The Kalispell City Council tonight will consider annexing and zoning a 40-acre site on the east side of town for it to be put to use as a rail-served industrial park.

Owned by the Flathead County Economic Development Authority, the former McElroy-Wilkin land off Whitefish Stage Road would be used for several rail-served industrial businesses that currently are located with the city’s core area, and it would be available for other business ventures.

Relocating rail-served businesses from the core area would make way for city plans to remove the east-west railroad tracks through the city, which is a major goal of the city’s core area plan. The intent is to create sidewalks, trails, parking and other amenities to encourage redevelopment of central Kalispell.

The industrial park land is currently zoned by Flathead County as heavy industrial and the council will consider the same designation under city zoning.

In a related matter, the council will consider a recommendation from the Urban Renewal Agency to recognize the Kalispell Core Area Linear Trail Project as being eligible for West Side Tax Increment District funding. Doing so would allow the tax increment money to be considered as local match funding for a federal transportation grant the city will be applying for at the end of this month.

Also at the meeting, the council will consider a conditional-use permit for construction of a homeless shelter for women and children that would be operated by a nonprofit organization, A Ray of Hope.

The property is located at the southwest corner of Fifth Avenue West and First Street West. A dilapidated house currently on the property would be demolished to clear the way for construction of the new shelter.

The city Planning Board unanimously recommended approval of the conditional-use permit. 

The council also will have a discussion about what city government-related legislative priorities should be considered in the months leading up to next year’s legislative session.

The council meets at 7 p.m. in City Hall on First Avenue East.