Columbia Falls moves ahead with affordable housing project

The Columbia Falls City Council earlier this month decided to go ahead with an affordable housing project on Railroad Street on what is now a baseball field.

City Manager Susan Nicosia presented options for a replacement ball field in cooperation with the school district at a recent Council meeting. Land is available by the bus outlet at Columbia Falls Junior High School on Veterans Drive, previously used for a gym, which already has a backstop. 

Other potential sites include the fields between the junior high and Ruder Elementary School or at the high school by the softball field or football concession stand. Parking would be available at all locations. 

The backstop on Railroad Street could be moved to avoid extra expenses.

Council, in turn, unanimously decided to move forward with amendments to the city's growth policy map, which currently has the ballpark zoned as park land, to change the city-owned Railroad Street lot to housing. The Railroad Street field would still be available for use this summer as the proposed zoning change goes through the Planning Board and back through Council, with opportunity for public comment at each hearing. 

Housing plans would be developed in partnership with Northwest Montana Community Land Trust and Habitat for Humanity. The latest presented drafts were for an eight-unit development with its own alleyway, so that garages and parking do not outlet to the street. Developers would be required to install sidewalks along Fourth Avenue East North and C Street. Sewer and water access are already available.

Council initially held off on the project until alternative fields could be found to play baseball on.

The housing project will still have an open space for kids to play in, but it will be smaller than the existing baseball fields.