Kalispell council looks at rail park, board appointments

Tonight, the Kalispell City Council will consider a preliminary plat request for the recently annexed industrial park east of Whitefish Stage Road, along with considering additional city board appointments.

The 40-acre industrial park owned by the Flathead County Economic Development Authority was the subject of a hearing before the city Planning Board on April 22. The preliminary plat that is recommended to the council calls for creating 20 rail-served industrial lots, a storm drainage tract and a segment of public right-of-way.

Board appointments to be considered are: Conrad Mansion Board, Vanessa Ceravolo; Downtown Business Improvement District, Pam Mower; Impact Fee Committee (three openings) Justin Ahmann, Merna Terry and Jeff Zauner; Planning Board (four openings) Karlene Osorio-Khor, Charles Pesola and Matt Regier; Police Commission, Sam Herbert; Street Tree Committee, Andrea Davidson; Technical Advisory Committee, Tim Larson; and Urban Renewal Agency, Marc Rold.

The developer of the Silverbrook Estates subdivision on the north side of Kalispell is requesting that the city vacate several amended plats for the subdivision that were necessary after the recession settled in and no lots could be sold and developed. Now that the real estate market has improved, the developer wants to restore the original plat for 285 lots.

The council will consider final plat approval for the three-lot Bright View commercial subdivision on the north side of town. The preliminary plat with conditions was approved in September 2013, and necessary conditions have been met.

Also on the agenda is a proposed ordinance that would technically enable the council to adopt new parking fees, a duty that was relegated to Kalispell Parking Commission, which was discontinued in 2012. No fee changes are proposed at this time.

The meeting begins at 7 p.m. at Kalispell City Hall.