The Daily Inter Lake

The Kalispell City Council likes the idea of giving downtown construction projects the choice of either creating new parking spaces or paying one-time fees to the city.

And the council overwhelmingly supports making the one-time fees proportional to the extra amount of built space.

The council discussed this concept Monday at a workshop session at which no votes are legally allowed.

Parking is tight in the downtown area with little, if any, room for new spaces.

"We are literally in a situation in the downtown where we have to tear a building down to create new parking," city Planning Director Tom Jentz said.

Consequently, the council decided last year that any new construction in the downtown area must provide one new parking space for every 400 square feet built.

However, the lack of room for new parking spaces led to the city staff sending a proposal to the council to charge any new construction $8,200 for any required parking space that cannot be built - giving builders a choice between the fee or creating new parking spaces.

This proposed fee would be applied to a downtown zone bounded by Third Avenue East, Fifth Street, Third Avenue West and Center Street.

On Monday, Earl Holbeck and Richard Bartlett - representing a project to add 95 square feet of lobby space to a building on Second Street West - contended that charging $8,200 for a 95-square-foot expansion is too drastic.

"That would make the cost prohibitive to business owners," Holbeck said.

Council members agreed.

So they told the staff to put together a proportion-based formula - based on the $8,200-per-400-square-feet baseline - to be applied to new construction downtown. Under that concept, the Holbeck-Bartlett project would be assessed $1,947 instead.

Remodeling inside a building would not be assessed by the proposed in-lieu-of-parking fees.

"We do want to see work and renovation downtown," Mayor Pam Kennedy said.

Council member Tim Kluesner wanted the city to prove that any extra construction would increase the need for more parking - before assessing the fee.

Council member Hank Olson said such an approach would force the city government to assess the fee on a case-by-case basis.

The proposed collected fees would go to construction of new parking spaces or a parking garage.

The council will vote on the proposal Oct. 1.

For more on this story, see Wednesday's Daily Inter Lake. A parking pinch in downtown Kalispell

By JOHN STANG

The Daily Inter Lake

The Kalispell City Council likes the idea of giving downtown construction projects the choice of either creating new parking spaces or paying one-time fees to the city.

And the council overwhelmingly supports making the one-time fees proportional to the extra amount of built space.

The council discussed this concept Monday at a workshop session at which no votes are legally allowed.

Parking is tight in the downtown area with little, if any, room for new spaces.

ÒWe are literally in a situation in the downtown where we have to tear a building down to create new parking,Ó city Planning Director Tom Jentz said.

Consequently, the council decided last year that any new construction in the downtown area must provide one new parking space for every 400 square feet built.

However, the lack of room for new parking spaces led to the city staff sending a proposal to the council to charge any new construction $8,200 for any required parking space that cannot be built Ñ giving builders a choice between the fee or creating new parking spaces.

This proposed fee would be applied to a downtown zone bounded by Third Avenue East, Fifth Street, Third Avenue West and Center Street.

On Monday, Earl Holbeck and Richard Bartlett Ñ representing a project to add 95 square feet of lobby space to a building on Second Street West Ñ contended that charging $8,200 for a 95-square-foot expansion is too drastic.

ÒThat would make the cost prohibitive to business owners,Ó Holbeck said.

Council members agreed.

So they told the staff to put together a proportion-based formula Ñ based on the $8,200-per-400-square-feet baseline ÑÊto be applied to new construction downtown. Under that concept, the Holbeck-Bartlett project would be assessed $1,947 instead.

Remodeling inside a building would not be assessed by the proposed in-lieu-of-parking fees.

ÒWe do want to see work and renovation downtown,Ó Mayor Pam Kennedy said.

Council member Tim Kluesner wanted the city to prove that any extra construction would increase the need for more parking ÑÊbefore assessing the fee.

Council member Hank Olson said such an approach would force the city government to assess the fee on a case-by-case basis.

The proposed collected fees would go to construction of new parking spaces or a parking garage.

The council will vote on the proposal Oct. 1.

For more on this story, see WednesdayÕs Daily Inter Lake.