Public park ordinances to undergo second reading by Kalispell City Council

Kalispell City Council is set to finalize three ordinances related to municipal public parks at its Tuesday meeting.

The meeting, which will be held Feb. 21 owing to the Presidents' Day holiday, will begin at 7 p.m. in City Hall, 201 First Ave. E. Residents and interested parties also can attend via Zoom.

Hundreds attended the Council’s Jan. 23 work session to debate the package of ordinances and the underlying issue of homelessness in the community.

The city proposed the ordinances after receiving multiple complaints from the public about the drug and alcohol consumption, public urination and the accumulation of waste by homeless people gathering in the Depot Park gazebo during daylight hours.

Last month, the city closed the gazebo and Woodland Park's pavilion indefinitely while the council weighed the ordinances.

The ordinances were approved Feb. 6, but new laws are required to undergo a second reading before they can go on the books. If approved again Monday, they will go into effect 30 days later.

The first ordinance would make it unlawful to place, store, or maintain personal property at public facilities that may interfere with others' use of that public property outside of a special event or reservation. The second ordinance would restrict the erection of structures in city parks. The third would set a two and a half hour limit on the amount of time an individual or party could occupy a covered park structure without securing a permit for its extended use.

Violations of the ordinances could result in a fine of up to $300 for the first offense and up to $500 for subsequent offenses, per the city’s municipal code.

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