Board backs subdivision with caution to council

The Kalispell Planning Board likes plans for a new residential development enough that it recommends the City Council approve the first steps for Trumbull Creek Crossing Phase 2.

But that support comes with a big caveat: Beware of annexing yet more islands into the city.

The mixed-use development includes single-family lots and land set aside for light industrial uses on 160 acres stretching between East Reserve Drive and Rose Crossing. Developers are asking to have it annexed — but it sits at least two miles outside Kalispell city limits.

“This is a well-thought-out project,” board member John Hinchey said after the board’s unanimous approval of initial zoning, preliminary plat and a planned-unit-development overlay on about 55 acres.

He commended Mike Anders of Northwest Development Group and his support team, and the city planning staff — Sean Conrad took the lead in this project — for their diligent work to meet the Planning Board’s concerns.

“But I’m having trouble with it being 2 or 2 1/2 miles from the closest boundary,” Hinchey added. “We’re setting up for trouble with yet another island.”

When Anders developed Trumbull Creek Crossing Phase 1, a single-family neighborhood that lies south of Phase 2 and closer to Kalispell, that development remained in the county.

Now he’s asking that Phase 2 be included in Kalispell and receive city water and police and fire protection. Evergreen Sewer District approved plans to connect to its lines, with treatment done at the Kalispell wastewater treatment plant.

Conrad said Kalispell police agreed to provide service, but cautioned that they already are understaffed and this would stretch resources even tighter. Police also said it’s possible they will be given jurisdiction over U.S. 2 in that area, where traffic calls could worsen the problem.

Fire calls presumably would be dispatched first through the Kalispell Fire Department. Conrad said Kalispell Fire is fine with the idea because new construction follows modern fire codes. But Evergreen Fire Chief Craig Williams registered concerns about erosion of his territory and a cooperative working relationship with Kalispell.

“I would propose a resolution,” Hinchey said, “to urge the council to proceed with caution on annexation.”

The issue, he said, is providing service that far away from city limits. “It’s a great subdivision, but at this time …” he trailed off. The location and timing in the economy put the annexation issue on shaky ground, he said.

Board member C.M. Clark agreed. The developer “did a wonderful job, they took care of obligations with Evergreen Sewer,” Clark said. But the City Council needs to “look at this long and hard and do this with a lot of caution.”

Board member Rick Hull, however, took the opposite stance.

“As you know I opposed Silverbrook,” Hull said of another island annexed north of Kalispell on U.S. 93. “But I see a lot of differences between this.”

It’s in close proximity to other houses in the area, he pointed out, has easy access to sewer, and “stormwater [issues] can make it impossible to get approval in the county.”

Erica Wirtala of Sands Surveying, who worked with Anders on the subdivision, urged the board to consider the light-industrial component that would bring impact fees to the city. Its phased build-out also would mean the subdivision will pay for itself as it proceeds, she said.

Board member Richard Griffin agreed with Hull.

“If you draw a line in the sand” to set limits on city annexations, Griffin said, “you’ve got to say when enough is enough. Where do we stop?”

The resolution to send the council a caution about island annexations was approved 4-3, with Hull, Griffin and board chairman Bryan Schutt dissenting.

Reporter Nancy Kimball can be reached at 758-4483 or by e-mail at nkimball@dailyinterlake.com