The Kalispell Planning Commission on Tuesday will consider tacking design standards onto future development along the Parkline Trail.  

The commission, which meets at 6 p.m., Oct. 13 in City Hall, 201 First Ave. E., will also review design standards for fourplexes as well as proposed amendments to the Eagle Valley Ranch planned unit development that would open part of the neighborhood to more types of commercial development.  

The items are for discussion only; no votes will be taken.  

Commission members are expected to discuss whether the city should adopt rules governing landscaping, lighting and pedestrian connections along the Parkline Trail as well as whether buildings should be oriented toward the path. The commission will also consider whether varying rules should be applied to different sites along the trail.  

The multi-use paved trail runs east-west through downtown Kalispell, where a railroad once cut through the city. Industrial and commercial properties previously surrounded the tracks, but the city has been looking to encourage mixed-use development along the corridor in recent years.  

That's why most of the property along the trail is zoned B-3 (Core Area Business). The designation supports a wider range of development, including buildings up to 60 feet in height by right, with no height limit under a conditional use permit. It also eliminates minimum lot size, setbacks, maximum lot coverage and cuts minimum parking requirements in half, according to a memo from City Planner Donnie McBath. 

Mayor Ryan Hunter originally championed imposing design standards out of fear that the area surrounding the trail would be developed into parking lots and other uninviting structures. City Council discussed the proposal during a June work session but ultimately passed the baton off to the Planning Commission for a first look.  

THE COMMISSION will also weigh applying design standards to fourplexes.  

The board is expected to discuss building size and form, setbacks, entrances, parking, landscaping and their effect on neighboring properties.  

Fourplexes are singular buildings that house four apartment units under one owner. They are currently banned in R-1, R-2 and R-3 zones, which have historically been designated for single-family residences, according to a memo from City Planner Donnie McBath. 

Several councilors during a March work session supported allowing fourplexes in all residential zones, a measure that could have been adopted under the Montana Land Use Planning Act. The 2023 state law required Montana's larger cities to adopt zoning changes aimed at encouraging housing development.  

Council ultimately delayed allowing fourplexes until it could establish design standards to help ensure the buildings fit into existing neighborhoods.  

While the city was crafting its new land use plan as required under the state law, a community survey found that fourplexes were the least preferred housing option, according to McBath. 

Allowing fourplexes in every zone would likely face scrutiny from councilors, as only a slim majority supported allowing the Planning Commission to further discuss the proposal.  

THE DEVELOPER behind the Eagle Valley Ranch community in North Kalispell submitted requests for a zone change and an amendment to the subdivision's planned unit development that would allow for more commercial development.  

The zone change would shift roughly 11 acres within the neighborhood from RA-2 (residential development) to B-1 (neighborhood business). The development was originally approved for mixed-use.  

The planned unit development amendment would increase the maximum size of a restaurant from 4,000 to 12,000 square feet and the maximum size of a retail store from 4,000 to 14,000 square feet.  

For reference, Famous Dave's is roughly 11,000 square feet, according to developer Spartan Holdings' application.  

The developer does not anticipate any large box stores, only uses such as pharmacies or auto parts stores, according to the application. 

The proposed amendment would also allow athletic clubs, car washes, and indoor and outdoor recreational uses within the area.   

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.