Kalispell City Council on Monday will vote on whether to add tiny homes to city code, allowing the municipality to inspect them and enforce building standards.  

The move is one of two housing-related ordinances Council will consider as it brings the municipality in compliance with state policy. Adopting the rules would create more consistent standards for contractors, property owners and inspectors, according to a memo from Building Official Sean McRae.  

Council meets at 7 p.m., Oct. 19 in City Hall, 201 First Ave. E. 

Council identified tiny homes as a potential way to expand housing options, one of several strategies the city picked under the Montana Land Use Planning Act. The 2023 law required Montana’s largest cities to update land use plans and choose from a list of various zoning changes designed to encourage housing development.  

Other zoning changes Council adopted over the spring include eliminating single-family zoning by allowing duplexes and accessory dwelling units on any lot in the city. Other reforms included permitting multifamily housing in commercial and office zones and reducing minimum lot sizes by 25% citywide. 

The second ordinance Council is expected to adopt would formally align the city’s building code with the state’s.  

The proposed rules would also reclassify some code violations as municipal infractions instead of criminal offenses, allowing the city to enforce them more effectively, according to McRae.  

The change would give Kalispell another tool to enforce code when voluntary compliance doesn’t work.  

COUNCIL WILL also consider purchasing two new pickup trucks for the Building Department, totaling $100,344.  

The Knudtsen Chevrolet trucks will provide the increased ground clearance and four-wheel-drive capabilities needed to travel to building sites, according to a memo from McRae.  

The Building Department originally budgeted $130,000 for the two vehicles.  

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.