State wants to sell land in Kalispell
The Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation is taking public comment on a proposal to sell 100 acres of school trust land in Kalispell for residential development.
The property is located on Four Mile Drive immediately west of the KidSport ballfield complex. It's part of the 620-acre Section 36 school trust site, which runs from Four Mile to West Reserve Drive and from U.S. 93 to Stillwater Road.
Earlier this year, the department issued a request for qualification, seeking experienced real estate firms to help develop the property using a combined sale/lease approach.
However, after only two proposals were received, the
department changed course. It's now considering selling the property outright.
The proposal, which still has to be approved by the State Land Board, would use a process called "land banking."
In most cases, money from the sale of any school trust land goes directly to the permanent trust fund. With land banking, however, the proceeds can be used to buy additional school trust land elsewhere in the state.
By law, a maximum of 100,000 acres can be sold for land banking, and no more than 20,000 acres can be sold at any one time before replacement property is purchased.
The first block of 20,000 acres - including the 100 acres in Kalispell - was recently nominated for the program. An environmental analysis will be completed for all tracts under consideration, after which the list will be presented to the state land board for approval.
Public comment on the proposal will be accepted until June 10.
The land board would also have to approve the minimum bid price for each parcel to be sold, as well as the final sale, which would take place by competitive bid.
Steve Lorch, the project planner for the DNRC's Northwest Land Office in Kalispell, said the sale wouldn't affect or change the design standards or land-use requirements that were created by the Section 36 Neighborhood Plan.
The plan calls for residential development on this parcel. It's also zoned for residential.
Lorch said the details of the bid process haven't been finalized yet. However, anyone who bids on the parcel would probably be asked to submit a subdivision proposal. The selection would then be based on a combination of the quality of the project and how much revenue was generated for the trust.
Anyone wishing to comment on the sale proposal can submit written remarks to Lorch at 2250 U.S. 93 North, Kalispell, 59901, or by e-mail to slorch@mt.gov
Additional information on the land banking process is available at www.dnrc.state.mt.us/landbanking
Reporter Bill Spence may be reached at 758-4459 or by e-mail at bspence@dailyinterlake.com