Kalispell Planning Commission members are worried about a lack of public involvement in drafting the city’s new land use plan.

During the commission's April 8 meeting, City Planner Donnie McBath updated members on efforts to garner public feedback on how the city can best promote attainable housing.  

But some board members said they were concerned that much of the community is still unaware of the implications behind Senate Bill 382, which was signed into law in May 2023 by Gov. Greg Gianforte as part of his effort to streamline construction amid a statewide housing crunch. 

Also known as the Montana Land Use Planning Act, the law required 10 Montana cities, including Kalispell, to draft a new land use plan, influenced largely through community engagement.   

The law has drawn criticism from city officials for limiting public input on site-specific developments. By frontloading public input to drafting the plan, the law intends to ditch public hearings in front of City Council on site-specific construction. 

Annexations and zoning changes will still go through a public process, said Assistant Development Services Director PJ Sorensen, “the big difference basically really is subdivisions and [conditional use permits.] 

“But that’s where the public cares,” commission member Shelby Odell responded. “We are going to have a lot of pissed off people here.”  

“Bingo,” added commission member Joshua Borgardt.  

The provision to limit public input on site specific projects was ruled unconstitutional by a district court judge in Bozeman earlier this year. That decision has left city planners with unanswered questions on how site-specific projects will be approached.  

Colorado-based engineering firm Logan Simpson was hired by the city in December to spearhead its public engagement campaign, which kicked off in March and featured two open houses and four drop-in sessions.  

Displayed at the events and on the city’s dedicated webpage (https://engagekalispell.com/#tab-59610), residents can pick and choose from 14 zoning regulations identified in the act that they believe would most effectively promote attainable housing in Kalispell.  

The city is required to adopt a minimum of five out of the 14 regulations.  

McBath said that so far, the in-person events garnered around 60 responses, and the website brought around 110. 

From that feedback, the community identified Kalispell’s main challenges as vacation rentals, lack of school funding, a high cost of living, a need for pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure, and speedy development resulting in unappealing sprawl.  

Of the state-proposed zoning regulations, the community favored allowing apartments as a permitted use in office and commercial zones, higher density housing near public transit, colleges or places of employment, and having tiny houses defined in the building code. 

Residents also favored allowing second homes on any property where a single-family residence is allowed and increasing building heights by at least 25%, according to public feedback.  

While board members were appreciative of the effort by Logan Simpson and city planners to engage the public on the forthcoming plan, they worried that the community will still be angry and confused when developments go up outside their doorstep without notice.  

“Is anybody going to act surprised in like 2026 or whatever when this stuff starts happening,” said Chad Graham, commission chair. “I just don’t think this is stuff that the general public consumes.” 

“I want the public out there to understand how important this is,” Graham said. 

Sorensen told the commission that he believes the state Legislature is looking to introduce a form of public notice.  

More public engagement events are scheduled this summer along with a public hearing for the final draft anticipated for August.  

THE COMMISSION also OK’d the construction of a new Montana Department of Transportation multi-use building in North Kalispell, sending the project to City Council for review.  

The state agency is requesting annexation of the 9-acre plot of land into the city, initial zoning of P-1 (public) and a conditional use permit to allow for the facility located at 2905 U.S. 93 N., which is currently being used as a maintenance yard.  

The new building would be used to store equipment and would be fitted with mechanics and welding shops under one roof, according to the project proposal. The state Department of Transportation has a welding and mechanics shop on Fifth Avenue East North, which will be relocated to the new building.  

The Kalispell Ford dealership and firearms manufacturer Falkor Defense sit across the street from the property, and the new Stillwater Bend subdivision is located nearby.  

A condition in the permit was amended by the commission to leave it up to the developer whether to fence just the southern half of the property, which will remain sand and salt storage, or to put up a chain link fence around the entire building as well.  

The conditional use permit would also require the building of a road connection from Rose Crossing north to Quail Lane.  

Reporter Jack Underhill can be reached at 758-4407 and [email protected].