Grant for urban renewal requested
The Kalispell City Council is being asked tonight to approve a second “pilot project” while programs and guidelines for spending money from the West Side Tax Increment Finance District are still being drafted.
Chap Godsey and Josh Smith, owners of 7 Main St., are asking for tax increment money to help pay for architectural drawings for a period-correct facade for their portion of the Kelly-Main Street building.
Members of the Kalispell Urban Renewal Agency recommend a $5,000 grant to test a “technical assistance” program. The program is being considered as a way to help property owners pay for architectural, engineering and landscape designs and other site-specific studies that may be needed for their redevelopment projects.
The total cost of the architectural drawings is estimated at $7,800.
Godsey and Smith plan to remodel their portion of Kelly-Main Street for retail business on the first floor and to keep second-floor apartments.
Once facade designs are complete they could and likely will apply for more tax increment money to help pay for the facade’s renovation. That’s another program being considered and drafted by the Urban Renewal Agency.
Paul Roybal, owner of the southern part of Kelly-Main Street, was awarded up to $72,661 of tax increment money in April. That money was awarded to help pay for facade improvements, water-line upgrades and an oversized fire-flow line that neighboring businesses can tap for their own fire suppression systems.
The West Side Tax Increment Finance District holds more than $2.7 million and generates about $440,000 a year. Its life was extended for 25 years and its boundary was expanded to overlay more of the city to serve as a financial tool for revitalization goals in Kalispell’s railroad corridor.
Members of the Urban Renewal Agency have been working with the Kalispell Planning Department and Kalispell Community and Economic Development Department to craft programs and policies to govern how money from the tax increment district is made available for private redevelopment projects.
“Council has previously approved a TIF project under draft guidelines as final program guidelines will be brought forward for review and consideration by council at a future date,” Community Development Manager Katharine Thompson wrote in a memo to the City Council.
IN OTHER BUSINESS tonight, the City Council will consider:
• Setting a $1.74-per-thousand-gallons sewer rate and $13,970.41-per-month debt service charge for the Evergreen Sewer District for fiscal year 2014.
Evergreen Sewer District’s use of Kalispell’s treatment plant declined 7.18 percent year-over-year while total plant use declined 2.25 percent. Evergreen’s total share of plant flows decreased from 17.34 to 16.46 percent.
• Appointing David Girardot to the Kalispell Urban Renewal Agency.
• Adopting a “statement of record” for the upcoming referendum on the Kalispell City Airport upgrade.
The statement identifies the resolution Kalispell City Council passed 5-4 to adopt the latest master plan update and proceed with an airport upgrade to B-II design standards through the federal Airport Improvement Program, as well as what voting for or against a repeal of that resolution means.
• Presenting lifesaver awards to firefighters Kirk Pederson, Don Thibert, Josiah Mooney and Jon Campbell for their response to a 17-year-old cardiac arrest patient on July 22. The patient made a full recovery.
• Presenting Architectural Review Committee awards for The Loading Dock and Casa Mexico and an honorable mention for Alpine Dental.
• Finalizing a zoning change for two vacant lots at 1252 N. Meridian Rd. The zoning would be changed from R4 residential to B1 neighborhood business.
Tonight’s meeting starts at 7 p.m. in Kalispell City Hall, 201 First Ave. E. It is open to the public.
Reporter Tom Lotshaw may be reached at 758-4483 or by email at tlotshaw@dailyinterlake.com.