08-29-25 City Manager Reports1
City of Kalispell
OFFICE OF THE CITY
MANAGER
Information Memorandum
8/29/2025
Parks & Recreation
Park staff recently installed a centrally located irrigation controller in the south section of
Lawrence Park near the rock-climbing wall, eliminating individual in-ground valve controllers
and improving irrigation efficiency in that area. They also repaired an unrelated irrigation main
break near the park’s restrooms.
With fall sports underway, KYAC staff have begun painting the soccer field lines while also
working on irrigation repairs on the Babe Ruth and football fields.
Forestry staff have completed tree pruning along 9th Avenue West and are now moving on to 8th
Avenue West.
Our cedar shake roof replacement for Depot Park is scheduled to begin Friday, August 29. The
cost of the replacement is $213,243. We were able to secure $150,000 for this project through a
2
Montana Historical Preservation Grant. The rest of the funding will come from the West Side
TIF.
Woodland Waterpark closed for public swimming August 15, and wrapped up the season on
August 17, with the annual Paws Splash. On August 18, parks crews started the process of
identifying a leak in the underground piping. Once the location has been identified, repair work
will be scheduled. Staff have started debriefing the 2025 season and will be developing training
opportunities for potential lifeguards for next season. Woodland Waterpark was also featured in
the August 2025 edition of Recreation Management magazine. The photo featured the new liner
that was installed in the pool by RenoSystems this past June.
The final Picnic in the Park was held on August 20, at Depot Park. This year’s event series
included 14 concerts held each Wednesday for seven weeks. In the past concerts were held on
Tuesday evenings and Wednesday afternoons, the move to hosting concerts on Wednesdays
created staffing and expenditure efficiencies. Wednesday concerts also reduced competition with
other popular weekly events held throughout Flathead Valley, such as farmers markets/concerts.
Picnic in the Park is made possible because of all the
wonderful sponsors.
Kalispell Parks and Recreation’s Day Camp, Camp
Woodland, wrapped up the season on Friday,
August 22. Enrollment limitations were in effect for
the final week of camp due to a reduction in staffing
(staff are mostly high school/college students).
Camp Woodland had a featured photo with the
National Parks and Recreation Association weekly
membership email. The photo featured a foam party
celebration that was held the week of August 11.
The afterschool program started on the first day of
school, August 27. The program is held at Elrod
Elementary School with transportation services
offered from each SD #5 elementary school. The program will serve up to 60 kids per day once
staffing levels are achieved for the school year.
Runnin' Rascals Flag Football program kicked off on Saturday August 23, at Kalispell Youth
Athletic Complex. There are 208 kids participating in this year’s program, making up 20 teams.
In 2024 there were 182 kids that participated in the program. The 2025 program will continue
through October 4.
3
Fall Soccer begins on Wednesday September 3, and preparations are well underway. Volunteer
coaches are still needed for some Kindergarten teams along with 1st & 2nd grade teams. There
are 298 kids registered for this year’s program compared to 251 kids in 2024.
Registration for the Fall Little Dribblers basketball program is open through September 29.
Public Works
Lower Zone Tank #1 Replacement: The
contractor for the Lower Zone Tank Replacement
- Reservoir 1 project has completed the concrete
pour for the dome roof. The next phase is to
install the prestressing cables around the outside
of the tank wall to place the concrete in
compression before the liquid load is applied.
3rd St E Road Reconstruction Project:
Construction on the 3rd Street East
Reconstruction Project is at substantial
completion. Minor punch list items remain and
are anticipated to be completed by this fall.
Planning
The Planning Commission will hold a public hearing September 9 and take comments on the
item below:
1.File # KZTA-25-01 – Hayden Homes has submitted a petition for a zoning text
amendment relating to how setbacks are applied to a structure’s eaves. Current zoning
regulations, under Section 27.37.010(177), defines a setback as “The horizontal distance
required between any structure (i.e. the furthest extension of the structure, typically an
eave line or deck) and a lot line. . . .” This amendment would allow eaves to extend up to
two (2) feet into the setback areas in the R-1, R-2, R-3, R-4, and R-5 zones.
4
The Planning Commission will also hold a work session on the following item:
1. Staff will present elements of the preliminary draft land use plan and an update on public
outreach and public comments submitted to date. Future work sessions will be noticed
and a formal hearing will be held before the Commission forwards a recommendation to
the City Council for its action.
Documents pertaining to the agenda items 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.”
Building
In the last 2 weeks we have issued permits for 6 single-family homes. That will keep the total of
new single-family/duplex and townhouse units for the year at 80 compared to 107 last year at
this time. There have been 241 multi-family housing units issued so far this year compared to
24 last year at this time.
There were a total of 279 combined building and/or fire inspections completed in the last 2
weeks.
Residential – 70 Plumbing – 18
Commercial – 40 Mechanical – 25
Electrical – 23 Fire – 103
Community Develom pment
The City’s application for the Sunset Boulevard shared use path to the Montana Department of
Transportation’s (MDT) Transportation Alternatives grant program was not awarded. The
application was to build the south portion of the shared use path connection on the east side of
U.S. 93 connecting downtown Kalispell and Logan Health. Of the 23 applications received
(approximately $20 million in federal funds requested), only 9 projects will be moving forward
with a total estimated cost of $9 million in federal funds that are available this TA cycle. Staff
will meet with MDT and solicit feedback that can be used for a future grant application.
5
Fire
Incident Summary (August 13 – August 26, 2025)
Type of Incident Number of Calls Details
Fire-Related Calls 4 Vegetation, building, vehicle, other
Vehicle-Related
Incidents 8 6 with injuries, 2 without
EMS-Related Calls 159 Advanced Life Support (ALS) and Basic Life Support
(BLS)
Other Calls 43 False alarms, good intent, cancelled en route
Total 214
Recruit Class 25-01 graduated 3 members to probationary status.