After a two-week hiatus from meetings, the Kalispell City Council will hold a work session tonight on an issue that has carried both hope and contention for South Kalispell.

Council members will discuss the South Kalispell Urban Renewal Plan — a report outlining options for the future of the city airport and nearby areas — and which of the plan’s options will best serve the city and its south-side residents.

The plan compiled by CTA Architects Engineers in 2015 provided five options for the airport: keep the facility as is; close the airport; expand and maintain the airport to Federal Aviation Administration standards to receive federal funding; incorporate the airport into an airport authority; or privatize the airport.

Since the council last talked about the South Kalispell plan in January, the Kalispell Planning Board and Urban Renewal Agency have reviewed the 70-page document and its options. The Planning Board held a work session in February and a public hearing in March, which produced a few minor amendments and clarifications.

The board supported the plan in March on a 5-2 vote after deciding the outcome from each of the plan’s options aligns well with the city’s growth policy.

The Urban Renewal Agency also met several times to discuss the plan, sometimes in conjunction with the Airport Advisory Board. In May, the agency approved the plan on a 4-1 vote and submitted a recommendation that the city should seek an outside public entity to take over the facility as an airport authority or an investor to privatize the airport.

According to a memo from City Manager Doug Russell to the council, the agency’s recommendation includes a third alternative: “If no credible outside entity comes forward within 12 months, the council should pursue option 2 of the plan, which is to begin the process of closing the airport.”

According to the report from CTA, closing the airport would require nearly $3 million to buy out current leaseholders. Over time, the property could be developed with tax increment financing and eventually generate revenue for the city and create jobs through private development.

Russell said the council will consider all five options at tonight’s work session.

He said the work session should provide direction for the council on the next step, whether that means more information, a clear timeline of objectives from any options, and even the opinions of the residents who will be affected by the plan.

“It will be a good opportunity to have that public discussion,” Russell said. “There’s interested parties from multiple stakeholders and this is a good opportunity to hear public comment on that as well as council deliberation.”

The plan is available at Kalispell.com/planning.

Tonight’s work session is set for 7 p.m. at City Hall, 201 First Ave. E.

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