Kalispell OKs plans for land north of city

By KRISTI ALBERTSONThe Daily Inter Lake

The Kalispell City Council decided Monday to allow as much as 45 percent commercial development in a 600-acre area north of the intersection of West Reserve Drive and U.S. 93.

On an 8-1 vote, the council approved a revised growth policy amendment.

The policy is designed to keep commercial and industrial growth close to the current city limits and allow only houses and small neighborhood commercial areas farther north. The plan also prohibits linear commercial development to prevent a line of storefronts along U.S. 93.

The growth policy affects 8,000 acres north of Kalispell, from the Stillwater River to the west, north to Church and Birch Grove drives and east to LaSalle to Rose Crossing to the Flathead River. Reserve Drive is the southern boundary.

The only major point of contention was how much commercial development to allow in the 600-acre area known as KN-1, which is bordered by West Reserve Drive on the south and U.S. 93 on the west.

Councilman Bob Hafferman, the lone dissenter, said his opposition stemmed in part from his belief that the area should be specifically designated a planned-unit-development zone. Such a zone would essentially allow developers and Kalispell to negotiate a custom-made development plan for that area.

Kalispell has no direct control over land outside its city limits. But it owns the sewer system to which many rural developers hope to connect, giving the city some clout over construction near the town, especially if landowners want their properties annexed.

The city planning board recommended that the 600 acres be set aside as follows: 25 percent for commercial use, 25 percent for office and related purposes, 40 percent for homes and 10 percent for open space. Flathead County planners recommended that 270 acres be set aside for commercial and office use.

The council approved as much as 45 percent commercial development in KN-1, with as much as 25 percent for a mix of residential, commercial, industrial and office uses. As much as 40 percent would be set aside for homes and as much as 10 percent for open space. Since the council percentages total more than 100 percent, if one use reaches its maximum percentage, at least one other proposed use cannot.

Kalispell s rate of commercial development was a factor in the council s decision. Because the city s commercial property is expanding rapidly, council members said having a higher lid on commercial development in KN-1 would be a wiser option.

For the last few years, Kalispell has added 300,000 square feet of commercial development each year, according to City Planning Director Tom Jentz. This is the equivalent of adding a Costco and Lowe s, he said, adding that the rate of expansion will continue for the next few years.

There s a commercial engine going on in this valley, he said.

The council also revised the language of the growth policy amendment to say only limited parking will be permitted within setbacks. To prevent storefronts along the highway, those setbacks must be a minimum of 100 to 150 feet.

Reporter Kristi Albertson may be reached at 758-4438 or by e-mail at kalbertson@dailyinterlake.com.