Land by Kidsports may become commercial

A proposal for about 25 acres of commercial development on the north end of the Kidsports complex will get a public airing at a work session following tonight’s Kalispell City Council meeting.

Department of Natural Resources and Conservation, which owns the 134 acres of Section 36 leased to the city in 1997, has been talking with Kalispell Youth Athletic Complex representatives and the city of Kalispell about a project that could bring in revenue to help offset lease costs.

They have been looking at converting acreage to commercial use — the 13 acres adjacent to Kidsports that DNRC vacated in 2009 when its former offices there relocated to the U.S. Forest Service grounds, plus another 12 acres now included in the youth athletic complex lease.

Combined, the land will be offered for commercial development. Resulting income could help secure the long-term existence of the youth sports facility.

They hope to benefit the Section 36 Land Trust, which brings in money for public schools, help Kidsports get long-term entitlements, meet Kalispell’s development approval process and bring a profit for the developer.

Before going out with a request for proposals, however, the group wants to be sure the City Council is on board with the idea by holding a discussion tonight.

In the regular City Council meeting, the council will:

• Decide whether to untable a discussion about the Montana Department of Transportation’s offer to buy about a quarter-acre of a city park in and a strip of the entrance to Greenbriar Subdivision off Two Mile Drive. It’s needed for the north half of the U.S. 93 Alternate Route, after money becomes available for its future construction.

• Consider a request for a one-year preliminary plat extension at Ashley Square Subdivision, which would create one commercial lot at the Ashley Square Mall along U.S. 2 West.

• Consider appointments to the Impact Fee Committee. Chad Graham and Karlene Osorio-Khor are the only people who have submitted letters of interest for the four positions opening on the city committee.

The regular meeting starts at 7 p.m. in City Hall Council Chambers, with the work session immediately following.