Kalispell City Council is poised to overhaul downtown parking rules on Monday.  

Councilors will vote on a resolution to increase fines for parking violations and institute a uniform permit fee across all city lots. They will also consider an ordinance precluding motorists from simply moving their vehicle one spot over to avoid a citation.  

Council meets at 7 p.m., June 6 in City Hall, 201 First Ave. E. 

The changes are intended to free up on-street spaces for customers by pushing downtown workers to the neighborhood’s paid permit lots, which go largely empty.   

Under the proposed resolution, parking fines would increase on a tiered basis. The first violation would carry a $30 fine, up from the current $10. A second violation in the same calendar year would result in a $40 fine. A third or subsequent violation would result in a $50 fine. The violation count would rest at the beginning of each year, according to a memo from City Manager Jarod Nygren.  

Many of the updates were inspired by a report from Downtown Kalispell Forward that detailed several short-term solutions to solving what the group described as a perceived parking crunch that deterred visitors from shopping downtown. 

The coalition wanted to offer businesses and their employees free, unlimited parking permits, but councilors during a May meeting veered in the opposite direction by raising them.  

Permit fees are currently between $18 and about $30 a month, but the resolution would make permits $30 across all lots. 

Council will also consider an ordinance aimed at curbing the practice known as “musical cars,” in which downtown employees who park on the street move their vehicles forward a spot to avoid breaking the posted two-hour time limit.    

The new rule would require motorists to move their vehicle at least 600 feet after their two hours are up.  

COUNCIL WILL also appoint seven members to the newly formed Housing Study Advisory Committee that will help guide an analysis of the municipality’s housing market. 

The 23 people who applied for the board include local builders, engineers, real estate agents and nonprofit leaders.  

The proposal grew out of a housing initiative Mayor Ryan Hunter championed during his campaign for office. While he pushed for a permanent body that would also focus on homelessness, councilors ultimately opted for a temporary committee tasked with supporting a consultant through the study process and providing housing policy recommendations upon its completion.  

COUNCIL WILL also vote to support an application to establish the downtown area as a federally designated opportunity zone.   

An opportunity zone is meant to spur investment in an undercapitalized community by allowing investors to defer, reduce or eliminate capital gains taxes and invest unrealized gains into a fund.  

Applications are submitted to the state Department of Commerce with recommendations forwarded to Gov. Greg Gianforte’s Office for approval. The city expects to hear back by September, according to a memo from Development Services Director PJ Sorensen.  

TWO PUBLIC hearings are also scheduled for Monday night.  

Residents are invited to weigh in on the city’s preliminary budget for fiscal year 2027.  

The proposed $189 million budget includes a slew of infrastructure upgrades to the city’s sewage water and stormwater systems as well as covering the bolstered Police and Fire Departments due to the voter-approved emergency responder levy.  

Another hearing will be held on updates to the municipality’s water and sewage system plans. 

The documents consider current challenges facing the city’s essential utilities and will serve as long-range roadmaps to guide infrastructure improvements that support future growth.  

COUNCIL IS expected to authorize consulting firm LSW Architects to begin designing and permitting a new fire station on the west side of town. 

The forthcoming station, the city’s third, is slated to go up on city-owned land at 490 Mountain Vista Way just east of Farm to Market Road. Funding for the new station will come from the emergency responder levy.  

Reporter Jack Underhill can be reached at 406-758-4407 or [email protected]. If you value local journalism, pledge your support at dailyinterlake.com/support.