City wants input on future of south Kalispell

A conversation about a long-debated issue — the development of south Kalispell — is being revived.

The city of Kalispell is ramping up its new South Kalispell Urban Renewal Plan, an exploratory look at the future of the area with the Kalispell City Airport as the centerpiece.

The process kicks off with an open house on Tuesday to gather public comments.

Debate has swirled around the airport for years. After a 2002 environmental analysis suggested a long list of upgrades to the facility, contention arose over the airport’s role since it’s surrounded by neighborhoods and businesses.

Most recently, voters reversed a 2012 decision by the Kalispell City Council that approved designs for airport upgrades. That was done via referendum in 2013. Since then, commercial and airport development has been at a virtual standstill.

Tom Jentz, Kalispell’s director of planning and building, said that the city is taking on the project to “jump-start” the conversation about the area’s future. It has been about 16 months since the referendum.

“The public has said, ‘We don’t want to do this particular action,’” Jentz said.

The city has hired CTA Architects and Engineers to study and draft development plans. Jentz said that at this point everything is on the table.

While the airport and surrounding business district affect — and occasionally impede — each other’s development, they may not end up co-existing. Part of the conversation includes possible closure of the airport.

But that would also carry considerable costs. Jentz said that closure and redevelopment means the city would have to buy out some long-term leases. In 2013, that cost was estimated at $4.8 million.

The other side of the issue is that the airport could fuel its surrounding development. Jentz said that the idea around keeping the airport is that it brings people in who would use the surrounding services. And as more people come in, more services and retail would follow. The area is also a designated tax increment financing district, which can attract commercial development.

Whatever the stance, Jentz said the city is open to public input. Tuesday’s open house is meant to start that conversation.

The South Kalispell Urban Renewal Plan’s community open house will run from 2 to 8 p.m. Tuesday at the Hilton Garden Inn, 1840 U.S. 93 S. The initiative also has a website at www.southkalispellurbanrenewal.com.

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