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Neighbors worry about zone change

TOM LOTSHAW/The Daily Inter Lake | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 11 years, 6 months AGO
by TOM LOTSHAW/The Daily Inter Lake
| October 9, 2013 10:00 PM

Owl Corporation’s request for a zone change for 17.7 acres of undeveloped land at the northeast corner of West Reserve Drive and Stillwater Road met opposition from some area residents at Tuesday’s Kalispell Planning Board meeting.

Mark Owens is asking Kalispell to change the zoning from a mix of 10 acres of RA-1 residential apartment and seven acres of R-3 residential to a blanket zoning of RA-2 residential apartment and office.

According to city planning staffers who supported the zone change as appropriate and permissible, the change would allow Owens to develop professional offices along with multifamily housing on the property.

About a dozen residents in the neighboring West View Estates and Stillwater Estates subdivisions shared their concerns about the change with the Kalispell Planning Board.

Their concerns included traffic impacts, West Valley School overcrowding and the undesirable introduction of office, commercial or multifamily rental project in or near their neighborhoods.

Eric Mulcahy of Sands Surveying said multifamily developments were always part of Owens’ plans for the property.

“Back in 2008 we had a number of plans for multifamily on that site. We were looking in the ball park of 148 units on that 10 acres. When the recession hit, all those plans got shelved. But in the meantime, Mark has been approached by businesses that want to create a medical office building. That’s when we started exploring the option of RA-2, opening the zoning up a bit to allow that,” Mulcahy said.

Members of the Kalispell Planning Board tried to strike a compromise.

They voted to support the RA-2 zoning, but only for the land zoned RA-1 where apartments already would be allowed. Seven acres of land near Taelor Road zoned R-3 would remain R-3 to provide a buffer for the neighboring Stillwater Estates subdivision.

That recommendation was proposed by Planning Board and City Council member Phil Guiffrida III. It cleared the board by a 6-0 vote and will go before the Kalispell City Council for final consideration and action.

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

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