Projects would add 2,110 homes

| October 11, 2006 1:00 AM

By JOHN STANG

Kalispell Planning Department wants more information from three development groups

The Daily Inter Lake

Three huge housing projects - totaling 2,110 homes - are working their way through the Kalispell Planning Department.

Right now, the department is reviewing the initial proposals and has asked for more information from the three development groups, said planner Sean Conrad. None of the proposals are ready to go before the Planning Board.

Overall, the three ventures propose constructing 1,588 houses, 120 townhouses, 126 condominiums, 276 apartments and 12 neighborhood commercial buildings.

Two projects - totaling 464 acres - are outside Kalispell, but within its growth-policy planning area. The developers plan to request annexation into Kalispell, which offers sewer and water lines. These projects face the city's recently passed or modified impact fees, which are supposed to help offset Kalispell's costs in providing sewer, water and stormwater services. Here is a breakdown of the three projects:

. Willow Creek, just southwest of Kalispell at the intersection of Foy's Lake Road and Valley View Drive.

This consists of 139 acres owned by the O'Neil Family Trust on which developer Wayne Tuner wants to build 711 single-family houses. Turner wants Kalispell to annex the land.

. Silverbrook Estates at the southwest corner of U.S. 93 North and Church Drive.

Ninety-three and Church LLC, whose leading public representative is land owner Howard Mann, wants to build 466 single-family houses and 120 townhouses on the 325-acre site. Plans for the site include 12 neighborhood commercial lots and 2.5 acres set aside for a new fire station. This site is roughly three miles north of the Kalispell city limits, and the developers want the city to annex the site.

. Glacier Meadows, which is 85 acres of former state land south of the Glacier High School site, that Glacier Meadows LLC of Las Vegas bought last summer.

Plans call for 411 single-family houses, 276 apartment units and 126 condominium units.