Praising the project for what it could add to the community, Kalispell City Council on Monday gave its approval to a mixed-use development featuring a youth center on the north end of the city.

The project, called the Farm District and composed of both commercial and residential components, is planned for Church Drive near U.S. 93. A 140,000-square-foot youth center designed for athletics, arts and other programs serves as the project’s centerpiece.

The future home of the project, which is south of Majestic Valley Arena, is undeveloped.

Council approved the annexation of the property and initial zoning of B-2 general business with a commercial planned unit development overlay for the 37.6-acre property.

Mayor Mark Johnson said the youth center will serve the city well as Kalispell is the regional hub of activities in the Flathead Valley.

“This is an incredible vision,” he said. “I’m excited to see this.”

Kelcey and Tawnya Bingham, with the Flathead Valley Youth Center nonprofit, are behind the effort to create the multi-use development. Tawnya Bingham told Council the goal is to create an all-encompassing campus for youth activities, where youth can participate without paying any fees.

“It’s a place for everyone to be,” she said.

She said the components of the project are intended to serve families and youth through the commercial businesses and also by creating affordable workforce housing.

“This is our legacy,” she said. “We want to create a feel that someone will want to replicate elsewhere.”

Several councilors offered praise of the Farm District noting its mix as a commercial and residential development, but more specifically highlighting the addition to the community that would come from the youth center and outdoor activity space.

Councilor Jed Fisher said the youth center and sports fields are going to be well utilized by families.

“This is so desperately needed in this valley,” he said. “This is very much needed for this community.”

Councilor Kari Gabriel compared the project to positive additions to Kalispell like the Kidsports complex, the Parkline Trail and a mixed-use project centered on defunct grain silos on Fifth Avenue West.

“It’s really cool to see this kind of development coming here,” she said. “It’s a beautiful development.”

COMMERCIAL USES include a small neighborhood grocery store, restaurant/brew pub, boutique hotel, small gas station and some office space. The office space is expected to be on the first floor with residential use on the second floor.

The western edge of the project features townhouse and cottage home designs geared to workforce housing with smaller floor plans and yard areas, the application notes.

The Farm District plans a central green space and park at 2.75 acres and an area for outdoor youth activities just west of the youth center. Open space buffers are planned along transportation corridors totaling about 8 acres.

Expected to be developed in six phases, the project is slated to begin this year with work running through 2028. The youth athletic and arts center is set to be constructed first, followed by commercial areas of the project and then housing.

The project will return to Council for preliminary plat approval, which will provide more specific plans for the layout of the development.

COUNCIL ALSO approved a couple of resolutions setting future public hearings.

It approved a resolution setting a public hearing for July 5 to take comments on proposed increases to garbage collection rates. The city is considering rate increases due to inflationary pressures and as part of a goal to serve more areas of the city.

The city is considering increasing the garbage collection rates over several years for both residential and commercial users. Users would see a 15% increase in the first fiscal year, followed by 5% increases in the next three fiscal years.

Council OK’d a resolution setting a public hearing for June 20 to take comment on a proposed amendment to the growth policy future land use map for 6.8 acres at 3201 U.S. 93 North from suburban residential to urban mixed use. The request comes from Spartan Holdings to amend the Eagle Valley Ranch PUD to include the property, which is home to the former Home Outfitters building.

COUNCIL APPROVED three separate items.

Council OK’d the annexation of the Morning Star Community, a mobile home community on South Woodland Drive, so that the community that includes 41 residential units could connect to city sewer. It also approved rezoning the community from county to city zoning.

Council approved a request for a commercial planned unit development overlay for a truck and RV Center on 9.72 acres at 3178 U.S. 93.

JCA Management LLC is requesting the PUD to develop Noeller Truck and RV on the vacant property. The property also fronts Basecamp Drive with access to the bypass.

Council approved an ordinance amending the city’s zoning ordinance to allow R-4 zoning in areas designated for suburban residential on the city’s land use map. The R-4 zoning is allowed now in those areas with a PUD, but the change streamlines the process of using that zoning in certain areas of the city.

Features Editor Heidi Desch may be reached at 758-4421 or [email protected].