Planning task force gets rolling

The Daily Inter Lake

Transportation corridors, parks and recreational facilities, sewer and water utilities, and residential development patterns are a few of the issues that could be addressed in the coming months by the Long-Range Planning Task Force.

The newly created task force, which includes about 16 members, held its first meeting Wednesday afternoon.

Topics included the makeup of the task force, how its work will relate to the ongoing efforts to update the Flathead County Growth Policy, and what subjects the task force should consider.

Several county department heads attended, along with representatives of Kalispell, Whitefish, Columbia Falls and Evergreen; several appointed citizen members; and Commissioner Gary Hall, who initially proposed the creation of the task force late last year.

Hall said the task force isn't an attempt to hijack development of the new growth policy from the county planning board, which has been working on the document for more than two years. However, given that the board is being flooded with planning applications, it doesn't have the time to really investigate the valley's long-range growth needs.

"I feel an urgency to try and complete the growth policy in a quality way that really benefits the valley," Hall said Wednesday. "By forming this group, we aren't trying to take over the writing of the policy, but I think a lot of our work is going to benefit that effort."

Kalispell Mayor Pam Kennedy questioned whether the task force had adequate representation from the three cities, given that they have a unique perspective on the impacts associated with county growth. She also wondered if representatives from unincorporated communities such as Bigfork or Lakeside should be appointed to the task force.

Whitefish City Manager Gary Marks suggested that the three cities have an elected official and city staff member on the task force, with someone from their individual planning boards appointed as an alternate to fill in if needed. That proposal was accepted by the group.

As for the unincorporated communities, Hall said he didn't want the task force to have so many members it becomes cumbersome. As the task force moves forward, though, he fully expects that it would hold meetings in various communities to get their perspective.

What exactly the task force will do, however, remains something of a question. Hall said he hopes it will identify future transportation corridors across the valley floor. Others expressed a desire to address long-range parks and recreation needs, as well as water availability, sewer services and other topics.

Nevertheless, the task force is clearly a work in progress; its role and focus will continue to develop over the next few months.

The group's next meeting will be on Feb. 8 from 4 to 6 p.m. in the second-floor conference room of the Earl Bennett Building in Kalispell.

In preparation for that meeting, the task force members will do some research on what other communities are doing to address their growth needs. There will be time for public comment toward the end of the session.