West-side district arking permits available Aug. 8

Parking permits for a west-side parking district in the neighborhood around Flathead High School will be available to residents, students and staffers beginning Aug. 8.

Permits for on-street parking may be obtained at the Kalispell Police Department on weekdays between 7:30 a.m. and 5 p.m.

Residents of the parking district may get two free permits with proof of residency and vehicle ownership. Additional permits may be purchased for $25 each. The permits allow residents to park on either side of streets and avenues within the parking district.

High school students and staff may purchase permits for $25 each. Student and staff parking permits allow parking on one side of streets only. The side on which students and staffers may park depends on whether it’s an even or odd year. Street signs will indicate which side of the road students and staff who have purchased permits may park.

Parking permits issued by Flathead High School — which allow parking in school lots only — are not applicable to the west-side parking district.

The parking district covers Second Avenue between Sixth Street West and Ninth Street West; Third Avenue West between Fifth Street West and Ninth Street West; Fourth Avenue West between Eighth Street West and Ninth Street West; and all streets between Fourth Avenue and Second Avenue West.

Parking district restrictions are enforced when school is in session from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. weekdays. An exception is if Kalispell Public Schools requests a “special events” exclusion for high-traffic events such as district tournaments. During these events, the school district will notify residents and police and parking restrictions may be suspended.

This is the second year the west-side parking district has been in effect in an attempt to mitigate residents’ frustrations with the perceived inability to park in front of or near their homes during school days.

The fine for violating the parking district rules is $10. Kalispell Police Department Administrative Capt. Wade Rademacher estimated that more than 200 citations have been given out for parking district violations.

“Any time something new is implemented, there are going to be questions and a learning curve,” Rademacher said. “Overall I thought people learned the rules pretty fast.”

For more information, call Rademacher at 758-7790.

Hilary Matheson is a reporter for The Daily Inter Lake. She may be reached at 758-4431 or hmatheson@dailyinterlake.com.