1. Growth Policy Plan-Flathead Regional Development Office
Room 414
Kalispell,99I`i
Phone: (406) 758-5980
Fax: (406) 758-5781
REPORT TO: Kalispell Mayor and City Council
FROM: Narda A. Wilson, Senior Planner
SUBJECT: Kalispell Growth Policy Plan
FETING ATE: December 11, 2000 City Council Work Session
BACKGROUND: At their last work session on the growth policy plan on November
13, 2000, the city council accomplished four things - (1) drafted a vision statement, (2)
drafted language regarding intergovernmental cooperation, (3) reviewed the list of
issues pending reviewing, and (4) scheduled another work session to discuss the
location of future commercial development.
It was the understanding of the staff that at the next work session there would be
discussion of the location of commercial development within the planning jurisdiction.
A brief overview of commercial development has been attached to this memo as a
springboard for discussion. It might also be useful to review the map to review those
areas designated for future commercial development.
Also included as an attachment to this memo is a follow-up from the last work session
that includes the final draft of the language to be included in the plan on the issues
discussed. Additionally, I have included an updated list that reflects unfinished and
finished issues.
RECOMMENDATION. Discussion of the location of commercial development over the
next five to 20 years. Review the policy considerations and the land use map, i.e. the
need for new commercial areas in the planning jurisdiction. Review "the list" for the
next work session.
Providing Community Planning Assistance To:
• Flathead County . City of Columbia Falls . City of Kalispell . City of Whitefish
Kalispell City County Growth Policy Plan Memo
`December 6, 2000
Page 2
One of the issues identified by the city council at the last work session was "Where to
provide for large scale and big box commercial, if there is adequate space for
additional retail and do we need or want more." This is an important question when
trying to address the development patterns for the community.
There are two distinctively different commercial areas in the planning jurisdiction:
Kalispell commercial core area is the historical and commercial center of the
community or the "downtown" which is the well -established and generally pedestrian
oriented that functions as the government seat for the county and serves as a cultural
center for the community. Evergreen also serves as a commercial core area and has
provided an area for new commercial expansion, which has a lineal development
pattern, or what we would call "the strip." Most of the development is auto oriented
and is characterized by one or two businesses on a single lot. Both of these
commercial core areas serve important functions in the economic community in
different, but complementary ways.
The challenge that faces community leaders and the public is to ensure that both of
the core commercial areas within the planning jurisdiction stay viable and stable, with
opportunities for continued investment and growth and that they develop in a way
that provides for complementary development patterns.
One of the primary concerns of the future commercial expansion of Kalispell is the
scarcity of large undeveloped parcels within the city limits. There are few to non-
existent. However, there are great opportunities for redevelopment in the core area of
Kalispell particularly along Center Street and north of the Burlington Northern
railroad tracks. Urban renewal districts have been formed in these areas and some
efforts have been made at redevelopment and reuse. However, there are no clear
incentives for redevelopment such as tax incentives or abatements. These would be
implementation tools.
In the Evergreen area there is less scarcity of undeveloped land and there are a large
number of underdeveloped parcels, or parcels that have been zoned commercially but
have not transitioned for a residential to commercial use. Some of these parcels are
fairly large from two to ten acres in size. However, there are no parcels that are 15 to
50 acres in size that are undeveloped and within the core commercial area of "the
Strip." Most of the development that has occurred in the Evergreen area over the last
ten years or so has been the redevelopment of residential or even once agricultural
parcels.
Development patterns obviously have an effect on traffic patterns, the delivery or
public services and consumption of land resources. Compact development patterns
contain traffic, allow for more efficient delivery of public services and consume less
land. Less compact "strip" development patterns or linear development lots deep
along arterial roads tend to create longer and more frequent traffic trips and consume
more land. Additionally, strip development patterns generally tend to perpetuate
Kalispell City County Growth Policy Plan Memo
'December 6, 2000
Page 3
themselves as the commercial strip becomes longer. Traffic lights are added to control
unregulated traffic patterns and result in traffic congestion.
One of the big challenges that face public officials, the public and developers with
regard to strip commercial development and expansion is to recognize there will be
strip development and "embrace" a certain area where the strip will be located, where
it will begin and where it will end. Once that area has been established, certain
thresholds should be established for its expansion, i.e. 75 percent of the existing
commercially available land has been developed, vacancy rates within commercially
developed areas, etc. One of the difficult issues that has faced the Kalispell planning
jurisdiction and other communities, is "leapfrog development." Commercial
development that is disconnected from the established commercial core areas and
located in more remote or rural areas of the community. This type of fractured
development pattern tends to disenfranchise the established commercial areas while
creating isolated commercial developments.
Another of the big challenges surrounding the strip development pattern is to attempt
to create a type of grid street pattern that facilitates expansion in a lateral fashion
rather than lineal fashion. Potentially those areas could be designated as a mixed -use
area that would allow limited office and home based businesses type uses in order to
provide some mechanism for a future transition.
Another consideration that should be given to commercial development patterns is the
amount of commercial and light industrially zoned property that is available. Too
much can devalue land and buildings as well as displacing viable commercial areas to
the latest strip mall where land is cheaper and development costs lower.
The Flathead Regional Development Office did an inventory of commercially and
industrially zoned properties in the planning jurisdiction. In the city limits of
Kalispell, there are approximately 707 acres of commercially zoned property. The
traditional downtown core area from the railroad to Sixth Street contains
approximately 166 acres.
Large retail developments such as Wal-Mart, Shopko, etc. generally require a
minimum of five to ten acres to locate a single building and parking. The Kalispell
Center Mall contains 20 acres and is approximately 190,000 square feet of retail and
is considered undersized.
The challenge of addressing future commercial development is two fold: To locate in
areas where existing utilities and facilities are available and to expand from existing
commercial centers. There is pressure to develop in the outer areas of the planning
jurisdiction because of relatively inexpensive land and the location along arterials
roads. Compact development becomes important when considering the scarcity of
available land.
Kalispell City County Growth Policy Plan Memo
December 6, 2000
Page 4
Vision Statement: The council refined a vision statement to be included in the
beginning of the document. It is as follows:
"As the county seat, the Kalispell area will continue to strengthen its
position as the regional center for the Flathead Valley community in
creating a diverse economic base, efficient public services, a variety of
housing options and serving as a center for higher learning. As new
development and redevelopment occurs, it is expected to be in areas
where public services and infrastructure are available. Development in
the city core should preserve and enhance the historical and cultural
heritage of the community. The integrity of the natural and scenic
resources inherent in the area shall be maintained."
Intergovernmental Cooperation: This will be included in the plan document:
Issue and Objective: Develop a cooperative relationship between the elected officials,
government agencies, service and utility providers that results in consistent
development standards, efficient use of public infrastructure and resources, and
quality development.
® Encourage the County to zone property within one mile of the city limits
consistent with the City's zoning and development standards to provide greater
consistency within the jurisdictions.
® That a memorandum of understanding be signed between the City and the County
that would form an agreement between the parties to adhere to:
➢ Urban and rural development standards.
➢ Subdivision plat review processes.
➢ Annexation policies including transfer of County roads to City.
➢ Extension of municipal services including sewer, water.
➢ Public safety and emergency services and facilities.
➢ Coordination of geographic information systems, building codes and health
department resources.
® That the City and County identify ways to share equipment and other resources to
increase the efficiency of local government operations.
® That the City and County meet periodically with the school district, public utility
and service providers to share and coordinate long-term plans for capital
expenditures, future development plans and utility extensions.
Kalispell City County Growth Policy Plan Memo
December 6, 2000
Page 5
Policy Statements from Addressing Issues from. the List: The following policy
statements were drafted at the last meeting:
"Large scale and big box retail should be integrated in a mixed used fashion rather
than as an isolated development."
"New commercial development will be in areas where public water and sewer are
available."
Kalispell City County Growth Policy Plan Memo
December 6, 2000
Page 6
Below is the list of issues we have been working from. Some of the issues have been
resolved and have been put at the end and show a strikethrough. At the last meeting
the other issues were discussed and refined. They are as follows.
Unfinished:
The 1999 draft eliminates nearly all references to natural resources, location of future
developments and preservation of community values. The sections dealing with open
space, watersheds, wildlife habitat and other elements of the natural environment
have been generally eliminated. Additional language for the natural environment
section of the plan will be developed and presented to the council for review.
Additional mapping of the fire districts, school districts and existing land uses could
be done which are missing from the resource and analysis document. A staff work
item.
Baseline data, which includes an inventory of land uses, should be established in
order to monitor and gauge the amount and type of growth within the planning
jurisdiction. A staff work item required under the statutes.
Narration in the overall format of the document would make it easier to read and to
understand as well has to provide a better overall understanding in the community. A
staff work item to be presented to the council.
That the existing neighborhood plans should be reviewed for relevancy and
consistency with the adopted growth policy plan, especially those, which are over five
years old. Some may be outdated. This work item would be included near the end
of the review process.
Developing a policy regarding when productive agricultural land should be converted
to a higher intensity residential or commercial uses. A policy statement regarding
agricultural lands could be developed.
That the proposed map should be reviewed section by section and consideration given
to reconciling the 1998 and 1999 map land use designations such as urban /
suburban residential, commercial and the concept of "priority growth centers" and
"urban expansion areas." Review of the map near the end once the plan has been
generally developed. The map should comply with the plan and review is
warranted.
Kalispell City County Growth Policy Plan Memo
`December 6, 2000
Page 7
Public services and infrastructure should be developed in existing commercial areas
rather than expanding additional commercial areas that do not have public services
readily available. A policy statement has been developed to be included in the
commercial land use section of the plan.
The issue of where to provide for large scale and big box commercial has not been
addressed. Is there adequate space for retail, and do we need / want more. A policy
statement has been developed to be included as a statement in the plan.
Develop a Vision Statement. Done.
Capital improvement plan. This would be developed as a separate document and is
an implementation tool.
Intergovernmental Cooperation: Language has been drafted for this item that will
be included in the plan document.
Development in areas immediately adjacent to the city, but without City services has
not been addressed. Policy statements have been developed addressing this issue.
A provision in the plan that requires (new) zoning to comply with the adopted growth
policy plan, which currently it does not. A policy statement has been developed
addressing this issue.
The plan lacks a pedestrian and bicycle component of the transportation section,
which has been prepared in a draft form, but has not been reviewed or integrated into
the plan. Staff is working on this and it will be included as part of the parks and
recreation section
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