Vote NO - Tronstad Meadows & Whitetail Crossing Public Comment from Trish PandinaMayor and Council,
I received the following email regarding the Tronstad proposal.
Ryan Hunter
Kalispell City Council Ward 3
rhunter@kalispell.com
________________________________
From: Kristine Hursh <ckhursh@gmail.com>
Sent: Sunday, May 5, 2024 8:53 PM
To: Ryan Hunter <rhunter@kalispell.com>
Subject: EXTERNAL Vote NO - Tronstad Meadows & Whitetail Crossing
Councilor Hunter,
My name is Kristine Hursh. My husband Kevin and I live at 210 Tronstad Road in Kalispell. We moved here in February 2000 and enjoyed raising our kids here very much. We have had llamas,
dogs, cats and now horses on our 3.6 acres across from the proposed development. We both work in the valley. My phone: 406-253-5199
We know that progress and growth will happen, but we are very concerned about the density of 380 homes being built on 110 acres. Right now the property is zoned at 2.5 acres per home.
That seems more reasonable for our area, frankly. Right now Tronstad Road is a narrow county road that was torn up and the neighborhood was very disrupted during the Quail Meadows
development and that was only 39 lots. Homeowners on Sirucek Lane and the Ponderosa development were negatively impacted by the Quail Meadows development also - many cars detouring
through their neighborhood to avoid construction on Tronstad Road. We are very concerned about the safety of the current residents on Tronstad Road that will have to contend with heavy
equipment, and a large increase in traffic on our road when development starts and after 380 homes are built. That could mean years of heavy construction traffic. Right now we are
restricted to turning north only onto Highway 93. That causes us to go north, go under the highway at Church Drive and try to merge onto the highway with compromised visibility and
no speed up lane, to continue south into Kalispell. Our other option is to go south down Whitefish Stage, another narrow county road that will be negatively impacted by all the extra
growth as well. We can continue to Rose Crossing or Reserve to access Highway 93. With the planned future work and improvements to Reserve and Whitefish Stage and the development
proposed on Tronstad, where does that leave the residents that are here now?? Where are we going to be able to drive to get around?
We thought that a traffic light at Highway 93 and Tronstad Road could alleviate some of the safety and growth issues for Tronstad Road and Silverbrook, however we were told that the
possibility for a traffic light would be years in the future and at least 250 homes need to be built before that happens. That would really cripple our neighborhood and increase our
safety concerns for our residents.
Right now there are hundreds of lots and homes on the market in Kalispell, there are also new developments approved for building. Does approval need to move so quickly on this development?
The real estate market has slowed since the pandemic and homes are staying on the market longer. Again, this development really doesn't need to be rushed before the infrastructure
can handle it.
The existing well that sits on the property is not only owned by the 110 acres, there are others with water rights. How will that affect them? Also - is there enough water for 380
additional homes and the proposed linking to the Kalispell water system, as well as the people with the existing water rights?
With the proposed density of the houses, what will they do with all the snow in the winter time? Where can they put it? When snow drifts compromise driving on Tronstad, more people
will be affected. Will emergency vehicles be able to navigate the small streets with cars parked on both sides? There will be two entrances to the project, but both feed onto Tronstad.
Also - the developers are selling the lots, not building the homes. There will be all different builders, with their equipment and designs of homes.
The developers have mentioned affordable housing. I don't know many people in the valley that can afford $550k. They mentioned teachers, nurses, firefighters and police. Only longtime
working people could possibly afford that.
We appreciate Chad Graham's concern and his no vote at the planning meeting on April 9. His reasoning was valid and well thought out. Tronstad Road is not ready for this kind of additional
traffic and 380 houses being built. Please consider voting no on this growth policy change, annexation and development. Get Reserve, Whitefish Stage and Tronstad widened and improved
before any big developments are approved. Installing a traffic light before the heavy construction begins would be advisable also. Otherwise there will be a big mess north of town
for years to come. Our neighborhood will be negatively affected by this huge project. Safety and quality of life are huge concerns for the families and homeowners in the neighborhood.
Please consider driving down Tronstad Road and seeing how narrow it is and the access to Highway 93 and Whitefish Stage at both ends. Imagine our narrow county road with more than 500
additional cars. Also - we have quite the views without very dense development.
Thank you for your consideration.
“Affordable” housing, not “affordable” to our service industry
While the website for Tronstad Meadows / Whitetail Crossing states that their mission is to “make homeownership attainable for working class Montana families and first-time homeowners,”
the projected price points for lots, current building costs, interest rates, and realities of needing to afford to live while building a home make the developer’s purposes highly
dubious.
It appears the primary target is actually out of state newcomers and magnifies and contributes to the ongoing erosion of local services. It’s clear that nothing in this development
creates costs controls and simple calculations make it highly unlikely that teachers, policemen, healthcare workers, and service workers will be able to afford to build and live here.
Development is more national than “local”
The lack of financial transparency leads many of us to suspect that the major financial contributor is Elcan & Associates. It is our concern that, with their multitude of projects (see
national development map below) the company is more focused on financial gain than contributing to the development and well being of Kalispell and the surrounding areas.
This is not one of ours concern for the many nearby developments currently under way, where the scope, density, location, and access seem appropriate.
In our encounters and conversation with the development team, they’ve expressed that the city’s eagerness to acquire the agricultural well on the property is a major enticement for annexation
and approval of this development. It’s our understanding that this agricultural well cannot be converted to municipal use.
Here is a map of the current development projects by the primary and funding partner, Elcan & Associates: https://elcaninc.com/ <https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Felca
ninc.com%2F&data=05%7C02%7Cabrunckhorst%40kalispell.com%7C3a2ebfb01d8c4606176908dc6b832706%7C6219d736f71146359cbaff616a81b398%7C1%7C0%7C638503459081440586%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAi
LCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C60000%7C%7C%7C&sdata=82XXE563KkpJsgIgrP3oXl0RCN5ydtrd2Ig1wjVf2qk%3D&reserved=0>
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Demand for a Thorough Reevaluation
The city staff’s recommendation to proceed seems to have insufficiently addressed these critical concerns, particularly the unique challenges posed by this development compared to other
areas. There has been a lack of thorough analysis and genuine community engagement, which is essential for any project of this scale and impact.
Given these significant issues and the potential long-term consequences of proceeding without a mwhatࣃ쬀霭ꕨ⧙樀⧝