Does Whitefish need more Buy Here!, Special Sale!  Get it NOW! signs along the southern entrance to Whitefish?  A few business owners are pushing once again to make changes to the Whitefish Sign Code to allow more signs.

Sign clutter, as shown below from another unknown town, can change the character of a town like Whitefish and is typical of many Anywhere USA towns. Constant small changes to the Whitefish Sign Code can lead unintended sign sprawl.

• The Whitefish Sign Code works. Please don't change it. 

• The Whitefish Planning Staff report to the Planning Board and Council is recommending against changes being suggested to the temporary signs in the south Highway District. We (I) agree with that recommendation.   

• The Whitefish Sign Code already offers everyone in town the opportunity to advertise two special events per year---to add more opportunities puts Whitefish on the slippery slope to becoming just another "Clutterville."

• The Whitefish Sign Code states in its purpose section that "A basic tenet these regulations is that unrestricted signs do not benefit either the private business owner of the community at large."  The sign code should benefit the community at large and not be repeatedly changed to meet the desires a few business owners on Highway 93 South.  

• Signage in keeping with the Whitefish Sign Code should be for business identification and not for business advertising. Please do not make the changes to the WF Sign Code, which could allow for a more frequent proliferation of larger temporary signs, larger banners, and more frequent use of pennants, festoons, balloons, tethered objects, strings of flags, streamers, inflated objects or any other device intended as an attractant. 

Click Here to read the recent letter opposing changes to the WF Sign Code titled "Suby Drivers Unite"

Click Here to read the recent letter to the WF Pilot titled "Welcomed to Clutterville" opposing changes to the WF Sign Code.

NOTE: In just May of 2011, Don K received a sign variance granting 16 wall signs where sign regulations would only permit 3 sign and for twice the total square footage for these signs. Additionally, the WF city council has recently demonstrated some of the existing sign code flexibility in granting sign variance requests for the Moose Lodge, and the Great Northern Brewing Company.  The sign code is working and should not be changed.  

Of particular concern is the request in the letters submitted that this reopening of the Whitefish Sign Code be limited to a committee of business owners in the Hwy 93 South entrance corridor:  

"It would be beneficial and fair to make sure whoever is on the review board includes business owners and actual residents of Whitefish that are directly involved with the 93 South Corridor. The Council suggestion would be to limit the review to the southern most city limit of 93 as not to get into the donut area."