reviewed building design through the conditional use permit or planned unit development process, the city council is not the final architectural review approval, but an approval of the conceptual plans. Final architectural review is required prior to submitting a building permit application.
In any development containing more than one multi-family and/or townhouse structure, the architectural review committee must review building plans for such structures to assure that there is visual variety and distinctiveness of exterior appearance among multi-family structures in the same development. The objective of this provision is to avoid visual monotony among multi-family structures while encouraging a common, high quality design theme. If two (2) or more developments containing more than one triplex, four-plex, multi-family and/or townhouse structure occur in close proximity to one another, building plans will be reviewed for such structures to assure they are all substantially varied in exterior appearance from other residential structures in a neighboring development.
C. Applicability: The architectural design standards supplement the city's zoning regulations as a stand alone document. The city adopted the architectural design standards by ordinance as zoning regulations and have the same force and effect as all of the city's zoning regulations. A violation of the architectural design standards may be enforced pursuant to chapter 7 of this title. The standards contain both broader objectives and more specific architectural and lighting guidelines than the zoning regulations. This section creates the mechanism for adopting the architectural standards within the zoning jurisdiction.
Although the standards are more than merely advisory, they also allow room for consideration of design proposals not found within the standards. Each project is different. Therefore, some standards might be emphasized while others are deemphasized, but no standard will be overlooked.
The objective of the standards is to encourage quality building and development to enhance both the natural and built environments in Whitefish.
D. Architectural Review Committee: Provisions relating to the architectural review committee are provided for in title 2, chapter 10 of this code.
E. Contents Of Standards: See the architectural review standards document for the application procedures and appeals provisions.
1. The standards cover the following topics:
a. Site planning.
b. Landscaping.
c. Parking.
d. Lighting design.
e. Required architectural building design elements.
2. The standards break the city up into four (4) different zones with specific standards for each. The design standard zones are:
a. Resort community business district (Wisconsin Avenue and Highway 93 North).
b. Highway district (Highway 93 South and areas zoned industrial).
c. Old Town district: central, south, railway.
d. Residential district (except single family detached and duplex). (Ord. 09-13, 8-17-2009; Ord. 14-21, 1-5-2015; Ord. 23-14, 8-21-2023)