Kalispell Planning Board recommends requests for proposed residential developments

The Kalispell Planning Board recommended Tuesday two requests from housing developers to the City Council.

The board voted unanimously to recommend approval of a request by Timberwolf Ridge, LLC for annexation and residential apartment zoning for a proposed housing development at 605 Stillwater Road, at the intersection with Timberwolf Parkway.

The proposed Timberwolf Ridge development would see the construction of up to 400 apartment units across six buildings. The developer is planning on building three buildings in the first phase later this year. Work on the second half is scheduled to begin in 2025.

The development also would include parking and open space on the approximately 20-acre plat of land.

To achieve the maximum allowable density of approximately 20 units per acre while maximizing parking and green space, the developer is requesting a deviation to build the apartments up to 60 feet high, rather than the usual 45 feet. This would allow for indoor parking underneath the apartment buildings and larger courtyard green space between them, according to the architects.

City planning staff recommended the board allow the deviation, with planner PJ Sorensen calling the request appropriate.

THE PLANNING Board also approved a request from GKM Associates, LLC for preliminary plat approval for the second and third phases of development of their Spring Creek Park subdivision. The development, which sits on nearly 50 acres, is located southeast of the intersection of Three Mile Drive and West Springcreek Road.

The subdivision would contain 22 lots, of which 18 would be for single-family housing. Of the remaining four, one would be set aside for commercial uses and the other three would host multi-family housing. The multi-family lots are anticipated to contain up to 464 apartments.

Planning staff recommended approval by the board. Their report noted that the request is consistent with an existing Planned Unit Development overlay approved by City Council last March.

The requests now go before City Council at its March 6 meeting.

Also on Tuesday, the Planning Board voted in favor of the city’s request to annex a small plot located at 850 Four Mile Drive. The municipality intends to use the land for a well site that would join the city’s water infrastructure system.

The Planning Board next meets March 14.

Reporter Adrian Knowler can be reached at 758-4407 or aknowler@dailyinterlake.com.