The Kalispell City Council — with new council members Ryan Hunter, Sid Daoud and Sam Nunnally on board for their first meeting — on Monday approved the first reading of a long-awaited fix for the 18th Street West and Airport Road junction. Mayor Mark Johnson was absent.

The council and the city’s Urban Renewal Agency have been considering a traffic improvement in South Kalispell since 2017. The project will replace 18th Street West to the west of Airport Road with a new alignment two blocks to the north at 16th Street West. It will also add a new parking facility at the vacant lot on the corner of 18th Street West and Airport Road, a bike lane along Airport Road and 7,500 linear feet of sidewalk.

It will be funded by the South Kalispell/Airport Tax Increment Finance District.

Mike Brodie with WGM Engineering addressed council members’ questions about the project, particularly related to the potential sidewalk and parking lot. Four other people who live in the area brought up the issues of the new sidewalk construction and congestion in the area.

Council member Sid Daoud asked for an agenda item to be added to a future meeting to discuss a potential south entrance to Legends Stadium.

The next step in the project is seeking bid proposals for contractors.

The council also approved the annexation of a 10-acre property north of Kalispell. Mark Schwager requested the county property at 155 Tronstad Road be annexed into the city limits and zoned R-2 for residential development.

“There are no plans for development at this time,” Planning Director Jarod Nygren noted. He explained the property owner simply wants the property to be annexed into the city and zoned for residential development for potential future use.

Nygren also reported the council had received one public comment from a nearby property owner opposed to the request because of fears over increased density in the area.

The resolution passed with council member Ryan Hunter opposed due to his concerns about “compact, efficient” growth.

Finally, the council approved the issuance of bonds to fund the 4 Mile Drive Water Main Transmission Project.

The resolution approves Series 2020A and 2020B to cover $2,598,000 of new funds for the project, relieve previous debt from bonds issued in 2004 and free up reserve funds set aside for the project.

“At this point, the city’s going to be better off in doing this,” City Attorney Charles Harball said.

At the conclusion of the meeting, City Manager Doug Russell informed the council there will be meetings later this week for the 911 Funding Committee and the Montana Department of Environmental Quality regarding wastewater treatment systems.

The council will meet next at a work session at 7 p.m. on Monday, Jan. 13.

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