N Meadows Public Comment from Darcy Thomas, Flathead Audubon udubon ::10 1:31ox 9173
August 11, 2025
Kalispell City Council
P.O. Box 1997
Kalispell, MT 59903
Emails: pubFccommentL K l pell.cou d; planning@kalispelLcom
Ref: Files#KA-25-05/ KCU-25-04—North Meadows Development, LLC
To Whom It May Concern:
Flathead Audubon Society, representing its 400 plus members, appreciates the
opportunity to comment on the proposed North Meadows development along Ashley
Creek as it runs through South Kalispell. Our mission is to conserve birds, wildlife habitat,
and ecosystem diversity through education and conservation programs in Northwest
Montana.
Ashley Creek is an overlooked valuable and important wildlife corridor, running all the
way from Ashley Lake to its confluence with the Flathead River. Wildlife graduate work in
the 1980's showed that river otters commonly moved from Flathead Lake to Smith Lake
through the Ashley Creek corridor, preying primarily on the crayfish population. Residents
tell us White-tailed deer regularly move along the Ashley Creek corridor from the Foys/Lone
Pine area to the City and back, with many getting hit on U.S. Route 93 Alternate near the
Ashley Creek bridge. Additionally, many bird species, such as Great Blue Herons and Bald
Eagles, forage along this section of the creek from Smith Lake to the Flathead River.
Despite human development along much of the Ashley Creek corridor, this area still
supports intact native vegetation and provides excellent wildlife habitat for a wide variety of
nesting and migratory birds; aquatic species such as fish and crayfish; semi-aquatic
animals such as beaver, mink, muskrat, and river otter; as well as deer, fox, and coyote.
Based on habitat and E-bird sightings along Ashley Creek, important birds that one may see
along Ashley Creek in the vicinity of Kalispell include:
1. Nesting and migratory waterfowl orwaterbirds, such as Mallard,Wood Duck,
Common Goldeneye, and Great Blue Heron (a Montana Species of Special
Concern).
2. Foraging raptors, such as Osprey, Red-tailed Hawk, Merlin, Coopers and Sharp-
shinned Hawks, Bald Eagle, Great Horned Owl, and Rough-legged Hawk.
3. Streamside songbirds, such as Belted Kingfisher, Song Sparrow, Gray Catbird,
Bohemian and Cedar Waxwing, Eastern Kingbird, Red-winged Blackbird, and Yellow
Warbler.
4. A variety of game birds, such as Ring-necked Pheasants and Gray Partridge; various
swallows, including Barn, Tree, and Northern Rough-winged; and cavity nesting
birds, such as Northern Flicker, Downy Woodpecker, and Black-capped Chickadee.
The Ashley Creek floodplain and associated undeveloped upland areas serve as a buffer
for Kalispell, reducing the amount of urban/suburban runoff that flows directly into the
creek and decreasing the impact from flooding events, which now appear to be more
unpredictable in size and frequency due to climate change. Further encroachment will not
only reduce the creek and its floodplain's natural ability to mitigate pollution and flood
events, but also reduce/remove Ashley Creek's inherent natural values, wildlife habitats,
and role as a wildlife corridor connecting areas west of town with areas south of town.
As the City of Kalispell continues to undergo incredible growth, so should its efforts to
protect functional, productive, and unique natural areas within and adjacent to its
boundaries. Protection of riparian and associated buffer areas is good for water
management, provides open space for residents, and helps protect dwindling habitat for
birds and other wildlife. As some may recall, the protection and development of Lawrence
Parkwas inspired by citizens (Friends of Lawrence Park)who worked closely with the local
community and City of Kalispell to clean up the land, restore and protect the wetlands, and
meet other community needs.
The City Council and planners are asking for a new Vision for Kalispell, but the current draft
plan focuses primarily on the built environment. The new Vision 2030 should also include
significant additions of new and large open natural spaces to protect the last relatively
intact pieces of our local natural environment (streams, rivers, spring creeks, forest, etc.).
If the proposed New Meadows high density development gets approved and constructed, it
will greatly impinge on the values of Ashley Creek and this wildlife corridor. The number of
people and pets who will likely be able to roam the approximately 10 acres and hundreds of
feet of creekfront would displace wildlife and birds from the area. House cats, not native to
North America, prey on a billion North American birds each year and are a large cause for
decreasing songbird populations on our continent. The noise, runoff, parking areas, roofs,
and other building infrastructure will reduce the buffer area along the major habitat
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corridor and negatively impact the current habitat and open space values of the uplands
and riparian areas.
Currently, there is a unique opportunity to build upon the Bibler family's efforts with the
City of Kalispell, as they help create the new park along Ashley Creek close to U.S. Route 93
Alternate and the Parkline Trail system. This park could anchor the west end of an open
space landscape along Ashley Creek east to the city-owned Begg Park off Airport Road.
Much of the corridor is not developable. Why not connect these two public spaces along
Ashley Creek through both funding and public/private land conservation efforts vs. adding
dense development in a sensitive area and further fragmenting the corridor? Given the
public comment to date on this proposal, it seems that adjacent homeowners, HOAs, and
the greater Kalispell Community, alongwith organizations like Flathead Audubon, would
support and help complete such a visionary and beneficial endeavor.
We encourage Kalispell Planners and City Council Members to consider working with the
applicant and landowner, and with the entire local community, to protect this still
undeveloped unique area, while also compensating the private landowner(s) for the value
of their land.
Thank you for the opportunity to provide input. Please let us know if you have any
questions.
Sincerely,
wjn_7
Darcy Thomas, President
Flathead Audubon Society Board of Directors
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