4d. Chapter 3 - Vision and Goals in ActionCHAPTER 3 - VISION AND GOALS IN ACTION
Good plans shape good decisions. That's why good planning helps to make
elusive dreams come true.
Lester Robert Bittel, writer
Goal 1: Relocation of the railroad tracks from the Core Area.
The railroad tracks run east to west through the center of Kalispell. While
serving other businesses between Columbia Falls and Kalispell, within the
city the railroad only serves three businesses, each on the west side of
town. Land north and south of the tracks was once the industrial center of
the community. Lumber mills, a cherry warehouse and numerous gas and
oil wholesalers were located adjacent to or within a block of the tracks.
These businesses, which numbered well above 50 in the past, all needed
the railroad to operate. However, since the 1970's the land along the
tracks has been slowly changing from industrial to commercial and
residential uses. Expectedly train traffic has correspondingly declined. In
spite of this, however, railroad policy has closed four existing railroad
crossings in Kalispell in past years citing safety issues. Furthermore, the
railroad will not allow new crossings in the city unless an existing crossing
is closed. This has left Kalispell with only six level railroad crossings
within city limits. With the transition in land use and railroad policy
concerning access, the tracks are becoming a growing hindrance for
further development of the area.
Draft - 21
Figure 1: View of the existing railroad tracks
The Burlington Northern tracks are operated by a short line railroad,
WATCO, which serves three businesses in the Core Area. The three
businesses are Cenex Harvest States, Northwest Drywall and Macarthur
Company. In the coming years Cenex Harvest States may be increasing
its services to farmers outside of the valley, increasing the need for
additional rail cars to and from their grain elevator site. All three
businesses are in the city limits and the city recognizes that the
companies add to the economic vitality of the city and the valley. It is the
intent of the plan to encourage the desired redevelopment of this area,
not to close down businesses. For this to occur, the city should work
with rail served businesses in the Core Area to relocate outside of the
Core Area thereby allowing the tracks to be relocated east of the Core
Area.
With or without rail -served businesses in Kalispell, any train that travels
south of Columbia Falls must utilize the turnaround area on the west
end of Kalispell. The railroad tracks will continue to hinder
redevelopment in the Core Area unless an alternate turnaround is
created.
Draft - 22
Figure 2: View of the existing Cenex Harvest States grain elevators
Goal:
1. Implement a program to relocate the Burlington Northern Railroad
tracks from within the Core Area.
a. Utilization of railroad right-of-way for a multi -functional linear
public feature (i.e. pedestrian /bike trail and parks) providing
for non -motorized transportation, urban recreation, increase
vehicular traffic flow and accessibility, aesthetic function, utility
corridor, all acting as both functional improvement to the Core
Area and beyond, and as a catalyst for economic development
and increased utilization of the area as a whole.
Policies:
1. Work with the railroad to develop a seamless program to remove the
tracks from the Core Area and provide a new rail terminus at the
Flathead County Economic Development Authority (FCEDA) rail -
served industrial site.
2. The city should take the lead in coordinating with the current track
users and the railroad for relocation of the businesses out of the
Core Area and for track removal.
Draft - 23
3. A program should be developed for the relocation of existing rail
dependent business out of the Core Area into the Flathead
Economic Development Authority (FCEDA) rail -served industrial
site as a preferred location.
Goal 2: A green belt extending from. Woodland Park to Meridian Road
providing pedestrian and bike access and greenery through the Core Area.
During the city's public outreach over 90% of citizens commented that if
the railroad tracks are removed the land formerly used for the railroad
should be developed into a linear park. This linear park would span the
entire east/west boundaries of the Core Area and connect Woodland
Park (east boundary of the Core Area) to existing trails on the west side
of the Core Area. There is existing support for such a proposal in the
Kalispell Parks and Recreation Master Plan and the Kalispell Area
Transportation Plan. Both plans have been adopted by the city council
and encourage a trail system through the plan area.
Coals:
1. A green belt extending from Woodland Park to Meridian Road
providing pedestrian and bike access and greenery through the
Core Area.
Policies:
1. Work with Burlington Northern to transfer the railroad right-of-way
and surface easements to the city.
2. Work with Burlington Northern on funding sources to remove the
railroad tracks within the plan area.
3. Work with other landowners, where the railroad easement exists, to
transfer the easement or property to the city.
4. Provide a linear park/trail connection from Woodland Park to the
bike trails to the west along Alternate Route 93.
Draft - 24
5. Plan and develop connecting pedestrian/bike facilities to Lawrence
Park.
6. Improve pedestrian and bike access throughout the plan area to
improve safety and mobility.
7. Work with adjacent landowners and Burlington Northern to
establish a trailhead to serve the linear park and other trails in the
area.
Goal 3: A circulation system that encourages increased north -south
connections.
The railroad tracks span the length of the Core Area from east to west
and were installed to serve the industrial uses at the time. Over the last
century the uses in the Core Area have changed from an industrial base
to a mix of retail commercial, industrial and residential. Currently the
railroad serves a few businesses and compared to its past use in this
area, the frequency of train traffic has been reduced dramatically. Even
with this reduced amount of rail traffic, the railroad will not permit
additional vehicle or pedestrian crossings.
There are only six level crossings in the Core Area. By contrast the typical
lot and block configuration developed north and south of the Core Area
boundary has between 16 and 18 north/south connections. The lack of
north/south street connections in this area funnels traffic into six streets
unduly burdening these particular streets. In addition, the Kalispell Area
Transportation Plan (2006 Update), under the Executive Summary, states
that several major travel corridors will be pushed to their limits in the
coming years. Three out of the four major travel corridors that are
expected to exceed capacity are within the plan area (Highway 2, Highway
93 and Meridian Road).
Creating additional north/ south street connections will continue the
existing street pattern providing multiple options to travel in and out of
this area and alleviate the congestion on the existing six streets.
Additional north/south streets in the Core Area will provide greater access
Draft - 25
to lots in the area, some of which are currently land -locked or have severe
access limitations, allowing more redevelopment opportunities.
Figure 3: Potential street and trail connections
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Goal:
1. A circulation system that encourages increased north/south
connections for vehicles, pedestrians and bicycle transportation.
Policies:
1. Prior to the rail being relocated out of Kalispell, work with BN to
open closed crossings north of the center Mall.
2. When the rail is removed, open up the crossing north of the mall if
they are still closed.
Draft - 26
3. Work to re -open existing closed crossings across the railroad right-
of-way.
4. Plan for additional north/south street extensions to serve properties
which have limited or no other access.
Goal 4: Neighborhoods connected and well -served by sidewalks and trails
for use by people of all ages and mobility levels.
Shortly after receiving the Area Wide Planning Pilot Program grant, the
city began the public outreach and planning for the Core Area. The
planning department conducted a sidewalk inventory of the Core Area
and the inventory demonstrated a neighborhood which lacked sidewalks
along a majority of the streets. During the public outreach portion of the
plan one of the primary concerns from citizens was the lack of sidewalks
in the Core Area.
The Core Area is located centrally within the City of Kalispell with high
density residential housing north and south of the Core Area. A
significant number of the higher density housing includes low-income
apartments and elderly housing. Low-income and elderly housing are
more likely to have only one car, or sometimes no car. Some residents
have fewer options and in these cases residents tend to walk more
frequently than drive especially during good weather to recreate at local
parks, shop, go to work and attend school. Inconsistent sidewalks and
sidewalks in poor condition also make pedestrian travel difficult through
the Core Area. In some instances the lack of a sidewalk forces the
pedestrians out in the street to compete with parked cars and moving
traffic when walking from one place to another.
This lack of sidewalks in an area that has a variety of business, some of
which serve the local residents in the area, makes it difficult for
pedestrians, especially the elderly and young, to navigate the streets in this
neighborhood. The lack of sidewalks generally discourages walking in an
area of the city where walking should be encouraged.
Draft - 27
Goal:
1. Neighborhoods connected and well -served by sidewalks and trails
for use by people of all ages and mobility levels.
Policies:
1. Promote the city's 50-50 sidewalk replacement program for existing
deteriorated sidewalks.
2. Create a sidewalk replacement program to specifically assist low-
income qualifying homeowners.
3. Create an incentive program to develop sidewalks where none now
exist.
4. Prioritize pedestrian routes that connect schools, parks, the
downtown and higher density residential areas and insure that
sidewalks or trails along these routes are installed and/or replaced
where deteriorated.
5. Prioritize the major street corridors for sidewalk installation.
6. Identify major gathering or destination points (public buildings,
parks, commercial areas, schools) that are in need of pedestrian
access and connection.
7. Begin a capital improvements program for sidewalk/trail
installation and/or replacement throughout the core area.
8. Provide interconnecting sidewalk and trail access with the
proposed linear parkway/trail along the proposed trail planned
when the tracks are removed.
9. Work with the Flathead County Fairgrounds Manager to
incorporate sidewalks on the property's north and east sides
connecting to the Core Area.
1O.Construct a pedestrian/bicycle path connection from 7th Avenue EN
to Woodland Drive.
Draft - 28
Goal 5: A functional, physical and architectural connection between the
traditional downtown and other surrounding neighborhoods and the Core
Area as appropriate.
A. Building and lot design
As discussed in Chapter 1 of this plan the Core Area is intended to be a
vibrant and lively continuation of historic downtown Kalispell. To
achieve this continuation of the downtown built environment the plan
encourages buildings to house a mix of uses consisting of retail and
office uses on the first floor; office, residential, or hotel uses on the
second floor; and generally residential on the upper floors. The character
and scale of buildings would be influenced by the existing downtown of
Kalispell, using a similar palette of materials and creating a very strong
pedestrian -scaled atmosphere with shops and markets, lower -scale
lighting, ample trees and landscape, and other various downtown
attractions.
The overall design intent for the Core Area neighborhood is focused upon
the pedestrian experience by providing widened sidewalks, trees, plants
and benches, attractive light fixtures and shops with awnings. Vehicle
parking should not be the prominent feature from the street or the linear
trail and is intended to be provided within well -designed vertical parking
structures that mimic the downtown character, or underground
structures as much as possible.
New development or redevelopment is encouraged to provide art and
sculptures in key locations around the building or lot to add interest and
beauty to the building. The intent of this new neighborhood would be to
encourage a higher density of full-time residents who live, work, and
shop in this area; people who will happily call this neighborhood their
home, and will come to care for it, keep it safe, clean, and vibrant in a
manner that becomes self-perpetuating.
Draft - 29
Goals:
1. A functional, physical and architectural connection between the
traditional downtown and other surrounding neighborhoods and
the Core Area as appropriate.
2. A mix of commercial retail, neighborhood services, residential,
public and open space uses within the Core Area that drive local
development by meeting the daily needs of residents, attracts the
traveling public, inspires the greater community and encourages
non -vehicular transportation.
3. New development or redevelopment that strives to provide a better
built environment that includes parks, landscaping to compliment
the building and surrounding neighborhood, open spaces for
casual public interaction and landscape boulevards to break the
edge of urban streets.
Policies:
1. Amend the existing Architectural Design Standards to develop an
architectural theme for the Core Area using the railroad and
industrial past as a guide and encouraging preservation of
buildings which contain exceptional architecture from the present
and past.
2. Incorporate amenities into new or redevelopment projects such as
pocket parks, activity nodes and gathering places
3. Require urban scale design standards along the street.
• Zero lot line setbacks.
• Encourage two, three or more story buildings to help frame
the street (similar to Main Street in downtown Kalispell).
• Eliminate parking lots separating the street and the
business.
4. Increase landscaping to soften the area and create a more
appealing location
Draft - 30
5. De-emphasize the car (eliminate or significantly reduce off-street
parking requirements) and rebuild streets to accommodate
pedestrians.
B. Tourism and Entertainment
Every year hundreds of thousands of people travel through Kalispell on
their way to visit Glacier National Park, Flathead Lake or one of the many
other scenic treasures we have to offer. With the shear amount of
people traveling through the Core Area, the city needs to partner with the
business community and focus on targeting amenities and tourism. The
Core Area presently has few restaurants, entertainment businesses and
third places (places for people to formally or informally meet that is not
at work or at their home) to attract people into the area during both the
day and the evening hours. A result of the lack of restaurants,
entertainment and cultural amenities is a built environment throughout
much of the Core Area which discourages pedestrian activity and fails to
be inviting to the traveling public.
Focusing on tourism can take many approaches. Particularly in the Core
Area heritage tourism programs create a sense of place rooted in the
local landscape, architecture, people, artifacts, traditions and stories that
make a particular place unique. Cultural tourism programs celebrate
the same kind of experiences, though with less emphasis on place.
Given that both elements are present in Kalispell it may be useful to use
the term "cultural heritage tourism". Cultural heritage tourism means
traveling to experience the places and activities that authentically
represent the stories and people of the past and present. It includes
irreplaceable historic, cultural and natural resources. Kalispell is well
positioned to capture tourism with its genuine historic places, districts,
cultural opportunities and natural surroundings.
Goal:
1. An environment where residents and the traveling public will stay
to shop, eat and frequent local hotels and cultural events
Draft - 31
Policies:
1. Promote development of the Core Area as an ancillary or adjunct to
the historic downtown as a tourism destination, with emphasis on
a cultural corridor.
2. Support programs that develop tourism in the Core Area and
Downtown.
3. Sidewalks should be installed and sized to accommodate a mix of
activity out in the public way such as merchandise display and
sidewalk cafe activity.
4. Zoning within the Core Area should accommodate a mix of
residential and commercial uses.
5. New commercial development in the Core Area including expansion
of the Kalispell Center Mall should be encouraged to provide a
more attractive and diverse shopping experience.
Goal 6: The focal point along with the traditional downtown for public
venues such as city hall, county fairgrounds, chamber of commerce,
library, performing arts center, exhibit halls and event centers.
A. Arts, Culture and Historic Preservation
The functions of arts and culture serve to feed a financial engine bringing
together tourism and the hospitality industry. The arts help to define
who we are, and they make Kalispell an exciting place to work and live
while attracting business and tourism. This may take the form of public
art, design features in the built environment, community events, the
perseveration of historic buildings and an emphasis on private sector
investments.
Downtown Kalispell has long been recognized as a key destination for
growing tourism and taken with the Core Area, presents new
opportunities for growth in arts and culture. Two museums, the
Draft - 32
Hockaday and the Central School Museum currently exist within the
downtown area, with a third museum; the Conrad Mansion that lies just
a few blocks to the east. Building on this successful community asset
base and complimenting the Main Street Historic District, creating a
Cultural Corridor in the Core Area offers a new future for this area. This
could be accomplished by;
• Telling the story of the corridor through signage, online/printed
materials such as guidebooks/brochures, special programs or
events;
• Preserving and protecting irreplaceable resources along the
cultural corridor in order to ensure that the corridor is
sustainable;
• Identifying and addressing any potential threats to important
historic buildings;
• Building partnerships with other organizations and individuals
that can contribute to the cultural corridor; and
• Continuing to reach out to the public along the corridor for their
input and keep them informed on progress, addressing concerns.
Kalispell, with a focus on the Core Area, would be well served to leverage
the arts and engage design to create a distinct sense of place, and a
vibrant local economy that, taken together, capitalizes on our existing
asset. The city should work with partners from public, private,
nonprofit, and community sectors to animate public and private spaces,
rejuvenate structures and streetscapes, improve local business viability
and public safety, and bring diverse people together to celebrate, inspire,
and be inspired.
Goals:
1. Promote public art and cultural activities.
2. Promote conservation/adaptable reuse of irreplaceable historic
resources.
Draft - 33
Policies:
1. Work with the Montana Historical Society for the purpose of
supporting historic preservation in the Core Area.
2. Promote design standards in keeping with the styles and materials
of historic buildings in the neighborhood.
3. Support current cultural activities such as Art in the Park and
Picnic in the Park.
4. Expand the location and frequency of cultural events in the Core
Area.
S. Encourage public/private partnerships to fund the creation and
display of art.
6. Support preservation, conservation and adaptable reuse of historic
buildings.
B. Flathead County Fairgrounds
The Flathead County Fairgrounds is a 63 acre site located north of and
immediately adjacent to the Core Area. Although the county fairgrounds
are outside of the Core Area, the fairgrounds is the largest single land use
on the west side of Kalispell and it exists as an aged, under-utilized facility.
What happens at the fairgrounds will have significant impacts to the Core
Area.
In tandem with the Core Area plan, the Flathead County Fair Manager has
begun a long range planning process. When completed the plan would
help to determine the appropriate improvements, immediate and long
range, the fairgrounds should begin investing in to address the aged
buildings and improve the overall site.
The fairgrounds is a significant land use in the area and its presence
dictates to a great degree the character and future viability of the portion of
the Core Area immediately south of the fairgrounds. The city recognizes
Draft - 34
that to achieve the desired built environment in the Core Area described in
the vision statement the city and the county needs to work together in
achieving the long range plans and improvements for the fairgrounds
provided for in the adopted plan. Therefore, the following goals, policies
and recommendations are meant to aid the fairgrounds to achieve the
desired results in the Core Area.
Figure 4 : Aerial view of the fairgrounds property
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Goal:
1. A year-round events center that respects the residential
neighborhoods to the east and serves as an entryway facility on the
west side of Kalispell.
Policies:
1. Work with the county to encourage the redevelopment of the
fairgrounds property prioritizing the integration of the property with
the residential neighborhoods to the north and east.
2. Work with the county to assist in and encourage promotion and
expansion of use and activity so as to serve as a significant economic
enhancement to the west end of the Core Area and Kalispell as a
whole.
Draft - 35
3. Work with the county to incorporate sidewalks or trail systems on
the fairground property's north and east sides.
4. Encourage beautification and greenery of the exterior boundaries
of the fairgrounds to make it a more desirable public facility.
Goal 7: A mix of commercial retail, neighborhood services, residential,
public and open space uses within the Core Area that drive local
development by meeting the daily needs of residents, attracts the
traveling public, inspires the greater community and encourages non -
vehicular transportation.
A. Business
The Core Area has few restaurants, entertainment businesses and third
places (places for people to formally or informally meet that is not at
work or at their home) to attract people into the area during the evening
hours. This creates an urban environment devoid of pedestrians and, in
turn, the activity associated with a population of people who frequent a
neighborhood during all hours of the day and evening. A result of the
lack of restaurants and entertainment businesses is a built environment
throughout much of the Core Area which discourages pedestrian activity
due to the lack of sidewalks, inadequate street lighting, large parking lots
along the street and buildings set too far back from the street. The few
restaurants that are within the Core Area are spread too far apart. This
large distance separation diffuses any strong nightlife activities that
closer restaurants, bars and entertainment businesses typically create
with each other.
Goal:
1. Create an environment which encourages more people to live, work
and visit.
Draft - 36
Policies:
1. Encourage more restaurants into the Core Area.
2. Sidewalks should be installed and sized to accommodate seating
and eating within the right-of-way thereby encouraging a sidewalk
cafe or restaurant.
3. Zoning within the Core Area should accommodate a mix of
residential and commercial uses.
4. Work to accommodate an expansion of the Kalispell Center Mall.
B. Housing
Several of the existing businesses in the Core Area expressed the need
for more housing to support businesses in the area. Specifically, higher
density housing targeted in areas with an easy walking distance to retail
shops, grocery stores, restaurants, etc. Higher density housing, whether
stand alone apartment buildings or above commercial businesses,
provides two immediate benefits to the Core Area:
• The housing enables a larger population to live in the Core Area and
provides those businesses in the area an instant increase in potential
customers; and
• Higher density housing in the Core Area would help to alleviate traffic
congestion into and through the plan area.
Several of the existing zoning districts in the area already accommodate
second floor apartments and larger apartment buildings. Increasing the
number of residents who live full time in the Core Area is one of the key
foundations to changing the area in accordance with the vision
statement.
Goal:
1. An array of housing options in the Core Area (multi -family
apartment buildings, townhouse and row housing, loft and studio
Drat - 37
apartments, senior housing, second floor residential, smaller scale
multi -family apartments, etc.) to provide housing for a variety of
age and income levels.
Policies:
1. Increase the presence of higher density housing in the plan area.
2. Upgrade/replace aged and/or inadequate infrastructure (water,
sewer, fire flows, sidewalks, streets and street connections) to
accommodate higher density housing.
3. Work to improve constraints to housing by removing blighted
buildings, improve lighting and pedestrian access.
C. Housiniz Reinvestment
The Core Area has a significant number of residential structures which
appear to have moderate to severe deterioration. Moderate or severe
structure deterioration brings down property values and can lead to a
disincentive for property owners to rehabilitate or redevelop their
property; this disincentive can spread to neighboring properties or
blocks.
A cursory review of the Core Area shows approximately 57% of the
detached single-family homes and duplexes in the Core Area are rentals.
This rental percentage is relatively high for the limited amount of single-
family houses and duplexes that are currently within the Core Area
boundaries. As redevelopment in the area occurs, the city should be
encouraging structural upgrades to rental units to insure the resident
population has access to safe housing.
Goal:
1. A housing stock that is safe, affordable and an asset to the
neighborhood.
Draft - 38
Policies:
1. Work with local and state agencies to develop programs for the
rehabilitation of rental units to bring them into code compliance.
2. Promote outreach efforts to low and moderate income residents on
loan and grant programs for home ownership and home
rehabilitation.
3. Develop programs to assist in the removal of residential structures
identified as having severe deterioration thus allowing affordable
opportunities for redevelopment.
D. Vehicle Parkin
There is a perception of inadequate parking in the downtown and
adjacent neighborhoods, including portions of the Core Area. There are a
number of surface parking lots and on -street parking spaces within the
area to accommodate employee and visitor parking. The down side for
the surface parking lots is that they take up valuable space that could be
built upon, decreasing the business and housing opportunities in the
area and thereby decreasing the likelihood for people to patronize the
businesses in the area. They also create voids or empty spaces in the
retail framework, discouraging pedestrian traffic, increasing stormwater
runoff issues and increasing the amount of bare hard surface.
On the parking issue public comments both favored building parking
garages to address the need for off-street parking and a reduction in off-
street parking so this aspect does not negatively affect the design and
layout of new buildings. Underground parking and second and third
floor parking should be encouraged with the street level serving as a
retail space. A parking garage is very expensive and should only be
considered when on and off-street parking is at such a demand that
customers avoid the area due to a true lack of parking. Reducing or
eliminating off-street parking requirements could enable more buildings
to be built thus creating a parking issue in the area and expediting the
construction of one or more parking garages.
Draft - 39
Goal;
1. Adequate parking options to serve existing and future uses.
Policies:
1. Establish on -street parking designed for diagonal parking spaces
and minimizing the use of parallel parking spaces.
2. Parking standards should be addressed to accommodate mixed -
use development.
3. Encourage designs that provide for street level retail and place
parking in a parking garage or beneath homes or apartment
buildings.
E. Undesirable Transient Influences
The railroad tracks are now infrequently used by the railroad as opposed
to their original design serving as the main line to the Pacific. Due to
this infrequent use, over the years graffiti has started to appear and
transients have begun to use the tracks to access the community;
trespassing on private property in areas largely unwatched by persons
living and working in the area. Some people who live and/or work
adjacent to the tracks have expressed an unsafe feeling knowing that at
times transients may be passing through or setting up temporary living
on or near the tracks or on portions of their private property.
Unfortunately, the increased presence of transients along the tracks
gives the outward impression that this area is not safe and may be a
disincentive for new businesses to locate along the tracks or for people to
walk/bike in the areas closest to the tracks. According to residents these
issues are spreading beyond the immediate railroad track and into
adjoining neighborhoods.
The city's largest urban park, Woodland Park, is adjacent to the railroad
tracks. Woodland Park provides numerous amenities including a public
pool, hockey rink and ice skating park, skateboard park, public
bathrooms, walking trails, picnic areas, and a wildlife pond. The north
Draft - 40
and west sides of the park are areas of thick undergrowth which provide
cover and temporary shelter for transients.
With transients setting up camp in areas of the park their presence
detracts from the aesthetic value of the park by way of increased trash,
temporary living accommodations and potential conflicts between
transients and residents. The transient's presence in the park can
discourage residents, especially those who are alone or families with
children, from visiting the park or allowing their children to play in the
park. This, in -turn, can lead to a lack of use of the park and park
facilities, contributing to the further decline of Woodland Park in general
and invite more transients into the park area.
West of the park are residential homes which look out at the park across
Woodland Drive. The presence of transients in evening hours and at
night time walking in and about the neighborhood can have a chilling
effect on resident night time outdoor activity.
Goal:
1. Peaceful, quiet, safe vibrant neighborhoods free from the impacts
of transient users.
Policies:
1. Create an environment that anticipates the tracks being removed
and a future linear park/bike trail in place of the tracks.
2. Redevelopment should include a focus on incorporating the land
currently occupied by the railroad tracks.
3. Increase security lighting along the railroad tracks.
4. Increased maintenance activities in Woodland Park specifically to
include thinning and opening up of the vegetation along the north
and west sides to provide open views through the park and to
discourage overnight transient use.
5. Keep Woodland Park and particularly the edges of Woodland Park
along the railroad right-of-way open, cleared and well maintained.
Draft - 41
6. Improve lighting on the fringe areas of Woodland Park to inhibit
use by transients and improve neighborhood safety.
7. Increased patrols of the fringe areas of Woodland Park to move
along transient residences and to clean up or clear up transient
use..
F. Residential Alley Appearance
Residents in the Core Area expressed concern about the presence and
accumulation of garbage and junk/abandoned vehicles in the alleys. The
presence of garbage and junk vehicles can lead to a decline in perceived
property values by residents of the neighborhood and in some cases
encourages more material to accumulate. The issue becomes more
problematic where greater numbers of rental units exist as absentee
landlords may not maintain property as diligently as owner -occupied
units. The presence of such conditions in the alleys may discourage
property owners from further investment in their property given the state
of the neighborhood.
Goal:
1. Neighborhood alleys free of the clutter of junk, debris and
abandoned vehicles.
Policies:
1. Conduct a voluntary neighborhood alley clean up with the city.
2. Work with the Flathead County landfill to remove junk and
abandoned vehicles from the residential neighborhoods.
3. Be pro -active in implementing the city junk vehicle ordinance and
the community decay ordinance.
Draft - 42
G. Appleway Drive Neijzhborhood
Appleway Drive is a quarter of a mile in length located on the west end of
the Core Area plan boundary. The land on the north and south sides of
the street has developed as a significantly dense residential
neighborhood in a relatively short period of time. The apartment
complexes along the street include a combination of market -rate
apartments and apartments for low-income families. The higher density
housing creates a larger population concentration on this particular
street. With the higher concentration of people, the likelihood of adults
and children out walking and visiting with friends and neighbors during
evening hours, walking to stores and to work is much higher here than
in other residential neighborhoods in the city or Core Area. However,
there is a lack of adequate park and open space in the immediate area
and the sidewalk system in inconsistent.
Goal:
I. Provide safe, pedestrian friendly environments in residential
neighborhoods.
Policies:
1. Provide increased on -street lighting for higher density residential
neighborhoods.
2. Encourage apartment buildings to increase security lighting inside
their developments.
3. Provide additional public or private park space to serve the
residents of Appleway Drive as well as the greater community.
4. Work to improve public access, including vehicle parking, to the
Rails -to -Trails Meridian Trail along the south side of this
neighborhood.
S. Provide pedestrian amenities (trails, sidewalks, benches, etc.) to
assist and encourage pedestrian and bike traffic.
Draft - 43
Goal 8: New development and redevelopment that incorporates parks,
landscaped boulevards, open spaces for casual public interaction and
landscaping that compliments architecture and the neighborhood to
encourage active use of the built environment.
A. Parkland
Within the Core Area boundaries there is a severe lack of trees, green
space and urban park settings to complement existing commercial and
retail uses and accommodate for the desired increase in residential
dwellings in the area. The Core Area has only one city park, Depot Park,
with Woodland Park on the plan's eastern border and Washington Park
on the plan's northern boundary.
Discussion under goal 2 of this chapter includes goals and policies to
establish a linear park in place of the railroad tracks. The linear park
would span the entire east/west boundaries of the Core Area and
connect Woodland Park (east boundary of the Core Area) to existing trails
on the west side of the Core Area. Along with the linear trail new park
spaces will need to be included in the redevelopment of the Core Area.
These new park spaces should be designed to provide the public with an
opportune place to gather, to easily sit, to talk, "people watch" and
recreate.
The residential apartments developed along Appleway Drive represent a
significantly dense residential neighborhood in the Core Area and has
developed in a relatively short period of time. Included with the
apartment housing along Appleway Drive are a significant number of
subsidized housing units for low-income families. However, there is an
overall lack of park space serving the families and residents in this area.
One property owner along Appleway Drive has shown interest in creating
a senior park adjacent to the Meridian bike trail. This park would
contribute to much needed open space and a trail connection from the
street. Whether the senior park is developed in this neighborhood or
somewhere else the lack of park space should not be replicated in future
high -density residential development in the Core Area.
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Goals:
1. Provide sufficient parkland/open space to meet the needs of the
surrounding neighborhood.
2. Develop new parks to accommodate people of all ages.
3. Park improvements should accommodate the use of the park
throughout the day.
Policies:
1. Encourage the development or the redevelopment of park spaces to
serve people's needs to gather, converse and enjoy the
surroundings.
2. Prioritize the development of an open air amphitheater in
Woodland Park.
3. Prioritize new parks in high density residential neighborhoods.
4. Incorporate park and open space development with the existing
rail -trail path system..
5. Encourage events that bring people together in public spaces.
6. Support the neighborhood use of common and public facilities.
7. Promote development of intergenerational activities and programs.
B. Street Improvements
The streets within the Core Area vary greatly in both their built
standards and functional vehicle carrying capacity. Portions of the two
most heavily traveled highways in the county, Highway 93 (Main Street)
and Highway 2 (Idaho Street) are both within the Core Area. Their
intersection is in the approximate center of the boundaries of the Core
Area Plan. Both Main Street and Idaho Street are maintained by the
Draft - 45
Montana Department of Transportation and include four travel lanes
with sidewalks on both sides of the streets.
In addition to Main and Idaho, there are many other city streets in the
Core Area where current vehicle carrying capacity varies greatly as does
the current built design. A large majority of the streets in the Core Area
do not include curb, gutters and sidewalk. These improvements are
standard now for all new streets within the city. Those sections of the
streets which lack the curb, gutters and sidewalks detract from the
appearance of the neighborhood since the overall integrity and design of
the street helps to define the quality and appearance in a particular
neighborhood. This could translate to perceived property value decline
for surrounding commercial and residential properties. In addition,
stormwater management is compromised where urban density streets
lack curb and gutter and pedestrian safety is at issue where sidewalks
are not provided adjacent to busy streets.
Figure 5: View of West Center Street
Draft - 46
Goal:
1. Upgrade existing streets to meet or exceed city street standards.
Policies:
1. The city should take the lead in improving the existing streets in
the Gore Area.
2. The city should take the lead in establishing a priority list for the
upgrade of existing streets based on community input.
3. The city should work with adjacent landowners to acquire
additional right-of-way, if necessary, for street improvements to
allow for the construction of complete streets.
4. Incorporate traffic calming techniques into design and
improvements of the local street network to enhance pedestrian
safety.
C. 3rd Avenue East and 4th Avenue East
On the east end of the Core Area plan boundary are portions of the
historic east side residential neighborhood, with over a dozen homes in
the neighborhood listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
There are eight avenues running north to south through this
neighborhood which generally only carry neighborhood traffic. However
two of the avenues, 3rd Avenue East and 4th Avenue East, are one-way
streets and function as a one-way couplet on the Montana Department of
Transportation's (MDT) urban aid system. These avenues provide vehicle
traffic relief for Main Street allowing for vehicles to drive southbound on
3rd Avenue East and northbound on 4th Avenue East with limited stops
through the east side neighborhood. These avenues are used by local
and non -local vehicle traffic generating three to four times the daily
vehicle traffic experienced by adjacent avenues which are not on the
urban aid system. Furthermore, the limited number of stop signs and
one-way traffic flow encourage higher traffic speeds.
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The continued use of 3rd Avenue East and 4th Avenue East as one-way
couplets increases non -neighborhood traffic and the associated traffic
noise detracts from the residential feel on the streets. The lack of stop
signs and two-way traffic leads to increased vehicle speeds creating
safety issues for pedestrians and bicyclists, especially children attending
neighborhood schools and parks. Furthermore, the increased non -
neighborhood vehicle traffic on both avenues has begun to erode the
residential character of the immediate area which can lead to increased
deterioration to the homes because of the disincentive to invest and/or
live along the avenues. This can lead to a greater proportion of the
homes from owner -occupied housing to rental housing.
Goal:
1. Discourage the introduction of outside vehicle traffic in residential
neighborhoods.
Policy:
1. Work with the Montana Department of Transportation (MDT) to
turn 3rd Avenue East and 41h Avenue East back into two-way
streets and remove them from the urban aid system.
D. Brownfieids
The term "brownfield site" means real property, the expansion,
redevelopment, or reuse of which may be complicated by the presence or
potential presence of a hazardous substance, pollutant, or contaminant.
Contaminants can include oil or gas found in the soil and placed there
through a leaking underground storage tank or an historical use which
dumped contaminant material on -site. The presence of hazardous
materials can require additional costs to clean the site up prior to new
development or redevelopment of the property and this serves as a
detriment to redevelopment.
The Montana Department of Environmental Quality has identified 50
sites within or immediately adjacent to the Core Area that may be
Draft - 48
potential brownfield sites. There may be more potential Brownfield sites
based on the presence of the railroad tracks and historical industrial
uses such as oil and fuel storage. The known leaking storage tank sites
and the history of industrial uses in this area have lead to perceptions in
the community that many, if not all, properties within the Core Area are
contaminated. This may or may not be the case however, this perception
persists and may play a role in the reluctance of property owners or
developers to invest in redevelopment or new development in this area.
This can lead to further deterioration of buildings and property and
reluctance to reinvest.
CeMT F
1. Maintain a viable Brownfield program at the city level and work with
property owners to continue assessing and cleaning -up Brownfield
sites.
Policies:
1. The city should continue applying for Brownfield grants to make
property assessments and clean up loans available.
2. The city should continue an aggressive outreach program to inform
property owners about Brownfields targeting the downtown and Core
Area.
3. Priority for Brownfield assessments and clean up loans should be
given to those properties in the downtown and Core Area.
4. Develop Brownfield focused property revitalization programs
including property acquisition, demolition and clean up.
E. Vacant Lots and Buildings
The Core Area includes 364 acres within which there are approximately
1,100 lots. Included in this make-up of the Core Area are approximately
19 acres of vacant land and approximately 19 lots with vacant buildings or
otherwise underutilized buildings. The vacant lots and buildings represent
Draft - 49
underutilized properties in an area located centrally in the city. These
underutilized lots result in depressed values for the lot itself and
potentially surrounding lots. The vacant buildings are typically metal
sided, older buildings in need of maintenance and repairs. These
buildings, if not maintained, begin to detract from the neighborhood and
give the impression that the area is run down or otherwise not to be
invested in. The vacant lots also give an outward appearance of an
abandoned area of the city. This may lead to further disincentive to invest
in the immediate area and reduce the commercial viability of the
neighborhood.
Goal:
1. A neighborhood free of buildings and structures that are blighted,
dilapidated, uninhabitable and/or a safety hazard.
2. Vacant properties free of trash, weeds and other debris in
readiness for redevelopment.
Policies:
1. Develop funding mechanisms to incentivize the removal of
dilapidated buildings and prepare the property for redevelopment.
2. Encourage property owners, citizen groups and neighborhood
efforts to clean up and enhance vacant lots in the Core Area.
F. Incompatible land uses
The Core Area was once the center of industrial activity in the Kalispell
community. Industrial uses included grain silos, bulk oil storage, a
variety of warehouses and lumber mills. Over the last century many of
the industrial uses have closed their doors, relocated or moved out of the
city. In their place, retail commercial businesses have moved into the
area including three grocery stores, a large indoor mall and high density
housing. The Core Area is still the home to a grain elevator and bulk
fertilizer plant as well as a wrecking yard, aged Quonset buildings,
Flathead Electric Co-op substations, vacant warehouse buildings, etc.
Draft - 50
The presence of these uses, while once the mainstay of industry, are now
quickly becoming the exception as the Core Area evolves.
The owners of the grain elevator site are looking to expand its grain
storage and transport capacity. This increased capacity means more
train cars and more times for grain to be placed in those cars, causing
increased air quality issues for neighboring businesses. Residents and
business owners in the area of the grain elevators have reported that
excess grain and small grain particles become airborne during the rail
car loading process and spread over the neighborhood. The concern
from some of the neighboring property and business owners is that the
immediate air quality is compromised when the grain elevators are in
use.
Figure 6: View of a fertilizer facility located on the east end of
the Core Area
Goals:
1. Work towards and assist in the relocation of incompatible
businesses in the Core Area.
Policies:
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1. Develop a program to assist businesses having existing rail service
or an industrial type use to relocate to a more suitable location in
the community.
2. Update existing zoning regulations to encourage the land uses set
out in this plan.
3. Review existing zoning district patterns to ensure the zoning
districts are consistent with this plan and rezone areas where there
is a conflict.
4. When it advances the goals of this plan, land acquisition for
revitalization should be based on a willing buyer to seller
relationship.
G. Utility sites
Utility sites, whether they are well houses, lift stations, utility sites,
pumping stations or cell towers are traditionally designed to meet a
"utilitarian use" and often have to incorporate security measures as well.
Design, neighborhood compatibility and neighborhood enhancement are
often times not at the forefront.
The city operates one municipal site, a well house, in the Core Area. The
site is located along 18t Avenue East immediately south of the railroad
line. The building straddles the boulevard between the curb and
sidewalk. It is a cinder block structure framed on two sides by historic
buildings. To the west lies the historic train depot building housing the
Kalispell Chamber of Commerce. To the east is "The Loading Dock"
building, a historic brick building currently being renovated. The stark
well house is out of character with the surrounding historic buildings.
This structure and future municipal structures and facilities in the Core
Area should give deference to the surrounding architecture of the
neighborhood specifically in design, building materials, landscaping and
colors.
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Flathead Electric Cooperative (FEC) owns and operates two utility sites
within the Core Area. The first site is approximately 1.7 acres at the
intersection of East Center Street and Woodland Avenue. The site is
currently used for storage of materials. The site's outward appearance
from the street is out of place with the surrounding residential character
of the historic neighborhood. The site is a dead space, breaking up an
otherwise significant residential housing pattern along East Center Street
an Woodland Drive abutting one of the city's premier parks.
The second site is located at the southeast corner of Th Avenue West
North and West Washington Street. The site is slightly under 1!2 acre and
is an active electrical substation. Here again the outward appearance of
the substation, with chain link fencing topped with barb wire is
immediately south of a residential neighborhood and north of commercial
businesses fronting Idaho Street. The substation, a necessary utility site
in the city, gives an outward appearance which is dramatically out of
character with the surrounding land uses.
Figure 7: FEC's site along East Center Street
Draft - 53
Goal:
1. Utility sites such as well houses, lift stations, electrical
substations, pumping stations or cell towers which are designed to
blend into the fabric of the neighborhood.
Policies:
1. Work with FEC to beautify their sites to improve compatibility with
the residential and commercial character of the neighborhood.
2. Encourage FEC to consider an alternative interim use of their East
Center Street site that compliments both the neighborhood and
Woodland Park. The site could serve as a trailhead for the new
trail, extension of Woodland Park and a parking lot. If FEC
declares this site surplus, work with them to find a compatible
neighborhood use.
3. New municipal utility sites should reflect the character of buildings
in the neighborhood.
4. Work to integrate existing public utility sites into the fabric of the
adjacent neighborhood specifically through landscaping, painting
or judicious use of compatible fencing and screening.
Goal 9: Entrance features including signs and visual cues such as building
location, complimentary building design and streetscape features along
Main Street and Highway 2 to define the boundaries of the Core Area and
downtown.
The Core Area is bisected by two highways, Highway 93 (Main Street)
running north to south and Highway 2 (Idaho Street) running east to
west. Comments received during the planning process included the need
to establish entrance features or appropriate signage to indicate that the
traveling public is entering the City of Kalispell and/or the Core Area.
The purpose of the entrance features is to set this area of the city apart
from the residential and commercial lands to the north and west of the
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Core Area. On the Core Area's east boundary, an entrance feature such
as a the rail road bridge would delineate both the entrance to the Core
Area and the City of Kalispell's city limits as both boundary lines
currently coincide.
Goal:
1. Visually define the boundaries of the Core Area along Highway 93
and Highway 2 through the judicious use of way finding signage.
Policy:
1. Establish entrance features such as signs and visual cues such as
building location, building design and streetscape features along
Main Street and Idaho Street to define the boundaries of the
revitalization area and downtown.
Figure 8: Concept drawing of an entrance feature utilizing the existing
railroad bridge over East Idaho Street
Draft - 55