The Kalispell City Council on Monday declined to give final approval to expanded areas for accessory dwelling units, opting instead to table the vote for another two weeks.

The controversial topic of secondary dwellings, sometimes known as “granny flats” or “mother-in-law apartments” has been the subject of city council debates since September 2020.

Most recently, the council voted on Jan. 19 to approve a text amendment to the Kalispell zoning code to allow accessory dwellings as permitted uses in the R-4, R-5, RA-1, RA-2, H-1, B-1, B-2, B-3, and B-4 zones.

However, Mayor Mark Johnson and council member Chad Graham dissented, triggering the need for a second reading of the proposed text amendment.

During the virtual meeting many council members expressed their support for expanding the availability of accessory units throughout the city. Most of the proponents lauded the measure as a way to increase additional affordable housing options in Kalispell.

But even after months of meetings and work sessions, there is still disagreement among council members over the anticipated effects of passing the text amendment. Graham, in particular, reiterated concerns about the proliferation of units in various Kalispell residential zones.

He pointed out builders could face numerous upfront costs when trying to put a unit into place on a property. Therefore, he reasoned, accessory dwellings might not end up in the affordable housing range after all.

“I don’t want to sell something that I don’t think is accurate,” Graham said. “It’s not accurate to say that this is an affordable component.”

Council member Ryan Hunter, who first proposed the council look at accessory units last fall, went back and forth with Graham on the possible outcomes.

“You cannot guarantee that an ADU is going to be affordable,” Hunter acknowledged. “There’s a number of aspects of this that make it more likely that it can provide an affordable housing option. Yes, there are lots of costs associated with it.”

The second reading was postponed until the next council meeting on Feb. 16.

IN OTHER business, the council approved the preliminary plat for the 57-lot Bloomstone subdivision on Treeline Road, as well as annexation and B-2 (General Business) zoning of a 2-acre parcel on Third Avenue East.

The council also approved the authorization of Emergency Solutions grant funding to the Community Action Partnership of Northwest Montana to provide emergency shelter housing for individuals in the community that the City-County Health Department has identified as needing to quarantine due to COVID-19.

Finally, the council approved access to the Montana State Revolving Fund for any preliminary costs of a stormwater project in North Kalispell that will get underway this spring. The council likely will vote on a resolution to finance the real-time project costs at a meeting in March.

At the conclusion of the meeting, City Manager Doug Russell informed the council that Kalispell Fire Department Chief Dave Dedman is expected to retire this summer.

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