Concerns aired about apartment proposal

The developer of a proposed high-density apartment complex on Kalispell’s south side is prepared to downsize the project after hearing from residents who aired their grievances at Tuesday’s Kalispell Planning Board meeting.

Initial proposals for the Lofts at Ashley show a $7 million, 96-unit apartment complex on 3.79 acres bordered by single-family homes along Airport Road. The developers are requesting the city annex and rezone the vacant property to high-density multi-family use.

In the time since the proposal was submitted Sept. 9, the city planning department has received about 30 comments from residents expressing opposition. Opponents claim the project will depreciate home values and add traffic congestion to the neighborhood, while also objecting to the loss of open space.

Residents lined up to speak at Tuesday’s meeting to reiterate those concerns.

Developer Dave Weber, a Kalispell oral surgeon and owner of Lofts at Ashley LLC, said he’s listened to the neighbors and will bring their concerns into consideration when adjusting the project design.

“It was pretty consistent with what we’ve heard already,” Weber said of public comment.

Following the meeting, Weber said he’s prepared to reduce one three-story building to two stories, lowering the count from 96 units to 64. Weber said he’s also planning to raise a 3-foot berm surrounding the properties to 6 feet with trees.

Prior to public comment, Weber laid out the project for the planning board.

He said the project is designed to be compatible with the adjacent neighborhood, which he added should expect development with the city’s south Kalispell plan currently underway.

“It’s our desire to develop a project that fits south Kalispell,” Weber said. “There’s a lot of excitement around south Kalispell with the airport and everything.”

When public comment opened, a common concern aired by neighbors was with the loss of the open lot that residents had used as a park.

“There’s been a long-standing understanding and a verbal understanding from the former developer of our subdivision that Ashley Park was a green zone and so it’s been used like that,” said Canvasback Court resident David Curtis.

Weber routed the requirement of keeping some green space in the project by paying a fee in lieu of park space.

City Planning Director Tom Jentz said the plot’s long-term vacancy may have led residents to believe it was a park, but no city records designate the land as such.

“The developer probably thought it was going to be a park but never followed through,” Jentz said. “When we did the research there was nothing requiring it to be a park.”

Curtis said he hosted a 20-person meeting at his home near the proposed site and was able to gather a list of concerns, including that the RA-2 zoning would be inappropriate. An RA-4 zoning, which allows only single-family and duplex housing, would better fit the fabric of the neighborhood.

“We feel unanimously that a 96-unit complex would detrimentally impact the integrity of our subdivision,” Curtis said.

Traffic was another concern for the residents who claimed the project as proposed would generate traffic accidents and overflow from the 175-space parking lot.

Nathan Lucke, a traffic engineer on the project, offered data collected before the project was proposed, saying that even with the added vehicles traffic would remain at the same rate.

“Traffic is not an issue with this project,” he said.

Another point of contention was a suspicion that the new development would lower property values.

“I don’t really appreciate the idea of our home values going down,” Phyllis Lucht said. “This equity I’ve built up is going to go down the toilet.”

Weber volleyed the concern after the meeting, noting he believes the existing neighborhood wouldn’t drop in value, but rise with his project in place.

“Our neighbors there, there’s crap in their yards and I’m like, these houses need to be bulldozed, no disrespect,” he said. “I understand people are concerned about property values. I’m hoping this would elevate values.”

The next planning board meeting regarding the Lofts at Ashley is scheduled for Nov. 9.

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