Constituents Concerns/Parking etc Public Comment from Karlene Khor with Mayor Hunter responseAimee Brunckhorst
From: Ryan Hunter
Sent: Wednesday, July 22, 2026 10:01 AM
To: K Khor; Kalispell Meetings Public Comment
Subject: Re: EXTERNAL Constituents Concerns/Parking etc
Hi Karlene,
Thankyou foryour comments. The parking reforms were in response to a proposal from Downtown
Kalispell Forward, which was itself based on an extensive survey of downtown businesses. The number
one concern identified by businesses in the survey was a lack of available parking in front of their
business. Numerous assessments have concluded that there is not a lack of available parking
downtown, however, the lack of available parking directly in front of one's destination, rather than within
a block or two, has been determined to be partly the result of employees of those businesses parking on
Main Street near their place of employment. The reforms adopted are intended to address that issue, but
they are a preliminary trial effort and I believe adjustments are likely next year after results of the reforms
are assessed.
With regards to a parking garage, as you are aware, Council has already approved one for the Eagle Lot in
association with the proposed downtown hotel at 3rd and Main. I will point out that the license plate
reader system will cost about $70k whereas a parking garage costs many millions of dollars. While
numerous studies have shown that there is not a lack of available parking downtown, commercial
property owners downtown interested in moving a parking garage forward without reliance on the
proposed downtown hotel could propose to Council a Special Improvement District to tax themselves to
fund such a project.
Also, I spent money at a downtown business last Thursday and do so frequently.
Ryan Hunter
Mayor of Kalispell
rhunter@kalispell.com
From: K Khor <kkhor838@yahoo.com>
Sent: Wednesday, July 22, 2026 8:35 AM
To: Kalispell Meetings Public Comment <publiccomment@kalispell.com>
Subject: EXTERNAL Constituents Concerns/Parking etc
Dear Council Members:
We never see council members visiting our downtown retail shops or stores and yet you make decisions about the
livelihood of these businesses downtown and you don't even frequent those businesses.
Granted Kyle has a shop downtown but we don't see him making purchases nor do we see any of you in our stores
making purchases. When was the last time any of you bought an item at a downtown retail shop?
If you did, then you'd know buying a formal dress for a wedding or wedding gown or a gift for a loved one takes
more than two hours, especially if you want to visit as many shops as possible to see what's available.
Nothing will kill downtown retail businesses quicker than $20 and $30 parking tickets and parking surveillance.
Many years ago, an outgoing council person gave me a study the city had done in 1976 about parking.
We paid good money, the citizens of this fair city, for that study and we have paid good money for countless other
studies that have told the same story as the 1976 one. Recommendations?
Wait for it. A parking building! In the 1976 study two sites were located and it was actually recommended two
parking buildings be built because growth was anticipated.
If you can waste our money on a parking surveillance system, you can build a parking building; all grown up cities
have parking buildings even Whitefish. Put that in your short term plans.
By the way, the gentleman who lost his patience with the council about the parking surveillance system I believe is
the tip of the iceberg.
Folks are beyond disappointed in Council; please stop listening to the same actors.
Visit the main street retail businesses talk to them and you might get a whole different picture.
Thank you.
Karlene Khor
Kalispell Montana
Sent from my iPhone
PEI