Hospital's parking plan in front of Kalispell City Council

The Kalispell City Council could decide tonight whether or not Kalispell Regional Medical Center can expand a parking lot.

The project would build onto an existing parking lot between Heritage Way and Grandview Drive. The hospital has cited significant parking challenges because of its growth over the years.

The proposal was met with vocal opposition at a Planning Board meeting. The site of the expansion, currently a dirt lot, sits between the hospital campus and residents to the east.

At a June 9 Planning Board meeting, residents talked about dust, noise, trucks and the perception that the hospital is encroaching into the neighborhood.

The Planning Board passed measures related to the parking lot on a 5-1 vote with one abstention. Prior to the roll call, city staffers reminded board members that they were voting for a growth policy amendment and a zoning change, not the parking lot itself.

The 9.5-acre area would be rezoned for hospital use. In this case, the hospital has indicated that a parking lot would be placed there.

Public comments will be taken prior to the vote at tonight’s City Council meeting.

In other business, the council will consider a 3.2-percent pay raise for its non-union employees.

The raise would come in the form of an initial 1.9-percent base raise, as well as an updated pay schedule that determines future raises based on experience.

The council meeting begins at 7 p.m. today at City Hall.

Reporter Matt Hudson may be reached at 758-4459 or by email at mhudson@dailyinterlake.com.