Plan board backs adult care home near hospital

Despite neighborhood opposition, the Kalispell Planning Board last week recommended approval of a conditional use permit for an adult care home near Kalispell Regional Medical Center.

The board voted 5-1 in favor of a request by Doreen Hayek to operate a four-person home at 75 Buffalo Hill Drive.

Troy Mendius was the lone dissenter. Bryan Schutt was absent.

The property is zoned residential.

Planning Director Tom Jentz said the city is obligated by law to approve the permit because it is a group home. He noted that the home would need to be licensed by the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services.

Buffalo Hill Drive dead-ends at a city water tower. There are seven neighbors on the block, and each signed a protest against the permit, Jentz said.

They worried that the adult care home would  change the nature of the neighborhood from residential to commercial.

Jentz said Hayek plans to house four elderly people in the one-story home.

In other action, the board unanimously recommended approval of a conditional use permit to allow food service at the former U.S. Army Reserve Center at 1110 Second Street West at South Meridian Road.

The Samaritan House homeless shelter, which is located two blocks east of the center, would like to serve breakfast and lunch to 20 people per day and dinner to 40 people per day.

In addition, Samaritan House would like to use portions of the center for food, clothing and furniture pantries for Samaritan House residents.

A neighbor who lives east of the center requested that Samaritan House residents not use an alley next to his home to reach the center.

The Planning Board asked that the man and the Samaritan House discuss the issue.

The Samaritan House obtained a conditional use permit in July 2009 to conduct tutoring at the center, Jentz said.

Eventually the organization would like to add GED assistance, meeting space, a tele-medical office, and dental and medical offices.