06-18-21 City Manager Report1
City of Kalispell
OFFICE OF THE CITY
MANAGER
Information Memorandum
6/18/2021
1.Public Works
Center Street West Improvement Project
The Center Street West Improvement Project is
scheduled to begin Monday, June 14. The
project includes furnishing labor, materials and
equipment required to reconstruct
approximately 1,590 feet of Center Street West
from Meridian Road to 7th Avenue West. Also
included in the project is storm sewer
manholes, drainage inlets, storm main
installation, paved surface restoration, concrete
flatwork and landscape restoration. Construction is anticipated to end in September.
Traffic control during construction will change through the site as construction
progresses. Up to date traffic control information is available on the City’s website.
Pavement Maintenance
LHC, Inc and City Crews are finishing the mill and overlay project in S Meadows &
Ashley Park Subdivisions. Streets that were improved with this project include – Ashley
Park Subdivision - Merganser Dr between Widgeon Ct and Eider Dr; Ruddy Duck Dr
between Merganser Dr and Teal Dr; Teal Dr
between Ruddy Duck Dr and Harlequin Ct; South
Meadows Subdivision - Darlington Dr between S
Meadows Dr and Belmar Dr; Garden Way between
Belmar Dr and S Meadows Dr; Camelot Court; and
Dunmovin. Street Crews will move onto the next
planned mill and overlay project which will take
place on Monday, June 14 in the River View
Subdivision.
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Impact Fees
The Water and Sewer Impact Fees adopted (Resolution #5969) June 1, 2020 included
a 3% annual interest and inflation factor. The increase will begin at the start of the new
fiscal year on July 1, 2021.
2.Police Department
On June 14, Officer Dustin Willey conducted a bike safety talk to 35 Trinity Lutheran
School kids and spent a good amount of time answering all their questions.
The week of June 14, Officers Dennis Petersen and Chad Sweigart attended a Child
Forensic Interview Course in Helena. The 36-hour course instructs officers how to
interview children who are victims of or witnesses to crimes and abuse, understanding the
process of child victimization, and preparing a case for trial.
Special Response Team members Randy Kaarre and Quintin Fowler attended a Master
Breacher Certification course here in the Flathead Valley. The certification encompassed
manual, mechanical, ballistic, thermal, and hydraulic breaching.
The week of June 21, members of the Major Crime Unit will attend an Advanced Crime
Scene Investigation class in Kalispell. The 40-hour course is designed to familiarize
intermediate to advanced level police personnel with the technical skills needed to
identify, document, preserve, and collect more complicated physical evidence found at
crime scenes. Officers will work through practical exercises to establish knowledge in
everything from bloodstain pattern documentation to advanced photography techniques.
3.Planning Department
The Planning Board held a public hearing on June 8 and heard six application requests.
The application requests consisted of the following:
1.File #KA-21-02 – A request from Katherine Gates (Mission Impawsible, LLC)
for annexation and initial zoning of B-1 (Neighborhood Business) for property
located at 100 Ponderosa Lane (Ponderosa Veterinary Hospital), containing
approximately 1.48 acres. The request is based on a desire to connect to city
sanitary sewer service.
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2.File #KCU-21-03 – A request from Tristelle Vu (The Ritz Bar & Salon) for a
conditional use permit to allow an accessory casino within the B-4 (Central
Business) zone. The property contains an existing bar and will be adding a nail
salon in addition to the proposed accessory casino space. The property is located
at 110/116 Main Street, formally know as the Kalispell Bar.
3.File #KCU-21-04 – A request from Layne Massie (Edge, LLC) for a conditional
use permit to allow a multi-family residential development for property located at
2015/2105 Third Avenue East, containing approximately 2.04 acres. The
development (Third Avenue East Apartments) would include 48 residential units,
parking, and recreational amenities.
4.File #KCU-21-05 – A request from Jason Sharp for a conditional use permit to
allow an auto repair business within the B-3 (Core Area Business) zone. The
property contains an existing building that was previously used for fleet vehicle
maintenance and equipment storage for an internet service company. The
property is located at 710 West Montana Street.
5.File #KPP-21-03 – A request from Owl Corporation for major preliminary plat
approval for Westview Estates Phases 6 and 7. The property is located within an
R-3 (Residential) zoning district, with a total of 34 single-family lots on
approximately 15.98 acres of land including the lots, streets, a park area, and
other common area. The property is located to the east of Stillwater Road and to
the north of Westview Estates Phase 2.
6.Files #KPUD-21-01; and KPP-21-02 – A request from Bison Hill, LLC for the
Mountain View Planned Unit Development (“PUD”), which is a Residential PUD
overlay on approximately 139 acres of land abutting the north side of Foys Lake
Road to the west of the Highway 93 Bypass, along with major preliminary plat
approval for Phase 1 of the development. The property was previously annexed
with a PUD overlay called Willow Creek, which has since expired. This proposal
is for a new PUD by a different applicant. The PUD calls for a total of 407
dwelling units (225 single family lots, 16 cottage lots and 166 townhome lots)
along with approximately 49.1 acres of open space and park area. The Phase 1
preliminary plat consists of approximately 21.2 acres with 94 lots (5 single family
lots and 89 townhome lots), streets and open space.
The Board did recommend approval of five of the six application requests. The Mountain
View PUD (application 6 above) was tabled by the Board and further discussion will
commence at their regularly scheduled July 13 meeting. The other five recommendations
will be forwarded to the Council for consideration at their June 21 meeting.
4.Building Department
In the last 3 weeks, we have issued permits for 8 single-family homes. That will bring the
total of new single-family/duplex and townhouse units for the year to 116, compared to
100 last year at this time.
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There have been 148 multi-family housing units issued so far this year. Last year at this
time, we had not issued any multi-family housing permits.
There was a total of 128 combined building and/or fire inspections completed in the last 3
weeks.
Residential – 71 Plumbing – 16
Commercial – 16 Mechanical - 10
Electrical – 10 Fire - 5
5.Community Development
The striping on Airport Road was finished Monday, June 14, bringing the South Kalispell
Traffic Improvement Project to substantial completion. A number of punch list items
will be addressed in the weeks ahead, but these do not affect the general function of the
project. The parking lots, sidewalks, bike lanes and the new 17th Street West are in use.
At the Sweet Peaks location on Main and 4th Street East, the underground storage tank
and associated structures have been removed. The site will be repaved the week of June
14.
Kalispell Parkline construction is underway. A
ceremonial contract signing event was held May 24
to kick off this community-changing project. Most
of the existing tracks through the core area have
been removed and earthwork is underway.
Information and updates for the Kalispell Parkline
can be found on the City’s website and Core & Rail
Redevelopment Project website:
•https://www.kalispell.com/164/Community-Development
•http://www.kalispellcoreandrail.com/
Construction alerts and updates are available through the “Notify Me” webpage:
https://www.kalispell.com/list.aspx
6.Finance Department
The fiscal year 2022 preliminary budget is complete and available to view on the City
website. The City Council reviewed the budget at work sessions on May 10 and 11.
The General Fund budget decreased $0.5 million. The largest single recurring reduction
in the general fund budget is the reduction in 911 center funding from 0.6 million in
fiscal year 2021 to the center now being funded through a levy.
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At the regular City Council meeting on June 21, the Council will be asked to authorize
the limited expenditure/expense of funds within the fiscal year 2022 preliminary budget
and call for a Public Hearing regarding the City’s fiscal year 2022 budget to be held on
July 6. The City’s fiscal year 2022 final budget will go to Council on August 16 for
approval.
7.Parks and Recreation
A contractor has completed the pruning of 198 trees along 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, Avenues
East North, Woodland Avenue, and 8th Avenue East.
Parks staff are nearing the completion of mowing 40 acres of undeveloped parks which
are mowed to keep grass length below 8” as required by city code.
Approximately 200 volunteers will be working in various Kalispell Parks on June 19,
accomplishing a multitude of tasks from graffiti removal at the skate park, to mulching
trees and trails, to pulling weeds off the Lawrence Park hillside.
The Picnic in the Park Summer Concert Series starts on Tuesday, June 22 with an
Americana band, Them Coulee Boys, that blends folk, punk,
bluegrass, and rock & roll. The following week we will shift to
highlighting some of our local talent, The Kenny James Miller
Band, which will be performing on June 29. The entire concert
lineup is on our website at https://www.kalispell.com/242/Picnic-
in-the-Park.
Our Adult 7v7 Soccer league at Kalispell Middle School is in our
second week of league play. This year we have 14 teams in the
league which is our most ever.
Woodland Water Park is finishing the first session of swim lessons on June 24. We will
have four more sessions available throughout the summer. We will also have our annual
Red, White, & Blue Day on Sunday, July 4 with special rates and free hot-dogs for early
patrons donated by Glacier Wholesalers.