A community organization is moving forward tonight on a group home development nearly two years in the making.

Sparrow’s Nest of Northwest Montana is requesting a conditional-use permit for a group home in the residential apartment zoning district.

The building at 204 Seventh Ave. W. would be used to house eight homeless high school students with a 24-hour on-site manager.

The Kalispell City Council tonight will vote on the first hearing of the conditional-use request.

Sparrow’s Nest received the 6,720-square-foot building in 2014 as a donation from Brian and Victoria Tanko of Kalispell. The building was formerly a church.

This would be the second facility developed by Sparrow’s Nest in the Flathead Valley. The community group in February opened a five-person Whitefish home.

In other business, the council will also vote on the first reading of amendments to the city zoning ordinance.

Among the 15 amendments is a set of conditions to allow short-term rentals within city limits. Currently, short-term rentals like those found on AirBnB and VRBO in residential areas are operating illegally without being properly zoned under the B-2 designation, which allows hotels and bed-and-breakfasts.

The recommendations by the planning department also include reducing the required off-street parking by 50 percent in the recently created B-3 Core Area zone. As new investment continues to fill vacant spaces in downtown Kalispell, the amendment would minimize the need to demolish homes near downtown to create more parking spaces.

The council will also vote on appointments to citizen advisory boards recommended by Mayor Mark Johnson.

Four applicants have applied for board positions, including the Urban Renewal Agency Board, Technical Advisory Committee and the Street Tree Commission.

Vacancies still remain on the Street Tree Committee, Parking Advisory Board and the Economic Revolving Loan Fund Committee.

The council meeting begins tonight at 7 p.m. at City Hall, 201 First Avenue East.

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