Kalispell Planning Commission begins work on new land use plan

The Kalispell Planning Commission will begin developing a new land use plan and regulations for the city on Tuesday.

The commission must craft a new and improved land use plan after Gov. Greg Gianforte signed Senate Bill 382, also known as the Montana Land Use Planning Act, into law in May 2023. The bill is one of several pro-construction measures the state Legislature passed in 2023 in hopes of easing the statewide housing crunch.  

Nine other cities across the state "are required to adopt a new land use plan replacing their existing growth policies and update local zoning and subdivision regulations” in accordance with the bill, according to the city website. 

The new plan must be adopted by May 2026.  

The Planning Commission convenes at 6 p.m., Nov. 12 in City Hall, 201 First Ave. E. 

Work on the new plan will rely heavily on public input and become a guiding document for future land use decisions, according to a memo by PJ Sorensen, assistant director of Kalispell Development Services.  

Because the plan will be molded through public opinion, community input on specific projects in the future will be limited.  

“The opportunity for the public to be engaged comes with the process establishing the plan and regulations, not with review of a site-specific project,” read Sorensen’s memo.  

The city was awarded $30,000 for public outreach efforts, including the hiring of a public relations contractor to help with outreach, according to a city memo. The money came from the state Department of Commerce’s Montana Community Reinvestment Plan Act Planning Grant. 

Reporter Jack Underhill can be reached at junderhill@dailyinterlake.com and 758-4407.