Timeline Summary of City Airport Development1928--Kalispell bought 135 acres to establish a municipal airport
1979--a TAP "Mini -Master Plan" was completed for the airport with 9
improvement recommendations
1986--one recommendation was completed when a 211asphalt overlay was put on the
airport's runway
1993--a second study called the Airport Neighborhood Plan was completed and the
recommendations from 1979 were repeated
April 15, 1996--the Kalispell City Council passed Resolution #4256, adopting the
need for a Kalispell City Airport/Athletic Complex Redevelopment Plan Analysis
July 1996--after public hearings the City Council passed Ordinance #1242
approving the Kalispell City Airport/Athletic Complex Redevelopment Plan
Analysis as an Urban Renewal Plan and authorized the City Manager to implement
the plan
July 1996 through 1997--airport land along Hwy 93 was sold reducing the airport to
approximately 75 acres and the funds were used to finance the Kids Sports Complex
north of town
1996--the City hired engineering consultants to draw up an Airport Layout Plan
(ALP)
August 6, 1996--the City sent a letter to the FAA announcing the completion of the
ALP and asking FAA officials to come to Kalispell to discuss it
December 1996--the FAA's Northwest Regional Manager and the ADO Manager
from Helena came to Kalispell to discuss the airport's needed upgrade
1997--pursuant to FAA recommendations the City hired engineering consultants to
conduct a two-phase Feasibility/Master Plan Study
March 17, 1997-- the City Council passed Ordinance #1260 creating a Tax
Increment District (TIF) with a beginning effective date of April 17,1997
March 28,1998--at a Special Meeting of the Kalispell City Council a commitment
was made to limit the City's participation in the airport upgrade to $1,000,000 and
to bring the airport to NPIAS status making the total upgrade eligible for 95% FAA
funding
October 1998--the City sent a letter to the FAA stating that it was prepared to
assure the long term management, protection, and operation of the Kalispell City
Airport
October 1998--the FAA responded with a letter of understanding concerning
improvements needed to accommodate the fleet of aircraft using the airport
January 1999-- Phase I of the Feasibility/Master Plan was completed. After review
of Phase I, the FAA determined that the information presented justified a full
Master Plan Study and agreed to fund said Study
August 1999--the full Feasibility/Master Plan Study was completed
November 1,1999--the City Council passed Resolution # 4518 that adopted the
Airport Master Plan Study
January 2001--July 2001--the Site Selection Study was conducted and finished
March 2001--the City Council passed Resolution #4604 accepting an FAA Grant for
the funding of the Airport Site Selection Study and the Airport Environmental
Assessment
August 2001--the Kalispell City Manager presented the Site Selection Study to the
FAA in Helena. The FAA agreed with the Site Selection Study which identified a
five -degree re -alignment of the current runway as the #1 alternative.
August 2001--the FAA. agreed to fund the Environmental Assessment and the Land
Acquisition Plan
October 7, 2002--a Public Hearing on the EA was held before the City Council
December 2002--the Environmental Assessment was completed
December 17, 2002--after evaluation, the EA was signed by the responsible FAA
official making it a Federal document
December 17, 2002--the FAA made a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) on
the Environmental Assessment
2003--the FAA reaffirmed that because of the FONSI that they would support
Kalispell City Airport improvements with federal grant funds under the Airport
Improvement Program (AIP)
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June 16, 2003--the City Council passed Resolution 94804 increasing the fee
structures at the City Airport
August 16, 2004--the City Council, by Resolution # 4930 agreed to purchase two
parcels of land that had to be acquired to meet the new Airport Layout Plan for
upgrading the airport to meet FAA minimum standards
October 4, 2004--the City Council passed Resolution #4941 changing the terms of
new land leases at the airport to longer terms to encourage construction of new
hangars
November 1, 2004--the City Council passed Resolution #4945 authorizing the use of
Airport TIF funds to pay for the installation of certain new infrastructure there
December 20, 2004--the City Council by Ordinance #1520 annexed the two parcels
of land purchased in August 2004 for the airport upgrade
February 7, 2005--the City Council passed Resolution #4976, a resolution of intent
to bond certain projects and activities at the airport and to call for a public hearing
February 22, 2005--the City Council passed Resolution #4978 calling for a public
hearing on the airport redevelopment and the financing of the project through the
issuance of Tax Increment Urban Renewal Bonds
February 22,, 2005--the City Council passed Resolution #4979, a resolution relating
to financing of certain proposed projects and establishing compliance with
Reimbursement Bond Regulations under the Internal Revenue Code
March 21 2005--the City Council passed Resolution #4989, a resolution designating
and approving Phase I of the airport upgrade (the purchase of land and leaseback
to Red Eagle Aviation)
April 4, 2005--the City Council passed Resolution #4990 relating to the issuance and
subsequent sale thereof of $2,000,000 in Urban Renewal Airport Tax Increment
Revenue Bonds
June 26, 2005--the City Council passed Resolution #5022 calling for a public hearing
on the proposed issuance of the Tax Increment Urban Renewal Revenue Bonds to
finance the airport redevelopment (the ground construction and the purchase of
Red Eagle Aviation would be eligible for FAA reimbursement once the airport is
upgraded to FAA minimum standards and the funds used to pay off the bonds)
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July 2005--pursuant to continued FAA recommendations and City assurances, the
Kalispell City Manager advertised for and hired the first -ever Airport Manager
who would be tasked with managing the existing airport and overseeing its future
ALP upgrading
July 2005/2006 Budget cyele--the Airport Manager requested and received
permission to change the existing airport funding from the General Fund (taxes) to
an Enterprise Fund (user fees) so that it could be self sustaining and not be a drain
on the tax revenues of the City of Kalispell
July 18, 2005--the City Council passed Ordinance #1541 authorizing the issuance of
Tax Increment Renewal Revenue Bonds of the City for costs associated with Phase
I. A public hearing was held on July 5, 2005
September 6, 2005--the City Council passed Resolution #5051 ratifying the sale and
prescribing the form and terms and the security for the Airport Urban Renewal
Project Bonds
January 2006--the City Council passed Ordinance #1573, an ordinance adopting
and establishing an Airport Affected Area pursuant to the authority conferred on
the City and County consistent with Title 67, MCA
January 30, 2006--the Flathead County Commissioners approved the interlocal
agreement dated January 17, 2006 that provided both airspace protection and land
use compatibility with airport operations at the Kalispell City Airport
September 17, 2007--the City Council passed Ordinance #1622 an ordinance
approving the Kalispell City Airport Standard Operating Procedures
December 15, 2008--the City Council passed Resolution #5331 finding a public need
for the mitigation of the air hazard created by the KGEZ radio towers
February 17, 2009--the City Council passed Resolution #5340 directing the City
Department of Economic and Community Development and the City Planning
Department to prepare and assist the Kalispell City Planning Board in the review of
the updated South Kalispell/Airport Redevelopment Plan
March 4, 2009--the KGEZ radio station owner filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy
protection, later converted to Chapter 7 liquidation
May 7, 20097-the Montana Department of Transportation announced the
completion of a Montana Airports Economic Impact Study showing Kalispell City
u
Airport as having the highest economic impact of all general aviation airports in
Montana
Financial Investments in the Airport made by the Private Sector from 2000 to 2009
total 7 Hangar sites and an estimated $1,550,000
Financial Investments in the Airport made by the City from 2000 to 2009 for
upgrading, infrastructure, eliminating through the fence operations, improving
safety, Phase I development, and for future Runway Protection Zones in an amount
of $3,255,852, almost all approved based on FAA reimbursement after the airport
was improved. If the airport is not upgraded to meet minimum FAA standards, no
reimbursement will occur.