Council to vote on final plat for Kalispell North Town Center
The Kalispell City Council is set to consider the final layout of the first portion of a massive commercial project that’s been a long time coming.
During its regular Monday night meeting, the council will decide whether to approve the final plat for phase 1 of the Kalispell North Town Center — a nearly 500-acre proposed subdivision for commercial and residential use.
The first phase of the project includes a subdivision creating a 10-acre commercial lot, a 2.5 acre of open space and a 5.5-acre utility lot. The project is mapped for the southeast corner of the intersection of Rose Crossing and U.S. 93 North.
Future phases of the town center will include more commercial lots, office space, a hotel and residential development. There’s also 12-acres set-aside for a new Kalispell elementary school in the future.
The council approved the preliminary plat for the center’s first phase in February with 24 conditions — all of which have been met or addressed, according to city planners.
AS HOUSING in Kalispell continues to be a concern for city planners, the council will also consider a conditional use permit request by Lisa Wade for a 14-unit apartment complex. The complex would include one six-unit building and one eight-unit building located at 1613 and 1615 5th Ave. E.
The Kalispell City Planning Board recommended the council approve the request, given that the project fits the city’s zoning requirements and its growth policy. According to the city’s request evaluation, the type of housing effort “is anticipated and encouraged.”
“Generally speaking, the area is in transition from rural to high-density,” according to the report.
City planners also recommended the council approve a conditional use permit request from Jackola Engineering and Architecture for a three-story, 24-unit apartment building. The complex would be located at the southeast corner of the intersection of Husky Street and Glenwood Drive, which is currently undeveloped grassland.
“The apartment complex would serve as a housing option for the workers within the neighboring commercial developments,” the planners wrote in their evaluation of the request.
KALISPELL residents will also have the chance to voice their views on possible city fee increases during Monday night’s meeting.
To address years of backlog of urban forestry projects, the Kalispell City Council is considering increasing the city’s forestry assessments. The Urban Forestry Program is responsible for tending to the city’s trees, paid for in part by an assessment on city taxpayers.
The council voted during a regular July meeting to hear public feedback on a plan to raise the cost. Under the proposal, a resident with an average square lot that pays a $15.26 assessment would see their bill go up to $41.07 a year.
City Manager Doug Russell said the city estimates that to take care of the forestry system’s backlog of immediate needs will add up to roughly $400,000 over the next two years.
Faced with more funding needs for Kalispell’s stormwater infrastructure, the council is also hoping for public comment on an increase for the city’s storm-water fee. The proposed increase means that the assessment on a typical residential lot would go from $44.55 to $89.21 by 2022.
Public Works Director Susie Turner said a federal mandate attached to the Clean Water Act means Kalispell will need additional personnel and funding, which triggered the request to raise stormwater assessment rates.
Along with financing the fund for 10 years and meeting it’s new requirements, the dollars would go toward growth-related projects. The additional funding means the council could consider a future 50 percent reduction in the storm-water impact fee.
For a full details of the council agenda, go to http://www.kalispell.com/mayor_and_city_council/agenda.php. The meeting will take place 7 p.m. in the City Hall Council Chambers.
Reporter Katheryn Houghton may be reached at 758-4436 or by email at khoughton@dailyinterlake.com.