Flathead County commissioners voted unanimously Monday to approve the rezoning of the future parking lot that will increase parking in downtown Bigfork by 50 percent.

Purchased by the Bigfork Center for the Performing Arts, the lot covers a .8-acre plot of land on the north side of Grand Avenue, providing for around 70 total free public parking spaces to the 140 spots currently squeezed into the downtown area.

The hill at the back of the lot will be graded for a second tier of parking, and the two shops currently located on the bottom tier of the property will eventually relocate, allowing the structures to be torn down.

Monday’s vote will allow for the lot to be re-designated as a B-3 community business zone to allow for a parking lot without a connected building, according to Community For a Better Bigfork President Paul Mutascio.

Funded largely by the Bigfork Community Development Foundation Trust, the performing arts center and the Community For a Better Bigfork, the completed project will provide free, well-lit and camera-monitored public parking, effectively doubling the current spaces available in the downtown area.

A board member for the performing arts center and spearhead of the project, Walter Kuhn said that despite the ability to move forward now that the zoning has changed, construction will not likely begin until after this summer.

Kuhn said he and his partners will continue working to help the current tenants of the building located on the site find suitable venues before considering the structures’ removal.

“We’re not going to force anybody out. That would not be a good community thing to do,” Kuhn said.

Design plans are still being finalized, but Kuhn said there are no plans to sell to a developer or implement a parking structure on the lot in the future.

Mutascio said the foundation unanimously supports the parking lot project and will contribute $100,000 over the next 10 years to help keep the project funded until completion.

Community donations are also welcome.

Reporter Mary Cloud Taylor can be reached at 758-4459 or mtaylor@dailyinterlake.com.