Evergreen wrong place for prerelease center

Evergreen Chamber of Commerce, as an advocate for Evergreen businesses and the community, is writing this letter in opposition to the proposed prerelease center at the Greenwood Village Inn and Suites property located on East Oregon Street in Kalispell. We believe this location, whether it falls under Evergreen or Kalispell, is incompatible with the surrounding neighborhood and its immediate proximity to a mobile home park. A prerelease center would be inconsistent with the needs of this location. 

Safety Concerns 

The proposed location is at the end of a dead-end road, adjacent to a trailer court, which raises significant safety concerns for the residents living within feet of the facility. 

The presence of a prerelease center in this area will exacerbate existing issues related to drug availability, crime and homelessness. 

The facility’s location will disrupt the lives of nearby residents and businesses. 

Notification Issues

Evergreen Chamber of Commerce did not receive a notification of the meeting, which was held on Tuesday, Sept. 10. 

Local businesses near the proposed center were also not notified. 

Many residents within a 2-mile radius were unaware of the proposal. Only those within 300 feet received notification. 

According to the 2024 population report, Kalispell has 31,540 residents, Evergreen has 8,612 and Flathead County has a total population of 115,473, yet only 70 people received letters regarding the prerelease center.  

With the high rate of recidivism, Evergreen Chamber of Commerce has concern for the safety and welfare of our businesses and their employees. We are concerned about the decrease of property values due to the close proximity of the prerelease center.

We ask that the Flathead County Planning Department reconsider the location of the prerelease center.

 Connie McCubbins is executive director of the Evergreen Chamber of Commerce.