Dupont also wants say in doughnut lawsuit

For the third time in less than a year, documents have been filed by people who want a say in the city of Whitefish’s lawsuit against Flathead County over the two-mile planning and zoning jurisdiction commonly called the “doughnut” area.

Flathead County Com­missioner Jim Dupont and “doughnut” resident Anne Reno filed for intervenor status on Feb. 18.

Two separate parties filed for intervenor status in March 2008 — Heiko and Elizabeth Arndt, who own property on Whitefish Stage Road, and Westridge Investments LLC, with principal R. Matthew Moran, which owns property on Birch Glen Road.

Then in January this year, the Northwest Montana Association of Realtors filed an amicus brief in support of the county.In his application, Dupont cites the importance of the “doughnut” issue in last year’s county commissioner election.

Dupont notes that his Republican primary opponent, incumbent commissioner Gary Hall, admitted the interlocal agreement that created the “doughnut” was a mistake.Dupont also notes that his Democratic opponent, Steve Qunell, favored Whitefish control over the planning and zoning area, and only one of the three current county commissioners, Joe Brenneman, supports the interlocal agreement.“Dupont believes that previous commissioners should not be able to bind future commissioners on legislative issues, such as enacting zoning and growth policies in the doughnut,” his application states. Reno, who owns property on Eagle Creek Trail, “is a single mother living on limited means,” the application states, and “her home is her major asset and nest egg for retirement.”

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