01-31-25 City Manager Report1
City of Kalispell
OFFICE OF THE CITY
MANAGER
Information Memorandum
1/31/2025
1. Parks and Recreation
With the recent cold weather, Parks staff were able to
plow, sweep, and flood the pond at Woodland Park,
creating good conditions for public skating. The pond
is available during regular park hours.
Forestry staff continue to perform structural pruning of
the trees within the Silverbrook Estates subdivision.
So far, 613 of the 833 trees have been pruned.
The Learn to Skate program is half-way through the season, a
total of 95 participants have learned to skate so far. There are
two sessions remaining.
Kalispell Kickers indoor soccer started January 18, and
occurs each Saturday until March. The program is held at
Rankin Elementary School.
Tennis is Elementary begins February 3, at Elrod Elementary
school. The program has 30 kids registered, reaching the
maximum number of participants.
Spring Break Camp is scheduled for March 24, through 28. Registration is currently
open.
KPR and Flathead High School are hosting the annual cheerleading workshop on
February 1. 65 participants have registered and will perform at the varsity game halftime
after spending the morning learning to cheer. This is a fundraiser for the high school’s
cheer team.
Registration is open for all winter and spring programs at the following link:
https://www.kalispell.com/243/Recreation-Activities
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2. Public Works
Ashley Creek Use Attainability Analysis (UAA)
The City of Kalispell has conducted extensive water quality, geomorphic, and aquatic life
studies on lower Ashley Creek over the past several years. As a next step, a Use
Attainability Analysis (UAA) was completed to consolidate the findings and propose a
new site-specific classification for lower Ashley Creek. According to EPA guidelines and
the data analyzed in the UAA, the existing conditions represent the highest attainable
uses for the creek. The analysis determined that meeting current water quality standards
is unattainable, primarily due to natural geomorphologic factors that limit the creek's
ability to fully support beneficial uses.
In collaboration with the Montana Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ), the City
developed a proposal for site-specific water quality criteria tailored to the lower segment
of Ashley Creek. The proposed amendments to Montana’s Administrative Rules include:
• Maintaining dissolved oxygen concentrations above specified levels,
• Limiting water temperature to a maximum of 77°F (25°C), and
• Establishing nutrient thresholds for nitrogen and phosphorus during the summer
months.
These proposed standards aim to align water quality expectations with the creek's natural
characteristics and practical limitations. This week, the City submitted the UAA for lower
Ashley Creek to the Montana DEQ for review, acceptance, and progression toward
rulemaking and adoption.
3. Planning Department
The Planning Commission will hold a public hearing and take public comment on the
agenda item listed below:
1. File #KA-24-10; KPUD-24-05; and KPP-24-06 – Vista Ridge Cottages, LP, has
submitted applications for Vista Ridge Cottages, including requests for
annexation, initial zoning of RA-1 (Residential Apartment) with a Planned Unit
Development overlay and preliminary plat approval for 96 residential units (53
detached single-family and 43 attached single-family/townhouse) on
approximately 15.78 acres, including lots, roads, and common areas. The property
is located at 489 Two Mile Drive.
The Planning Commission will also hold a work session on the following item:
1. A summary of Parks and Recreation, non-city owned utilities, and property tax
assessment methods. The work session is the fourth in a series the Planning
Commission will hold in the coming months in establishing a land use plan as
required by the Montana Land Use Planning Act.
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Documents pertaining to the agenda item are on file for public inspection at the Kalispell
Development Services Department, 201 First Avenue East, Kalispell, MT 59901, and are
available for public review during regular office hours. In addition, information on the
agenda item is posted on our website at Planning Commission | Kalispell, MT
(civicplus.com) under Planning Commission “upcoming agenda.”
4.Building Department
In the last 2 weeks we have issued 1 single-family home permit. This brings the total of
new single-family/duplex and townhouse units for the year to 3, compared to 20 at this
time last year. There have been 0 multi-family housing units issued so far this year.
There were a total of 194 combined building and/or fire inspections completed in the last
2 weeks.
Residential – 40 Plumbing – 14
Commercial – 27 Mechanical – 22
Electrical – 15 Fire – 76
5.Community Development
Staff, in cooperation with the Montana Department of Transportation, submitted a Better
Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development (BUILD) Grant application to the U.S.
Department of Transportation on January 30. The application titled: Completing
Kalispell’s Bypass for Safe Streets Downtown would widen the remaining two miles of
the bypass to a four-lane, grade separated roadway, with improvements at the intersection
of the Bypass and U.S. 93.
6.Fire Department
From January 15 to January 28, the Fire Department had 148 responses. Of these, there
were 105 medical incidents, 5 fire alarm activations,1 structure fire, 2 vehicle fires, 1
illegal burn, 4 motor vehicle accidents with injuries, 5 haz-mat incidents, 4 public assists,
and 21 with nothing found or dispatched and canceled en-route.
Technical Rescue training (rope rescue) and ice rescue was taught to the new recruits
during this report period.
We have had several ride-a-longs of interested Firefighter/Paramedic applicants.
Quarterly resiliency training was provided to members.
Chief Kinzer and 2 members will be assisting with the statewide Firefighter CPAT
(physical agility test) this week in Billings MT.
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The recruit academy graduation was held January 31.
Kalispell Fire crews assisted Smith Valley Fire with a structure fire at Kelly Raes mini
mart at Hwy 2 and Batavia Lane. Our crews were assigned to the interior and kept fire
from advancing into the store.
Kalispell Fire crews assisted Evergreen fire with a structure fire on Jan 28, 2025.
All members had Advanced Cardiac Life Support refresher training the week of January
27.