Tronstad Meadows Whitetail Crossing Development – Critical Concerns Public Comment from Dan and Ming Munzing Aimee Brunckhorst
From: Ming Lovejoy <minglovejoy1 @gmail.com>
Sent: Wednesday, October 30, 2024 8:29 PM
To: Kalispell Meetings Public Comment
Subject: EXTERNAL Re: Tronstad Meadows Whitetail Crossing Development—Critical Concerns
Dear City Council Members,
As a long-time homeowner and taxpayer in both the city of Kalispell and the surrounding county, We are
writing to express concern regarding the proposed Tronstad Meadows Whitetail Crossing subdivision.
Alongside over 600 fellow residents who have signed a petition and more than 170 letters that have been
submitted since April, we strongly urge you to pause and carefully reconsider the significant issues surrounding
this development before moving forward.
While we understand that growth is inevitable, the process of expansion must be responsible and well-planned.
In this case, there are glaring concerns about traffic and safety that must not be overlooked. The developer's
traffic study, along with an independent review by traffic engineer Rick Nys of Greenlight Engineering,
both highlight a critical issue: the intersection at Highway 93 and Tronstad Road is projected to reach
a failing Level of Service (LOS "V)—the worst possible traffic rating—early in the development
process unless an active, functioning signal is installed and operational prior to Phase 1 of the Tronstad
Meadows Whitetail Crossing buildout.
However, despite these warnings, the Montana Department of Transportation (MDOT) has not committed
to any clear timeline for the installation of the signal. The applicant, at the Planning Board meeting on
October 8th, indicated that MDOT pledged that they were working on a solution, but even the applicant's letter
from MDOT dated Oct 9th, gives absolutely no certainty to when or if a signal will be installed. This
uncertainty leaves current and future residents vulnerable and at risk of experiencing inadequate
infrastructure and preventable road hazards, potentially for years.
Kalispell's own Design Standards for Transportation Systems require that any development must
maintain or improve the existing Level of Service (LOS) on roadways, yet Tronstad Meadows Whitetail
Crossing is set to violate that requirement unless a traffic signal is in place from the beginning.
This situation raises serious questions about the oversight of this project. The Planning Board's decision to
approve the development on October 8th without conditioning it on the installation of this critical signal puts the
City Council at risk of repeating the same mistake. Approving this project without addressing the
necessary traffic infrastructure is like ignoring a crack in a dam—it may hold for a while, but
eventually, the pressure will build, and when it gives way, the damage will ripple through the entire
community.
We ask the City Council to consider the overwhelming opposition to this development and the clear need for a
traffic signal at Highway 93 and Tronstad Road, should the City Council vote to approve it. As it stands,
both residents and independent experts agree that proceeding without this infrastructure in place would
compromise public safety.
If the City Council chooses to approve the Tronstad Meadows development, we strongly urge that this
approval be conditioned on the installation of a fully operational traffic signal at the Highway 93 and
Tronstad intersection before Phase 1 begins.
Please note both the Applicant's own traffic study and the independent review by traffic engineer, Rick
Nys, of Greenlight Engineering, are very clear about this in their reports.
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However, the applicant and city staff have not demonstrated how in fact this critical safety mechanism
will indeed occur.
This issue goes beyond just one project—it sets a precedent for how Kalispell will manage growth moving
forward. We need to ensure that new developments enhance, rather than overwhelm, our infrastructure.
Strategic, thoughtful planning is essential to protect the quality of life for current residents and the safety of
those who will live here in the future.
We respectfully ask the City Council to prioritize public safety, follow the city's own regulations, and require that
the necessary infrastructure be in place before this development is allowed to proceed.
Thank you for your time and for considering the long-term interests of our community. We trust you will act in
the best interest of Kalispell's residents.
Sincerely,
Dan and Ming Munzing 213 Tronstad Road and 139 East Swift Creek Way Kalispell
And on behalf of the Alliance for Responsible Development in the Flathead Valley
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