Board tackles urban growth policy
Kalispell's growth to the west is expected to be slower than its growth to the north.
The city Planning Board began discussing Tuesday what Kalispell's urban growth policy should look like to the west.
Board members and the city's planning staff were skittish about spooking West Valley residents who traditionally have been leery of Kalispell expanding into that area.
Consequently, board members talked about a slow, soft touch in addressing westward growth issues.
Such issues could include building or improving roads; identifying sites for future parks and fire stations; and figuring out what to do with gravel pit sites that would likely be closed down if and when their landowners seek annexation in the future.
Right now, Kalispell is digesting the annexation of roughly three square miles in 2007, the majority of it jutting north of West Reserve Drive, which used to be the town's main north border.
Last year's annexations included a proposed roughly 4,700 lots for homes. That does not include this month's annexation of the Glacier Town Center with another 632 potential homes. A 765-home project also is being pitched for just west of the Kidsports complex.
Consequently, planners do not expect much additional development outside of Kalispell's western border - with accompanying annexation requests - to show up in 2008.
"I think the huge pressure for jump, jump, jump is off for a season. The question is how long is that season?" City Planning Director Tom Jentz said.
Kalispell has been absorbing 300 to 400 new homes annually.
The state has become stricter about allowing septic fields to be installed, and Kalispell has a huge state-of-the-art sewage treatment plant that is expanding.
Consequently, developers near Kalispell have overwhelmingly sought to have their projects annexed into the city - straining the town's services, utilities, streets and budget.
The urban growth policy is a guideline in which the city says what it wants to see in areas that might join Kalispell. This gives Kalispell its clout in forcing developers to meet the town's terms when annexation is sought.
Being in an urban growth area does not mean that a rural region will be annexed. Kalispell almost always annexes only sites whose owners request to be in the city.
One matter to be resolved is what the western border of the urban growth area should be.
Farm-To-Market Road appears to be an easy-to-identify landmark that fits in with Kalispell's western boundaries for its transportation and utilities plans.
But this also is an area filled with people who have been vocal about not being annexed - at least in the near future.
"Are we asking for trouble in going that far?" board member John Hinchey asked.
The Planning Board will address the western border at a future date.
A major part of the city's western expansion was last year's annexation of the one-square-mile Starling project west of Glacier High School which is expected to hold 3,000 new homes in 20 years. Starling, currently farm land, is surrounded on three sides by rural land.
Jentz expects that developers south of Starling will seek annexation this year.
In a related matter, board members mentioned that a traffic study might be needed for U.S. 93 North.
Citizens For A Better Flathead and the Flathead Business and Industrial Association have pushed for similar studies of how U.S. 93's traffic controls should be addressed as it heads toward Whitefish - especially with Kalispell's housing and commercial projects extending three miles north of West Reserve Drive.
The fact that the Riverdale housing and commercial project is earmarked for U.S. 93 farther north in rural Flathead County is another reason to tackle a master traffic control plan for the highway, board members said.
Reporter John Stang may be reached at 758-4429 or by e-mail at jstang@dailyinterlake.com