Polson to revisit annexation proposal spurred by casino project

The Polson City Commission on Monday will revisit a proposal for the municipality to annex nearly 80 acres of land belonging to the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes, and located west of the Polson bridge.

According to the initial presentation made May 2, 2022, the Tribes are planning to build a 26,100-square-foot casino on the site, with access from Irvine Flats Road. The first phase would include the casino, with future plans calling for a hotel and events center, RV park, residential housing and a commercial area.

The commission voted to table the decision last year, citing concerns about traffic flow, and whether existing city water and sewer infrastructure could meet the increased demand.

Owing to the time that’s lapsed since the matter was tabled, City Manager Ed Meece said commissioners will be deciding whether or not to adopt a new resolution.

He said he’s worked with representatives from the Tribes and S&K Gaming over the past year “to identify major areas of concern and, as a team, try to address those concerns.”

Among the items commissioners will find in their packets prior to Monday’s meeting:

• A copy of the Environmental Assessment completed by the Tribes and submitted to the Bureau of Indian Affairs.

• A traffic study for the intersection of Irvine Flats Road, Rocky Butte Road and U.S. 93 by KLJ Engineering of Kalispell, which includes traffic volume, crash history and recommendations on how to improve safety at the junction.

The packet will also include a template for a Payment in Lieu of Taxes (PILT) agreement that would help offset the costs of providing city services to the property.

As to concerns about whether the city’s infrastructure can handle the annexation, Meece says the city engineer is confident the pipe that crosses the river “can serve that side considerably more than we do at the moment – we know we have that capacity.”

The Tribes have the authority to develop their own property, whether or not it’s annexed by the city.

According to Meece, if annexed, CSKT would construct its new infrastructure “at their cost, to our specifications,” as opposed to installing a private water/sewer system. Once built, the casino would pay for water and sewer services like any other commercial customer.

The meeting begins at 7 p.m. Monday at City Hall, 106 First St. E., Polson.