The Kalispell City Council will hold a virtual work session tonight to review updates of various planning activities taking place in the city.

The first discussion item will be a progress report from the process to update the city’s design standards.

In February, the Kalispell Downtown Business Improvement District received a $15,000 grant from the Montana Department of Commerce to establish design standards for the city’s historic buildings.

The standards would set regulations for the exterior of commercial buildings in the historic downtown corridor. The standards could apply to architectural elements including building materials, colors and features such as cornices.

A survey was recently completed that collected input from 58 property owners about their preferences and priorities in implementing the design standards, so the Kalispell Planning Department will review the latest updates in this process during the work session. The design standards likely won’t be finalized until spring 2021.

The council also will discuss a request for proposals to purchase a city-owned parking lot at the intersection of Third Street West and Main Street in downtown Kalispell. The property is known as the Valley Bank parking lot.

The city is soliciting proposals from development firms seeking to privately finance, construct, and manage a redevelopment project on the property.

This property has been chosen due to its high visibility along Main Street and its location in the newly established Downtown Tax Increment Financing (TIF) District. “Redevelopment of this property will further the city’s mission of promoting economic growth, improving area employment opportunities, and expanding tax base,” the council report states.

Finally, the council will hear updates to the timelines for various projects related to the Downtown Core Area Plan.

The approximately 2-mile long multi-use pedestrian path along the defunct railroad tracks in downtown Kalispell is expected to be completed by summer 2021, and there are a number of other plans in the works for the Core Area Trail as well. These include art installations, building a new street connector near the Kalispell Center Mall and placing a donated locomotive engine along the trail.

In order to provide an environment that will comply with the Governor’s Phase II COVID-19 directive, the work session will be held remotely via Zoom videoconference.

To register for the work session, go to https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_WaQfg-YvSeatJWcaONTxxw. Public comments will be accepted virtually during the work session or via email at publiccomment@kalispell.com.

The work session starts at 7 p.m. via Zoom videoconference. The full work session agenda is available at: https://www.kalispell.com/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_12142020-549

Reporter Bret Anne Serbin may be reached at (406)-758-4459 or bserbin@dailyinterlake.com.