Whitefish Sustainable Tourism Management Plan Standing Committee

SUSTAINABLE TOURISM MANAGEMENT PLAN STEERING AGENDA FRIDAY, MAY 7TH 9:00 AM TO 10:00 AM Via Webex To attend the meeting, and provide live comment via WebEx on your computer, tablet or smartphone, residents and other attendees should go to the following web address. REGISTRATION IS NOT REQUIRED Meeting Link: Webex Link Meeting Number: 187 623 9034 Password: 7M@y2! Join by video system: Dial 1876239034@cityofwhitefish.webex.com You can also dial 173.243.2.68 and enter your meeting number. Join by phone: 1-408-418-9388 Access code: 187 623 9034 1) Call to Order 2) Minutes- February 2, 2021 3) Update from Committee Members 4) Action Item Committee Reports Synopsis 5) Discussion of Resort Tax Reallocation 6) Adjournment  SUSTAINABLE TOURISM MANAGEMENT PLAN STEERING COMMITTEE February 2, 2021 3:00 PM Minutes A. Call to order and roll call Chair Lauren Oscilowski called the meeting to order. Members present were Mariah Joos, Alan Myers-Davis, Nick Polumbus, Craig Workman, Michelle Howke, Andy Feury, Brian Schott, Megan Powell, Dylan Boyle, and Rhonda Fitzgerald. B. Approval of Minutes – • November 17, 2020 • December 4, 2020 Mariah made a motion to approve the November 17 and December 4, 2020 minutes. The motion carried. C. Committee Reports • Transportation – Craig/Rhonda Recommendations to the Council: • Adopt a Complete Streets Policy – to formalize the community’s intent to plan, design, and maintain streets for all users of all ages and abilities, including people walking and biking. • Prioritize Transportation catalyst projects identified in the adopted Downtown Business District Masterplan: o Whitefish Promenade North Section, including the Viaduct Overpass improvements o Whitefish Promenade South, protected bikeway from 6th St. to Railway St. on Spokane o “Traffic Calming” strategies including reducing speed limits to 20 mph o “Maintain Downtown Whitefish as a destination rather than simply a place to pass through” – “maintain curbside parking wherever possible” • City and outside partners continue to work together on available grant opportunities and other sources of creative project funding. Resources: • Whitefish Downtown Business District Master Plan • Whitefish Transportation Plan Update: Existing Conditions report • Complete Streets Policy review • Healthy Community Design Summit 2014 Recommendations – Mark Fenton • STMP “Friend of the Fish” Values Statement: Take it slow. Enjoy the Ride  o Slow down and take a deep breath. Enjoy and notice the quiet pace of life in Whitefish and the beauty that surrounds all of us in every moment. o Walk, ride, or hop on the S.N.O.W bus before you drive. • Funding – Dylan/Alan Local Funding Measures: • Resort Tax – STMP could promote through education, outreach and advocacy of the extension and proposed reallocations. o Property tax reduction for taxpayers residing in the city in an amount equal to 25% of the 3% resort tax revenues derived during the preceding fiscal year o Provision for the repair, maintenance, and improvement of streets, storm sewers, all underground utilities, sidewalks, curbs, and gutters, in an amount equal to 58% of the 3% resort tax revenues derived during the preceding fiscal year o Improvements and maintenance of bicycle/pedestrian paths and other park acquisition, capital improvements and equipment in an amount equal to 10% of the 3% resort tax revenues derived during the preceding fiscal year o Provisions for the maintenance and replacement of existing improvements of the Whitefish Trail in an amount equal to 2% of the 3% resort tax revenues derived during the preceding fiscal year. Any amounts not spent within five fiscal years may be appropriated for the maintenance of bicycle/pedestrian paths o Cost of administering the resort tax in an amount equal to 5% of the 3% resort tax per year • City create a Park Improvement Fund – Community partners can apply for funds to maintain or improve parks; City of Bozeman has: o Trails, Open Space, and Parks Programs (TOP Program) o Cash-in-Lieu of Parkland Funds o Park Improvement Grant All are available on their website. The City does have Cash-in-Lieu of Parkland that is paid with development. The City has created a Cost-Share-Program for sidewalk maintenance with property owners. That program could be a foundation for Park Improvement Program. The Committee recommends formalizing and providing this information on the website. Maybe create a sustainability page that would include all grant opportunities. The CVB has a grant program, $7500/year, for CVB businesses or any registered Montana non-profit. They have funded some infrastructure projects such as some  of the wayfinding signs that include the Whitefish Trail, the Whitefish Bike Retreat to groom the trails. • Short-term Rentals – Lauren/Rhonda/Mariah Recommendation to the City Council: • Places to put more effort o Changes to regulations and ordinances  Require registering/licensing with the City; incorporate the registration numbers into the listings (i.e., Palm Springs)  Registration fees and annual renewal fees o More stringent fees for violations  Jackson Hole- $750/night in violation  Jackson Hole lists all registered STR’s on website  Better enforcement, how to report a violation – type of violations (parking, health and safety, noise etc.) o How properties are considered - no longer residential, technically commercial  Properties are being used under a commercial use  Treat as commercial property, not residential property o Change definition of time limit of what is considered Short Term Rental  Not nightly/ but less than 30 days  Not less than six months This takes the idea of an investment property out and puts back into the actual rental housing market – long-term leasing. • Create a moratorium to not allow conditional permits going forward for any lodging until we get a better idea of what a benchmark is. The City has expanded the hours for the Customer Service Clerk to delegate hours to researching where the short-term rentals are and responding to complaints. The complaint will be kept anonymous to the public. The FY21 Council goals includes more short-term rental program enforcement and improve collections. The City is looking at streamlining the application and licensing process and will purchase AirDNA, an online listing. • Recycling – Craig/Michelle Background • City currently has a Centralized Recycling Site; the property is being repurposed and the City is considering creating a new centralized collection site on Monegan Road • The City renewed their contract with North Valley Refuse (Republic Services), which does not include the management of the recycling collection site. • Interest in zero-waste event requirements based on 2020 success of Whitefish Farmers Market. STMP • Challenges- Visitor impacts, landfill nearing capacity, bears, limited recycling, dumping, BNSF/vehicle emissions, water pollution from boats, dog poop, wildfire smoke, light pollution, tourist travel footprint. Some haulers are no longer accepting plastic and there are limited options for glass recycling. The drop-off site has issues with contaminated materials, and lack of recycling options. • Ideas – Composting, recycle plastic, more recycling options, waste diversion, education. Encourage development of recycling business ideas and businesses. Climate Action Plan • Life cycle of goods and materials accounts for a significant percentage of a municipality’s greenhouse gas emissions. • Goal to increase waste diversion and reduction through waste prevention, purchasing and repair policies, recycling, composting, and education. • Expand community recycling and composting, single-stream residential curbside recycling, improve public space recycling programs, develop opportunities for recycling of goods and food waste by local businesses, purchase leaf vacuum and explore developing a leaf collection/composting repository with community partners. Recommendations for City Council • Proceed with advertising to bid for recycling services. The advertisement includes design and management of a central drop off site as well as allowing contractor to provide pricing on curbside collection. Input should be solicited from the STMP Committee and the CAP Committee prior to implementing a solution. • Research and expand opportunities for recycling, support local recycling businesses, and reduce overall waste. Specifically work to expand programs and options for recycling and sponsor efforts to reduce overall waste/plastic use. Resources • Whitefish Sustainable Tourism Masterplan (2019) • Whitefish Climate Action Plan (2018) D. New Business Lauren will compile the information collected and presented. Andy will give the Council a report at the next meeting and ask for feedback on a work session. E. Next Meeting TBD F. Adjournment The meeting was adjourned at 4:15 pm.  Sustainable Tourism Management Planning Committee Action Item Committee Reports Synopsis (Presented 2/2/2021) Transportation—Craig/Rhonda Funding—Alan/Dylan Housing/Rentals—Mariah/Rhonda/Lauren Recycling—Michelle/Craig Transportation 1. City to adopt Complete Streets Policy to cut pollution, decrease traffic and fight climate change by supporting plans, policies and funding that promote activity-friendly routes to every day destinations. Complete Streets policies formalize a community’s intent to plan, design and maintain streets for all users of all ages and abilities including people walking and biking. This policy would better position the City to insist on compliant plans from MDT and the county. (1,600 U.S. communities have adopted Complete Streets policies.) 2. City to prioritize transportation catalyst projects identified in adopted Down Business District Masterplan. “A bias toward the pedestrian and cyclist should be fostered for all streets in the Downtown, including Auto Mobility Streets.” Examples: -Whitefish Promenade North Section including Viaduct Overpass improvements -Whitefish Promenade South, protected bikeway from 6th to Railway on Spokane -“Traffic calming” strategies including reducing speed limits to 20mph -“Maintain Downtown Whitefish as a destination rather than simply a place to pass through.” -“Maintain curbside parking wherever possible” 3. The City and its many valuable outside partners will continue to work together on available grant opportunities and other sources of creative project funding. Housing/Rentals 1. City to redefine Short-Term Rental from ‘stays of less than thirty (30) days’ to ‘stays of less than (90) days.’ If the goal of Long-Term Rentals is to create neighborhoods then the 30 day requirement is too short. RESIDENTIAL, SHORT TERM RENTAL: The rental of an entire privately owned house, townhouse unit, condominium unit, apartment or other residence, or any space within a dwelling unit rented independently, for stays of less than thirty (30) days. Short term rentals as defined herein do not include the following: bed  and breakfasts, hostels, and motel or hotel establishments, and they shall not provide food or beverages for sale on premises or with the rental of the dwelling. Renting a portion of the home for a short-term rental does not qualify as a home occupation. 2. Make reporting issues/violations of Short-Term Rentals anonymous. 3. Provide a list, available on the city website, of licensed Short-Term Rental properties. Recycling 1. Proceed with advertisement to bid for recycling services. Based on feedback from Council, it was determined that the advertisement should include design and management of a central drop off location as well as allowing contractors to provide pricing on curbside collection. Once bids are received, input should be solicited from the STMP Committee and CAP Committee prior to implementing a solution. 2. Research and expand opportunities for recycling, support local recycling businesses, and reduce overall waste. Specifically work to expand programs and options for recycling and sport efforts to reduce overall waste/plastic use.