High-density growth allowed west of Kalispell

Kalispell’s housing boom continues to expand each year, and with Monday’s change in the city growth policy, some of that growth will be happening west of town. 

The Kalispell City Council on Monday unanimously approved a request to re-designate a large land tract west of Kalispell. The new land use has been changed from suburban residential and urban residential to neighborhood commercial and high density residential.

The area amended by the council’s vote changes approximately 20 acres — 10.5 neighborhood commercial and 9.5 high-density residential.

Although outside city limits, the Kalispell Growth Policy defines development areas around the city. By amending the area west of the bypass, the policy now allows growth to develop outside of already-dense areas, away from downtown and South Kalispell.

“This change will be in anticipation of future change,” said engineer Michael Fraser, who spoke on behalf of the developer Monday. “It is appropriate.”

Dwayne Druckenmiller and WWEE, LLC, of Kalispell, in September submitted the request to amend the Kalispell Growth Policy for the area at the southern end of Stillwater Road, south of Four Mile Drive west of the bypass. The project is called the Stillwater and Four Mile Neighborhood Commercial project.

“The underlying property owner is just setting himself up for later on down the road,” Planning and Building Director Tom Jentz said. “He’s just thinking that land has use for more than just residential.”

High-density projects submitted to the city have recently been met with opposition. South Kalispell residents battled the Lofts at Ashley apartment proposal with a list of compromises, eventually whittling the project down to 55 units from its original 96.

But the Stillwater and Four Mile Neighborhood project was handily carried through Monday’s meeting without being entombed in public altercation.

No plans for the future development have been submitted to the city at this time.

Reporter Seaborn Larson may be reached at 758-4441 or by email at slarson@dailyinterlake.com.