The Kalispell City Council on Monday approved the first reading of 14 zoning code amendments.

The amendments brought to the council by the Planning Board included increasing the maximum building heights in certain zones, reducing the amount of off-street parking in the newly created B-3 zone and clarifying language regarding casinos.

“Every couple of years the planning department looks at the zoning ordinance. Maybe there are items that need updates to state law, maybe some items need clarification or are vague and ambiguous and we want to make some minor corrections to make the language clearer,” city planner P.J. Sorensen said.

A few people spoke against the amendments.

Mayre Flowers of Citizens for a Better Flathead began the meeting expressing concern for the pace of the amendments through the approval process, citing no announcement for public comment tied to the amendments at Monday’s meeting. Both Flowers and council members acknowledged comments submitted to the council via email.

“You’ve received three sets of comments from us, none of which I’ve heard discussed or reviewed to date,” Flowers said. “Without discussion and clarity for the public, I feel like you’re not doing your due diligence for the public.”

Margaret Davis, who lives near the hospital zone on Buffalo Hill, opposed the amendment allowing maximum heights to increase in certain zones, including the hospital zone. She cited already high-density development and unresolved traffic issues in the area.

“The reason I think it’s inappropriate for blanket approval is there are already complicated infrastructure problems,” Davis said. “Somewhere along the line I think the city and developers need to work together to fix these problems.”

Council member Phil Guiffrida underlined why he believed the process had been handled properly, citing multiple public meetings regarding the amendments and little public comment at the meetings. After a Planning Board meeting, a work session and a regular meeting that resulted in tabling the amendments, Guiffrida said he was comfortable with the information given up to that point.

“We had a work session,” Guiffrida said. “I’m not sure if the members of the public were at this work session where the items were discussed, but a lot of comment has been via email.”

Regarding height limits, Guiffrida explained that the council wants to focus on infill rather than expansion. If the city can’t expand outward, it must expand vertically, he said.

“I’m not excited about holding this up anymore,” he said. “I feel comfortable with the way we’re going.”

The council unanimously approved the first reading on the zoning amendments 8-0. Council member Chad Graham was not present a the meeting.

IN OTHER BUSINESS, the council set a public hearing for June 6 on a grant application made by Flathead County. The county is requesting a Community Development Block Grant from the state for $176,250 for upgrades to the fairgrounds.

The money would help upgrade facilities such as restrooms, the grandstands and food courts to reach standards set by the Americans with Disabilities Act.

A study completed last November found those facilities were below those standards.

The county is asking the city to sponsor the grant application, which is due July 6.

Reporter Seaborn Larson may be reached at 758-4441 or by email at [email protected].