The Kalispell City Council plans to provide a three-year period for businesses within the Core Area to rezone their property for free.

The waiver would apply only to businesses looking to rezone their property to the new B-3 zoning designation created last month. The B-3 zone is similar to the current B-2 and B-4 designations but adds multifamily housing developments, raises the maximum building height and eliminates building setbacks.

The council’s inclination to waive rezoning fees for businesses came after it earlier approved rezoning of Moose’s Saloon property for free as a trial run.

“The first guy came into the office and we decided to use it as a test case,” Planning and Building Director Tom Jentz said. “It was always our staff’s vision that we would carry it on to that next step.”

Council member Phil Guiffrida said the entire Core Area should be rezoned for free, but businesses might need a reason to rezone sooner than later.

“If we’re doing this in the Core Area it should be free, but by setting a deadline it motivates them,” Guiffrida said. “It’s not a trial period but an incentive.”

Jentz said his department is planning to reach out to business owners in the Core Area to discuss rezoning options. The process to rezone takes about 90 to 120 days.

For more information, contact the City Planning and Building Department at 758-7940.

Reporter Seaborn Larson may be reached at 758-4441 or by email at slarson@dailyinterlake.com.