Kalispell annexes future elementary school site

The Kalispell City Council last Tuesday took the first steps toward building a new school in south Kalispell.

The council unanimously voted to annex the 2100 block of Airport Road and to designate the parcel as a public space. These actions set the stage for the new elementary school county voters approved in October to alleviate the overcrowding issues in Kalispell’s elementary schools.

The 24.88-acre property is currently undeveloped and used for agriculture. Construction connecting the parcel to city services will begin after annexation is completed by a second reading of the resolution.

The property is located about a quarter mile from the Kalispell City Airport, which councilwoman Kari Gabriel pointed out to developers as a past point of contention regarding other areas with children.

“We are building a school within a quarter mile of an active runway,” Gabriel said. “It was criticized in the past that we have a football field near a runway.”

The baseball fields in Begg Park are located just across the street from the airport, much closer than the football field at Legends Stadium.

Councilman Tim Kluesner echoed her concerns, but said that potential future contention over the school site won’t be the city’s battle.

“We didn’t choose the location of that either but there is some irony in that,” Kluesner said.

The council voted 8-0 on both actions, annexing the property and zoning it for public use. Prior to approving annexation, Kluesner asked the planning and building staff about School District No. 5 covering the cost of connecting city services.

“It will not cover the cost of services,” City Planning Director Tom Jentz said. “That’s what schools are, that’s what parks are. That’s the nature of schools.”

The school district will have to pay the appropriate impact fees, though those fees will be determined by the structure size and design, which are yet to be completed and submitted to the city.

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