11-09-93 Planning Board_ KALISPELL CITY -COUNTY PLANNING BOARD AND ZONING COMMISSION
MINUTES OF MEETING
NOVEMBER 9, 1993
CALL TO ORDER The regularly scheduled meeting of,the Kalispell City -
AND ROLL CALL County Planning Board and Zoning Commission was called
to order at 7:04 p.m. by President Therese Hash. Board
members present were Hash, Kennedy, Carlson, Conner and
Lopp, constituting a quorum. DeGrosky and Bahr had
excused absences. Absent Board members were Ellingson
and Fraser. The Flathead Regional Development Office
was represented by John Parsons, Senior Planner and Tom
Jentz, Senior Planner. There were five (5) members of
the public in attendance.
APPROVAL OF The minutes of the October 19, 1993 meeting were
MINUTES approved as submitted on a motion by Kennedy, second by
Carlson. All members present voted aye.
HIGGS, ET AL Hash introduced a request by Dr. Wilson A. Higgs for a
CONDITIONAL conditional use permit to construct a medical office
USE PERMIT building at 100 Heritage Way in Kalispell. The site
will be located on the southeast corner of the
O intersection of Heritage Way and U.S. 93 and lie
immediately west of Glacier View Hospital. The
building would be two stories above ground with a
basement area'and adjacent parking. The site is zoned
RA-1 Low Density Residential Apartment.
Staff Report Parsons gave a brief overview of report #KCU-93-11,
which evaluates the request to amend conditional use
permit #KCU-93-8 granted June 8, 1993. Conditional
approval is recommended, with an additional condition
#13 to read: "The first level shall be sprinkled per
the direction of the Fire Chief." He pointed out that
the applicants are already in the process of relocating
the water/utility easement as required in condition #5.
For the record, Kennedy informed the Board that the
company she works for is involved with the
water/utility easement work, but did not feel this was
a conflict of interest.
Public Hearing Karl Oertman, one of the physicians involved with this
In Favor project, stated that they generally accept the
conditions set forth in the staff report. He went on
to comment on the following conditions. Condition #2
pertaining to the parking requirements, he informed the
Board they have an agreement with the Kalispell
Orthopedic Clinic to lease one acre for an additional
100 parking spaces. Condition #3 requires that the end
of each row of parking be landscaped. He explained
that their intent is to landscape between the parking
area and the road. This requirement would make snow
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removal more difficult. Pertaining to Item #8, they
are in favor of sidewalks and are very willing to
participate in an integrated sidewalk plan once an
overall plan is devised. He asked that they not be
required to provide sprinkling on the ground floor, as
recommended in condition #13. He described their plan
to build courtyards in the basement, comprised of a 20
foot area with a retaining wall, a slope providing
access to the lower level, as well as staircases.
There would be four of these courtyards allowing for
fire access. In essence, they are providing eight
access points to the basement level. For that reason
they prefer not to add the expense of sprinkling.
Alan Peterson, architect for the project, addressed
condition #13. He relayed his recent discussions with
the Fire Chief, and stated that the design of the
building does comply with the Uniform Building Code and
the Fire Code without having to sprinkle the basement.
There being no further comment either in favor or in
opposition to the proposal, the public hearing was
closed and the meeting opened to Board discussion.
Discussion Kennedy informed the Board that the applicants request
for a conditional use permit will be heard Monday,
November 15, at City Council work session. They have
also applied for a parking variance.
The requirement for sprinkling the basement was
discussed. Mr. Peterson was asked to further address
the building design and its compliance with the UBC and
Fire Code. He explained the landscaping and building
design and how it allows for necessary access to meet
Fire Code requirements. The Board agreed by concensus
to modify condition #13 to read: "Sprinkle the first
level, unless otherwise waived by the Fire Chief."
The landscaping requirements were addressed. Mr.
Peterson illustrated on the blueprint, their
landscaping and parking plans. A landscape architect
has been employed to develop a detailed design. It was
determined by concensus that condition #3 be replaced
to read: "A twenty (20) foot landscape buffer of trees
and shrubs be provided, as approved by the Parks
Department."
The sidewalk requirement was discussed at length.
Everyone was in favor of an integrated sidewalk system,
and noted that the City can order an SID to construct
U pedestrian walkways. With the assurance that an
integrated sidewalk system will be built at a later
date, the Board agreed to delete condition #8.
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(�> The parking options being sought by the applicants in
order to meet the requirements were clarified and
discussed.
Dr. Weber, explained that the conditional use permit
applied for in June, 1993 was a contingency of their
buy -sell agreement. They could not buy the property
unless they knew a medical facility could be built on
it. Based on their architect's advice, this building
design is much larger and provides for expansion. The
issues raised at the last public hearing regarding the
blocking of the view was no longer an issue as the
building is further from the highway and meets the
maximum height requirement.
Motion Kennedy moved to accept report #KCU-93-11 as findings
of fact and recommend that City Council grant the
conditional use permit to construct the Developers
Diversified/Higgs medical facility subject to the the
recommendations modified as follows:
- #3. The 20 foot buffer off of Highway 93 will be
landscaped incorporating trees and shrubs as approved
by the Parks Department.
- #8 will be deleted.
- #13 . There will be sprinkling on the first floor per
the Fire Chief's recommendation, unless waived by the
Fire Chief.
Conner seconded. On a roll call vote Carlson, Conner,
Lopp, Kennedy and Hash voted in favor. The motion
carried on a 5-0 vote.
OLD BUSINESS Parsons gave an update on the North Meridian
Neighborhood Plan. Information is being compiled.
Letters will'be sent to all residential, commercial and
vacant property owners to notify of a neighborhood
meeting scheduled for Tuesday, November 30. If there
is a high turnout at the meeting, another public
meeting will be held to present the results. The
information gathered will be on December's agenda as a
workshop item.
Brian Wood, City of Kalispell Zoning Administrator,
reviewed the Councils' reaction to the Board's actions
at a public hearing held at last month's meeting, on
three proposed ordinance changes regarding parking.
He was asked by Council to propose to the Board that
the parking requirements for shelters be reduced, and
not include boarding/rooming houses in that category.
The Board agreed to reduce the parking requirements for
shelters to one (1) space per two (2) beds. Discussion
followed.
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�> NEW BUSINESS There was no new business.
ADJOURNMENT There 'being no further business, the meeting was
adjourned at 8:10 p.m.
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APPROVED: 04
,Elizabeth Ontko, Recording Secretary
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