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10-12-04KALISPELL CITY PLANNING BOARD & ZONING COMMISSION MINUTES OF REGULAR MEETING O OCTOBER 12, 2004 CALL TO ORDER AND ROLL The regular meeting of the Kalispell City Planning Board and CALL Zoning Commission was called to order at 7:00 p.m. Board members present were: George Taylor, Jean Johnson, Timothy Norton, Kari Gabriel and Rick Hull. John Hinchey was absent. Sue Ellyn Anderson resigned at the end of the September meeting. Narda Wilson represented the Tri-City Planning Office. There were approximately 7 people in the audience. APPROVAL OF MINUTES Johnson moved and Gabriel seconded to approve the minutes of the Kalispell City Planning Board and Zoning Commission regular meeting of September 14, 2004. The motion passed unanimously on a voice vote. HEAR THE PUBLIC No one wished to speak. KALISPELL GROWTH A review of the Kalispell Growth Policy 2020 adopted by the POLICY 2020 REVIEW Kalispell City Council in February of 2003 and the potential revision of issues in land use goals and policies for the community, development of public infrastructure and parks, and the delivery of municipal services. OVERVIEW Narda Wilson, Tri-City Planning Office, gave a brief overview of the Growth Policy. She stated the Planning Board worked on the master plan, later the Growth Policy, for a number of years, and it was adopted in February 2003 by the Kalispell City Council. She said the Board and City Council added language that it be reviewed annually for relevancy (the statutes call for a five year review) and a report be given to the City Council, who may initiate an update as needed; so every year the Growth Policy will be looked at as part of Planning Board's work program, and a report with any suggestions will be sent to the City Council. She explained that the Growth Policy was given a year to see how it worked and scheduled for a fall review, to see if any conditions or situations have changed that may warrant some updates. Wilson explained that notices were sent out to various organizations, including the Daily Interlake, Flathead County Commissioners, Flathead County Planning Office, local surveyors and engineers, the Northwest Montana Association of Realtors, and other interested parties. A couple of comments from the public and the Public Works Department were received. Kalispell City Planning Board Minutes of the meeting of October 12, 2004 Page 1 of 7 She said that Planning Board members had previously identified some areas of interest such as parkland, redevelopment incentives, a joint meeting of the Board and the City Council, density v. open space, a grid street system, the relocation of the city airport and the Two Rivers amendment. Wilson put up the Growth Policy future land use map, which shows the future utility service theoretically for 20 years. The utility service area includes the Evergreen Water 8s Sewer district, up to Whitefish Stage and Rose Crossing and along Hwy 93 South past Four Corners. She said there is a lot . of subdivision activity off Three Mile Drive, which takes the City up to the potential utility service area in that area. She said there is serious development pressure to the west, with the Evergreen Sewer District to the east. She asked, "Should the western boundary be .extended another mile, or should we require infill before expansion. Wilson also put up the Two Rivers Plan Amendment map; a lot of the area lies within the potential utility service area, including the potential mall site, and the City would provide services if they were requested. She said it becomes a land use issue, suburban and urban residential in the future land use map, and if the City provides services, what is the appropriate land use within the Growth Policy? She said this is where we see deficiencies in the lack of coordinated City/ County planning - the landowner asks the . County for the change, but it is within the area intended to be served by the City, and the City has no input. She said the Two Rivers amendment should be looked at in the context of the overall Growth Policy. Wilson said there are issues that deal with the provision of services north and west of town. She said there have been enough changes in the community to look at making potential revisions to the Growth Policy. She suggested making a list of issues during tonight's meeting, holding a Board work session later this month, and a later work session with the City Council and, finally, another public hearing. Taylor asked if it was appropriate for the Board to take the lead to contact the County to see if they could have a joint work session. Wilson said some of the audience members who are on the County Planning Board could comment on that, and that it wouldn't be a bad idea to have a joint session with the County Planning Board. I PUBLIC COMMENT Don Hines, 140 West View, president of the County Planning Board, said he will not comment publicly now, and that he will just be listening. He stated he will bring issues raised Kalispell City Planning Board Minutes of the meeting of October 12, 2004 Page 2 of 7 0 tonight up at their own meeting on Wednesday night and will present a list of points later. Tim Calloway, 365 River Bend Road, Bigfork, stated that he is the past president of the County Planning Board, and that the extension of services is vital to growth. He said that affordable housing is crucial, and the City must extend services to be able to offer affordable housing. He said the County is also at fault, that they have chances to build affordable housing, but the developments need to be dense; if you don't have the density, you can't afford the services. He said a monitored, private sewer system in a particular subdivision was not approved by the County because it was too dense; the development now has 130 separate septic systems, which is not good for the aquifer. He stated that Cottonwood Estates should be doable, it would have protected the aquifer and have been affordable housing; the City should extend services in order to protect water and build affordable housing. He said we should build affordable housing using City sewer and build trailer parks, apartment buildings, and give people a chance to build equity; Evergreen and West Valley are prime examples of affordable land for affordable housing and there has to be someplace for people to go. Taylor stated that he , agreed with Calloway that the affordable housing issue is very important and that the Board is looking for answers. Russ Crowder, 2868 Lower Lost Prairie, Marion, stated that he has real problems with the Growth Policy; the map shows three times the area of the City limits outside the City's planning jurisdiction, yet it is encompassed by the Growth Policy. He stated the City made no effort to find out what those property owners want to do with their land, and the Growth Policy encompasses a lot more in terms of land use;. Evergreen residents' concerns were ignored by the City. He said he is not sure that a joint work session would be productive given the political climate, and he suggested the Extension of Services plan be separate and not tied to the Growth Policy. He suggested the City pull their planning jurisdiction back to the City limits and adopt their plan after the County is done with their own Growth Policy. He said the City will impact those properties, but those owners have no input in the system unless the County says so. He said the Growth Policy is irrelevant outside of City limits because it is outside of the City's planning jurisdiction. When asked by Taylor, he gave examples of the types of concerns expressed by county residents about the City's Growth Policy such as density in areas proposed, restrictions on building closer to the river, and on high or low ground. He said the County planning board is giving those concerns consideration but the City is not. The City and County should sit down and Kalispell City Planning Board Minutes of the meeting of October 12, 2004 Page 3 of 7 work things out in good faith. Ken Kalvig, 126 Lambert Court, stated he represents a number of developers, one of which is Eisinger Motors, and that Eisinger Motors wants to purchase a 10 acre parcel at the corner of Highway 93 and Reserve Drive. He said the Kalispell Growth Policy designates the area as neighborhood commercial, but that no car dealerships are allowed. He said his client must get a zone change and amend the master plan in the County or amend the Growth Policy in the City; it would take less time to get the County's approval. It would have taken 8-10 months to change the zone in the City, and the County will take 5-6 months. He said that if Kalispell had not "colored" the area outside of their boundaries, his client could have come to the City and asked that the area be general commercial. He stated the City should have left areas outside of the City limits undesignated. He said that the area north of West Reserve in the Growth Policy was set as residential development, but there are about 700 new acres of commercial development about to be passed by Flathead County in that area. Jeff Larson, 128 Tamarack Woods, Lakeside, Flathead County Planning Board, stated that he would like to get together with the Kalispell Board to discuss issues. He said that many projects in Evergreen come up as density versus services, and that neighborhoods don't want high density projects; they would rather the density be half without curbs and sidewalks. He said these are issues around the City, but Evergreen is different, and they want different things. He said that everyone wants the best for Flathead County and that neighborhoods are afraid of too much density, but we must do what is best for the area. He said that affordable houses built next to single family houses are not wanted in many neighborhoods. He said they need to work together. Marye Flowers, Citizens for a Better Flathead, 2778 Upper Lost Creek Road, stated she had no significant issue to bring up, but she is concerned there is no "general public" in attendance at this meeting. She said there is an educational component with this process, and that people need to see options, and hear a free exchange of ideas and issues. She said there is no opportunity to look at options with most developments. She suggested the Board offer an extended period for written comments on the Growth Policy and look at issues like available land for infill, commercial areas, and the basis for population growth. She said there are creative ways to provide leadership as a Planning Board and to raise questions and educate the community. She suggested extending the opportunity for public input, encouraging people to come and listen to a work session, and encouraging more public participation in the process. Kalispell City Planning Board Minutes of the meeting of October 12, 2004 Page 4 of 7 DISCUSSION Taylor asked the Board to create a list of discussion items for the Growth Policy. He suggested a study to expand the service areas for the City. Wilson stated that Jim Hansz, Public Works Director, suggested some transportation issues: adding 3rd and 4th Avenues East from Center Street to Idaho as collectors, which would downgrade them from minor arterial streets to collector streets, and put 3rd and 4th Avenues from 1Ith to Center under local control. She said the City would then be able to recognize 3rd and 4th Avenues East as local streets, because the neighborhoods want to reduce the volume of traffic on those streets. Taylor and Hull suggested expansion of identified growth areas and where we could encourage growth. Norton thanked the audience for showing up, and agreed that there needs to be cooperation and support between the City and County. He had some specific issues regarding some things that were said earlier, and the negativity stemming from the FRDO fall out has hurt everyone, and we need to foster future relationships. He said he is a huge advocate of affordable housing, there are no affordable lots available nowadays, and that higher density is the only way to bring affordable housing to the area. He stated we need incentives and compromise to build affordable housing, and the topic is on the agenda for future work sessions. Norton stated that the Board does listen to what the people want and that his feeling is that the Growth Policy is a guideline, and he is taken aback that it is seen as a negative thing. He said the zoning regulations should be what we don't want, not what we will allow. He asked that developers don't just look at a color on the map and go to the County. He stated that the community survey respondents showed that people were not happy with planning, but less than 1/loth of 1% responded to the survey, so he does not put much stock in the numbers. He thanked the County Planning Board members for coming tonight. Hull stated that density and affordable housing have alternatives, and there is always a minimum density that sewer requires. He would like more emphasis on a street grid system, because major traffic problems arise without enough side roads. Gabriel asked Wilson to read the bottom of the Growth Policy map, which states that the designations only apply to annexations, and not land outside of City limits and is not used for planning in general. Wilson said the City would anticipate it to develop as such, but it is not under County review; the City could be flexible and they are not set in Kalispell City Planning Board Minutes of the meeting of October 12, 2004 Page 5 of 7 stone. The map represents our vision, but is not limited to it, and it is not intended to dictate type, size or density in the County. It is strictly a tool for the Board and City Council. There was a short discussion on the Cottonwood Estates issue. Johnson stated that many hours of work went into the Growth Policy, and that coloring the maps was the wrong thing to do. He stated the intent was not policy, but the anticipation of growth, and that development will drive growth. He feels that the City wants to dictate to developers, and not work with them, and that the Board's job is to plan and not politic. He said that money encourages growth and that the City should be accommodating, not dictatorial. Taylor stated that Norton was right when he said we can agree more on what we don't want, than what we do want, and that we need to start a dialog with the County to create a good long range definition of what the valley will look like. Wilson stated people want predictability, not change, and planning should provide the predictability component since there will be change. She said that design standards for growth are a lasting component, and quality growth is very important. She said it is important to have some kind of vision and predictability, or there is no planning. Taylor stated we should be able to reach a consensus, and work it out. Wilson listed the items suggested for Growth Policy workshops: 1. Expansion of service areas and ways to encourage growth, 2. Establishment of grid street system, 3. Third and Fourth Avenues East downgrading, 4. Parkland dedication, 5. Redevelopment incentives, 6. Techniques for affordable housing, 7. Reconsideration of relocating the City airport, S. Planning around the City limits in general, 9. Expanding housing options such as mobile homes and apartments, 10. Rural vs. urban standards for subdivisions, 11. Factual information regarding buildout for properties, 12.Implementation strategies. WORK SESSION It was decided to hold a work session on October 26, 2004 at 7:00 pm. Kalispell City Planning Board Minutes of the meeting of October 12, 2004 Page 6 of 7 Wilson said she will send notices of the work session to the same people on the mailing list for this meeting, and she will invite Jim Hansz, Kalispell Public Works Director, to give a presentation on the Extension of Services. OLD BUSINESS Wilson handed out the new architectural design standards, and said they are pretty much finished, and that all we need now are some graphics. It was decided to have a work session on November loth to finish discussing the architectural design standards, then where it will go. There will need to be a public hearing in before forwarding them on to the City Council. NEW BUSINESS Wilson stated that there quite a few applications for the next meeting; Aspen Creek is coming back redesigned, a commercial subdivision south of town has been submitted, and three annexations initiated by the City of Kalispell are on the agenda. ADJOURNMENT The meeting was adjourned at approximately 9:00 p.m. The next meeting of the Kalispell City Planning Board and Zoning Commission will be held on Tuesday, November 9, 2004. JudiFunk unk Recording Secretary APPROVED as submitted/corrected: A / 9 /04 O Kalispell City Planning Board Minutes of the meeting of October 12, 2004 Page 7 of 7