Development crosses another hurdle

The Daily Inter Lake

Two separate developments received different reactions from the Kalispell City Council on Monday to requests for increased density.

The Starling subdivision requested a designation of urban residential rather than suburban residential. The proposed Willow Creek development requested to change its industrial designation to suburban residential.

The council voted to amend the growth policy to allow greater density in one development but not the other.

The council voted 5-4 to deny Willow Creek's request for an amendment to the growth policy for the development on 30 acres at the intersection of Foy's Lake Road and Valley View Drive.

The council did, however, vote 8-1 to approve an amendment to the growth policy that would change the Starling development to urban residential. Starling, the largest development in Kalispell's history, is located west of Stillwater Road and south of West Reserve Drive.

At Monday's meeting, the council also voted to deny Dr. Daniel Abbott's request for relief from the city's building and zoning requirements.

For two years Abbott and the city of Kalispell have butted heads concerning Abbott's home, which borders the Buffalo Hill Golf Course.

Two issues have come into play:

n Abbott has been seeking a 15-foot-wide easement onto the neighboring golf course - an easement needed to enable his new second-story bedroom on top of his garage to meet Kalispell's zoning laws.

n During the construction of the second-story room, Abbott also failed to meet the necessary inspection standards.

With a vote of 6-3, the council decided to deny Abbott both relief from building and zoning requirements and the purchase of the easement.

For more details, see Wednesday's Inter Lake.