Kalispell Planning Board shepherds developer requests to City Council

The Kalispell Planning Board voted Tuesday to recommend a major preliminary plat approval for three phases of a roughly 107-acre mixed-use development north of Rose Crossing.

Spartan Holdings LLC made the request for phases four through six of the Eagle Valley Ranch project, which comprises about 40 acres. The stretch of land east of U.S. 93 is expected to contain 138 single-family lots as well as parks, roads and open spaces, according to city documents.

Though the project as a whole got the green light in 2018, residents weighing in on Spartan Holdings’ request ahead of the Dec. 12 public hearing expressed concern about increased traffic, a possible spike in crime, and excessive noise and light from forthcoming commercial uses. 

PJ Sorensen, senior planner for Kalispell, told Planning Board members that the developer’s noise mitigation efforts would go before City Hall for review. Sound walls, reaching eight feet high, were among the conditions presented to Spartan Holdings. 

As for traffic concerns, board Chair Chad Graham indicated that officials would need to wait and see how it shook out before undertaking the necessary studies preceding any improvements in the area.

“It has to get worse before it gets better,” he said.

In response to one comment submitted by email, Graham asked Sorensen to clarify the system Kalispell used to notify neighbors of new developments. State law requires that the city alert anyone within 50 feet of the site, but the municipality notifies residents up to 225 feet away. 

Planning Board member Joshua Borgardt questioned another public comment, which argued that neighbors were being forced to support new housing near their homes. 

“Do they have to give more taxes, pay more water tax?” Borgardt asked. 

“They don’t have to pay anything. And it’s not like a neighborhood vote. It’s an opportunity to comment,” Sorensen said, referring to the public comment process.

The Board voted unanimously to recommend Kalispell City Council approve the request at its Jan. 2 meeting. 

“It goes a long way towards more housing in Kalispell, so I applaud that,” Graham said. 

THE PLANNING Board also unanimously recommended City Council green light a conditional use permit requested by Volga Rentals LLC for the construction of a building containing four multifamily rental units as part of a mixed-use development on Village Loop. 

The proposed two-story, 4,000-square-foot building will feature offices below and apartments above, according to city documents. The RA-2 residential/office zoning on the property necessitated the conditional use permit request, documents said.

Neighbors argued the stormwater retention pond included in the design is smaller than what other property owners on Village Loop were required to install. 

Sorensen told the Planning Board that items like stormwater retention ponds were determined by city regulations.

“You can’t say because this lot did one thing, the same thing happens two lots down,” he said. “It’s based on city regulations and geotech.”

Neighbors also expressed concern about the building’s parking, saying it was insufficient and would lead to competition for parking spots in the neighborhood.

Still, Planning Board members voted to move the request forward with its recommendation. City Council is anticipated to take it up at its Jan. 2 meeting

“I think it’s good mixed infill,” Graham said. 

THE BOARD lastly took a look at Senate Bill 382, also known as the Land Use Planning Act. Signed into law earlier this year, the act is aimed at streamlining the planning process to spur housing development. 

City Council is expected to designate the Planning Board as the municipality’s Planning Commission at its Dec. 18 meeting. Membership is not expected to change and the newly created commission is anticipated to update its bylaws, create a land use plan and formulate a new public participation plan. 

Reporter Carl Foster can be reached at cfoster@dailyinterlake.com.