Tab 21. March 11, 2013 Sitescape Associates Letter55ociatee5ite�cape
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Landscape Architecture - Land Planning - Site Analysis - Urban Design - Graphics
385 Golf Course Drive Columbia Falls, Montana 59912
Monday, March 11, 2013
Tom Jentz, Director
City of Kalispell Planning Department
201 1st Avenue East
Kalispell, Montana 59901
Re: Gardner Two Lot PUD Application
Dear Tom,
It has been my great pleasure to work with the City of Kalispell over the past 36 years on
a variety of both city -owned and private development projects including several planned
unit developments. I also hold the current planning staff in the highest of regards.
I have been asked by another party to render my opinion regarding the current application
for the Gardner Two Lot PUD at 2915 Highway 2 South, Kalispell. I would like it to be
clear that I have no issue with any of the proponents of this project including the
applicants and the consultants. I also have no issue with the proposed uses and the initial
Volkswagen dealership proposed for the north end of the 85 acre parcel reserved as B-5
PUD under the placeholder provisions offered by the City of Kalispell. I welcome as I'm
sure others do the proposal for new commercial development after the prolonged dip in
the economy over the past five years.
Having been involved in other very detailed PUD submittals prior to the recession, I find
it disheartening to review a proposal that defers so much required information to the
future. The strength of a PUD submittal has always been measured by the quality and
breadth of information provided to the governing body. I recently went through the PUD
process in Minot, North Dakota, Columbia Falls and Whitefish and was pleasantly
surprised that the standards of submittal and review were at least as high as those that
were present in the Flathead Valley prior to 2009. My concern relates to the fact that the
public can be short-changed by the process if the detail of a PUD submittal is vague.
Deferring information that defines the ultimate comprehensive nature and design of a
PUD leaves most of the review of important planning in the hands of city staff and totally
out of the hands of the public. We certainly want to encourage new development and to
strive toward economic recovery but not at the expense of continually improving the path
toward higher quality property development and its integration into the fabric of an
existing community and infrastructure.
The Gardner Two Lot property along with its parent 85 acre parcel is a gateway property
not unlike Hutton Ranch and the Goldberg Properties to the north of Kalispell's core.
These latter properties underwent a high level of scrutiny during the application and
entitlement process. These developers were willing and expected to "tip" their hands
during the public review process and divulge reasonably detailed information regarding
the comprehensive design and aesthetics of their projects. It leaves me a bit more than
uneasy that we are not seeing anything but very sketchy information about the
developer's vision for the VW corner and the acreage reserved for future development. I
think it would be reasonable to expect this developer to provide more information about
the comprehensive layout of the whole PUD just as other PUD developers have done in
the past. It occurs to me that some of my clients as well as other past PUD submitters
might feel that they were held to a different standard by the City of Kalispell. This
particular submittal looks more akin to a standard subdivision application within a
conventional B-5 zoning district.
Thank you for your attention. I would like to reiterate that it is not my intention to
discourage this development but instead to honor the planned unit development process
and to suggest that it be carried out as it was intended. In my opinion, it would be very
regrettable to turn back decades of progress in the constructive and evolving process of
preparing, submitting, reviewing and shepherding planned unit developments.
Sincerely,
Bruce F. Lutz A.S.L.A.
Landscape Architect and Land Planner