The Kalispell City Council narrowly approved a northside Town Pump gas station at Monday’s meeting amid vocal opposition to the casino component of the facility.

The council mused about morality legislation, the character of the north side and the impact of public sentiment. Ultimately Mayor Mark Johnson cast the deciding vote that tipped the ratio 5-4 in favor of Town Pump.

“I understand we’ve received a tremendous amount of public input. I understand that,” Johnson said. “But we always have to fall back on what is on the books.”

Eureka Town Pump Inc. filed a permit application in February to build a gas station and casino on West Reserve Drive next to Eisinger Motors. The plot is the former home of The River church. The land had been was sold to Eisinger as the church moved to a different location.

This would be the first casino on the north U.S. 93 corridor. While the city has no set policy against casinos, various factors have not included that type of business in the area.

At a March Planning Board meeting, opposition to the casino trickled out. By the time it reached the City Council, a flow of letters, comments and a petition became attached to the proposal. 

On Monday, 13 people spoke out against the casino. The complaints ranged from alcohol use to traffic concerns to moral degradation. 

“I believe in personal responsibility,” said Jenny LaSorte, a north Kalispell resident who gave a long statement admonishing the casino business. “But I also believe that if there is less temptation, fewer people will succumb to it.”

The public comment period lasted around two hours. A woman held a map up to the council and circled seven current Town Pump casinos. Others decried the added traffic that another business would create. One woman took time to speak out against texting and driving among teenagers.

The council had three items that tied into final approval of the Town Pump facility. 

The 4-acre lot needs to be annexed into the city and rezoned for business use. City staff pointed out that the gas station was consistent with the area growth policy.

The third item was the conditional use permit, which contained the casino portion. Council member Jim Atkinson moved twice to table the Town Pump decision until late May and floated the idea of approving the gas station without a casino. A representative for Town Pump said that would be a deal-breaker.

“Everything that we have ran in this area does not say that a stand-alone convenience store would support itself,” said Dan Sampson, construction development manager for Eureka Town Pump.

In their discussion, council members fell on either side of an ideological divide. Some such as Atkinson felt that it fell within the powers of the council to deny the casino based on a perceived impact on the area. 

“Personally, I’m not convinced that adding another casino is beneficial to our community,” said council member Wayne Saverud, whose ward would receive the casino.

On the other side, some members felt that it was unfair to put the current project — one that meets the legal criteria —on hold to review the council’s philosophical stance on casinos. 

There was also concern about the passage of adequate zoning and annexation requests but denying a conditional use permit.

“What I’m really worried about here tonight is taking a look at this and saying, ‘We have this unwritten rule that casinos are not permitted north of 93,’” council member Phil Guiffrida said. “An unwritten rule is not a rule. We have policy and that policy is black and white.”

The effective vote on the casino was the conditional use permit. That passed on a 5-4 vote with council members Atkinson, Saverud, Rod Kuntz and Kari Gabriel against.

Reporter Matt Hudson may be reached at 758-4459 or by email at mhudson@dailyinterlake.com.