Letter to Kalispell City Council - Frontier Institute Public CommentAimee Brunckhorst
From: Tanner Avery <tavery@frontierinstitute.org>
Sent: Monday, March 28, 2022 12:29 PM
To: Kalispell Meetings Public Comment
Subject: EXTERNAL Letter to Kalispell City Council - Frontier Institute
Attachments: FI Atlas Letter - Kalispell.docx.pdf, Montana Zoning Atlas PPT - Kalispell.pdf
[NOTICE: This message includes an attachment -- DO NOT CLICK on links or open attachments unless you know the
content is safe.]
Greetings,
I am forwarding you our letter and slides addressed to the Kalispell City Council. These documents are in regard to our
recent report on affordable housing in Kalispell. We would be happy to sit down and answer any questions the Council
may have on our report.
Please let me know if you have any questions or if we can be of assistance in any way.
Best,
Tanner
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Frontier Institute
PO Box 5144
Helena, MT 59604
frontierinstitute.org
March 28, 2022
Kalispell City Council
RE: Montana Zoning Atlas
Dear Council Members,
I am reaching out to let city councilors know about a new report on affordable housing in Montana published
by Frontier Institute, a Helena -based think tank which I lead. Our report, the,lNAoip,tain Z,oiri,iiir ...A, 1, s, is an
interactive resource which demonstrates how strict zoning regulations exclude low and middle -income
residents and worsen Montana's housing shortage. Accompanying this letter are slides providing an overview
of the report, its findings and our proposed reforms.
I hope that you may find the Montana Zoning Atlas a useful resource. I would welcome the opportunity to sit
down with the council to provide an in-depth presentation of our findings.
The Montana Zoning Atlas examines the use of Single Family Zoning and Minimum Lot Areas — two common
types of exclusionary zoning regulations — within the city limits of Bozeman, Missoula, Kalispell, Whitefish,
Billings and Helena.
Here is a summary of our key findings:
• Over 70% of primary residential areas in Montana's most in -demand communities either outright
prohibit or penalize affordable multi -family housing development.
• Multi -family housing is prohibited in 54% of Kalispell due to a combination of Exclusionary
Single -Family Zoning and Minimum Lot Areas.
• Missoula is overall the least welcoming city examined in the Montana Zoning Atlas. Multi -family
housing is prohibited in over 75% of residential areas in Missoula due to a combination of
Exclusionary Single -Family Zoning and Minimum Lot Areas.
• The most welcoming city examined is Helena, which permits more affordable duplexes and
townhomes in 100% of primary residential areas and does not impose Minimum Lot Areas.
• The Montana Zoning Atlas demonstrates the need for communities to reduce or eliminate
Exclusionary Single -Family Zoning practices and Minimum Lot Area Requirements.
Please reach out any time if you have any questions or would like to know more.
Thank you,
Kendall Cotton
President & CEO
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