Council considers annexing 4 biggest 'islands'

By JOHN STANG

The Daily Inter Lake

Kalispell is edging toward annexing several tiny parcels of unincorporated land within the city limits.

However, the City Council is unsure whether it wants to consider annexing the four biggest unincorporated "islands" within town - two in southern Kalispell and two between Three Mile Drive and Four Mile Drive.

Overall, there are 365 technically rural homes that the city currently surrounds.

On Monday - in a workshop session in which no votes were allowed - the council discussed whether Kalispell should annex those sites.

Council members leaned toward trying to annex the numerous scattered spots that have a handful or less of homes on them - mainly to avoid confusion in which fire departments should serve them.

But the council also wanted detailed information about the four largest "islands" before it will discuss whether the residents at those sites should be approached about annexation.

Those four are the roughly 120 acres of Green Acres, with 247 homes within southeast Kalispell; roughly 40 acres south of Sunnyside Drive and straddling Ashley Creek, with few homes and lots of open space; plus the roughly 20 acres of North Haven and roughly 40 acres of Meadow Lands in west-central Kalispell.

The annexation issue comes from problems in determining whether city or rural fire departments should answer calls in these "islands" of county land.

In some areas, a city fire station is closer to homes than the nearest appropriate volunteer fire station, according to a city staff memo. These islands also create confusion for 911 dispatchers who often must guess which agency should answer a call.

If Kalispell annexed those 365 homes, it would, on average, see one more house fire a year, plus the need to install extra fire hydrants and upgrade some streets and utilities, the memo said.

Property taxes would increase $1,135 for an annexed house valued at $200,000. If $200,000 is the average assessed value of each of the 365 homes, then the city would receive an extra $414,275 in annual property-tax revenue.

Annexation has been a touchy subject between the city and its unincorporated neighbors.

The Kalispell government traditionally has been sensitive about annexing land without the owner's blessing. Typically, Kalispell waits for an outlying area to request annexation.

Council members were nervous Monday about breaking that pattern, and possibly annexing against the landowners' wills.

"Some of these people chose to live outside of the city, and I understand that," said Kalispell fire Chief Randy Brodehl.

Council member Randy Kenyon said: "It's a can of worms."

Mayor Pam Kennedy and council member Duane Larson said the city needs much more information about the four large islands before anyone can say whether those areas would benefit more from being annexed or staying unincorporated,

"I don't know if the cost is worth it to the homeowners of these areas," Larson said.

City officials said efforts would be made to notify affected residents before taking action, and that the city might set up neighborhood meetings.

Any annexation will have to go through a public hearing before the Kalispell Planning Board, because an annexed area would have to be zoned according to the city's laws.

Reporter John Stang may be reached at 758-4429 or by e-mail at jstang@dailyinterlake.com.