The Daily Inter Lake

A proposed 325-acre housing project more than two miles north of Kalispell should be annexed into the city, the Kalispell Planning Board recommended Tuesday.

The board recommended 5-1 that the Kalispell City Council approve annexing the land - dubbed Silverbrook Estates - at the southwest corner of Church Drive and U.S. 93 with a mix of residential and commercial zoning.

The recommendation likely will go to the council on Dec. 4 or Dec. 20.

The project's developer - 93 and Church LLC - wants to build 466 single-family houses, 120 townhouses and an 18-acre commercial district in two stages at that location.

The proposed first phase is to build 249 houses in the site's southern half, dig two wells on 2.5 acres in the site's northwest corner and donate that land for a city fire station, and construct a main arterial street from Church Drive to angle southeast to connect with U.S. 93 across from Tronstad Road. The main arterial road would have a bridge over a drainage area in the middle of the site.

The proposed second phase is to build the commercial district and townhouses in the site's northeast corner, plus 217 houses

in the northern half.

The plan calls for house lots to range from one-quarter to one-half an acre. There would be 10.7 acres of parks, plus a corridor of open area along the Stillwater River, which forms Silverbrook's west boundary.

The developers plan to pay to extend water and sewer lines to the project which is 2.2 miles north of the city limits at West Reserve Drive. Silverbrook's northern border is three miles north of Kalispell.

The Planning Board also recommended Tuesday that the council adopt the preliminary plan for the project's first phase.

The group Citizens For A Better Flathead wrote to the Planning Board to request that more study be conducted on parking, the nature of the plan's proposed trails, setbacks from the site's drainage area and the Stillwater River, well drilling, affordable housing, impacts on schools, traffic and costs to the city.

The organization also called for close coordination between Flathead County and Kalispell on growth in this area. And the organization contended 93 & Church's application paperwork was not posted on the city's Web site early enough for adequate public review.

Silverbrook Estates is at the northern edge of Kalispell's recently modified growth planning area. That northern border is roughly defined by Church Drive and Birch Grove Road. A growth planning area is Flathead County land in which the owners are likely to eventually request annexation into Kalispell.

A Kalispell grass-roots group, Town Champions, is circulating petitions to revoke the city's recent changes to its growth policy and replace them with another policy. The Town Champions' proposed replacement policy does not appear that it would directly affect the Silverbrook project, but it is unclear whether it would indirectly affect that project.

Kalispell has no direct control over this growth area. But developers in this area will likely want to hook up to the city's utilities, which means they will likely seek annexation. That gives the city significant clout over development in this zone.

Rick Hull cast the sole vote against the Silverbrook annexation request. Kari Gabriel left Tuesday's meeting before the vote because of a family matter.

Hull objected to the city annexing an "island" that is 2.2 miles from the rest of Kalispell. He compared it to the Old School Station industrial park - a 55-acre area annexed in 2005 although it is two miles south of the rest of Kalispell. So far, that industrial park has two confirmed tenants.

"No matter how good [Silverbrook] is, it's way too far outside of the city. We don't want a stringbean stretching from south to north," Hull said.

Hull contended there is no guarantee that future housing projects will be annexed to connect Silverbrook with the rest of Kalispell. He also argued that Silverbrook would stretch fire and police protection an extra two miles.

However, the other five board members contended that Silverbrook is designed much better than most projects submitted to the city, and that the developers have cooperated well with the city and neighbors in putting it together.

Board chairman Tim Norton said higher-quality subdivisions are easier to create with large chunks of land, such as Silverbrook's 325 acres. He also believes the city should concentrate on annexing and encouraging development in areas between West Reserve Drive and Silverbrook after it is annexed.

City Planning Director Tom Jentz said several developers with projects between Silverbrook and West Reserve are getting ready to apply for annexation.

Board members also contended that the Church Drive/Birch Grove line is the farthest north they are willing to consider annexation. And they contended that annexation will give Kalispell greater control over development in that area.

Silverbrook neighbors Hank and Lacy Galpin supported Silverbrook's annexation and plans Tuesday.

Reporter John Stang may be reached at 758-4429 or by e-mail at jstang@dailyinterlake.com