A land inventory and study of construction activity over the last six years suggests Kalispell has a significant inventory of available commercial land, Planning Director Tom Jentz told Planning Board members at a work session Tuesday.

The brief study was undertaken as part of a comprehensive review of Kalispell’s growth policy being done this year.

“We have a fair supply [of commercial land] out there, just like residential land,” Jentz said.

That supply includes nine existing commercial lots split among Hutton Ranch, Dailey Field and Gateway West.

It also includes 69 preliminary platted lots split among Glacier Town Center, Spring Prairie, Silverbrook and Starling, and 402 acres of approved planned unit developments split among those sites and Siderius Commons and Gardner’s.

“We’re actually a little short on lots today, but that could be remedied pretty darn quick,” Jentz said.

Those totals do not include the “core area” along Kalispell’s railroad corridor or other parts of the city being targeted for redevelopment.

A similar study found Kalispell has significant amounts of vacant residential land. That residential inventory includes 892 final platted lots, 1,343 preliminary platted lots and another 5,304 lots of approved planned unit developments.

The commercial development review found Kalispell had:

n 367,777 square feet of development on 14 lots in 2006. Projects included the Hilton Garden Inn, Holiday Inn Express, a Red Lion expansion and Signature Theatres.

n 196,598 square feet of development on 16 lots in 2007. Projects included Sportsman and Ski Haus, Eisinger Motors, Universal Athletics and Famous Dave’s.

n 10,750 square feet of development on three lots in 2008. Projects included Sizzler.

n 201,725 square feet of development on three lots in 2009. Projects included Walmart and Montana Club.

n 10,717 square feet of development on three lots in 2010. Projects included retail spots in Hutton Ranch Plaza.

n And 33,334 square feet of development on six lots in 2011. Projects included AutoZone, Applebee’s and Sykes’.

Existing commercial lots could accommodate about one year of construction activity based on averages from the large swings over the last six years, while preliminary platted lots could last up to nine years and planned unit development approved acreage could last as long as 27 years. Those projections could change quickly with a large development or a lack of activity.

“The bottom line is we do have a fair amount of space today for retail development or redevelopment,” Jentz said. He added that he hopes to expand the review to include prior years.

Exactly how long Kalispell’s commercial land inventory lasts will depend on many variables. Chief among those are any given property’s suitability for a particular project.

But another primary consideration is the struggling national economy. “We will take off six months after the national economy takes off,” Jentz predicted. He added that many people continue to want to come to Kalispell but can’t while they’re underwater in a mortgage somewhere else.

Another factor would be Flathead County’s willingness to change its policies and encourage commercial development in its full-service communities such as Kalispell, Whitefish and Columbia Falls.

That’s opposed to current development trends of linear strip development along rural highways between those cities, Jentz said.

“As long as we have that kind of policy, the ability of Kalispell to attract retail is going to be diminished,” Jentz said. “But in the long run, as Kalispell grows, the quality development will be focused here. We have water and sewer and the services that the real players need, in a place where people will come.”

Reporter Tom Lotshaw may be reached at 758-4483 or by email at tlotshaw@dailyinterlake.com.