10/17/11 City Council MinutesAlso present: City Manager Jane Howington, City Attorney Charles Harball, City Clerk Theresa
White, Chief of Police Roger Nasset, Planning Director Tom Jentz, Senior Planner Sean Conrad,
Planner I1 PJ Sorensen, Community Development Manager Katharine Thompson, Revolving Loan
Fund Manager Wade Elder, and Deputy City Clerk Judi Funk.
President Larson called the meeting to order and led the Pledge of Allegiance.
1. . V
Kenyon moved to approve the Agenda. The motion was seconded.
There was no discussion.
The motion carried unanimously upon vote with Gabriel and Mayor Fisher absent.
1. Council Minutes — Regular Meeting — October 3, 2011
2. Proclamation — Red Ribbon Week — October 22-30
Saverud moved to approve the Consent Agenda. The motion was seconded.
There was no discussion.
The motion carried unanimously upon vote with Gabriel and Mayor Fisher absent.
Diane Groves, 43610th Avenue West, asked council to amend the animal ordinance to allow ducks
in the city limits. She said she raises ducks for additional income and has been notified they need to
be removed from the premises by November 3.
Karlene Kohr, 229 7th Street West, manager of a building on Main Street, remarked there has been
an influx of panhandlers in Kalispell this year and they are professional beggars and cons. She said if
we have a panhandling ordinance then we need to enforce it; if we do not have one then we need to
craft one. She also commented we are continuing to ignore the downtown parking problem and
requested a work session to address the issue.
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October 17, 2011
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Joe Unterreiner, 136 5th Avenue East, Executive Director of the Chamber of Commerce, invited
council and the public to the Kalispell Candidate Forum being held at the Red Lion on Tuesday,
October 18 starting at 11:30 a.m.
Ron Thibert, 3795 Highway 2 West, stated he is opposed to changing the Flathead County
Fairgrounds and racetrack as part of the West Side Urban Renewal proposal. He asked council to
leave them as they are.
Pam Kennedy Carbonari, Lakeside, congratulated Duane Larson on his many years of service to the
city and for receiving the Lifetime Achievement Award at the League of Cities and Towns meeting.
D. PUBLIC HEARING — WEST SIDE URBAN RENEWAL DISTRICT — PROPOSED
MODIFICATION AND EXPANSION
Conrad gave a background report.
President Larson opened the public hearing.
Kim Morisaki, Montana West Economic Development, 314 Main Street, read a letter from the board
in favor of expanding the district to create opportunity in the downtown core area. She stressed the
importance of relocating the railroad tracks and the businesses that still use them.
John King, Three Rivers Bank, stated he opposes improvement of the fairgrounds because it is
county property, but he would be in favor of improvements to other parts of the district.
Joe Unterreiner, Chamber of Commerce, 15 Depot Park, submitted a letter for the record and noted
the chamber is in support of amending the district because it will add vitality and improve the
economy. He also stated the businesses that are still using the tracks are very important and they
deserve to be treated fairly.
Pam Carbonari, representing the Kalispell Downtown Association, 14 3rd Street East, read a letter
from the KDA Board of Directors in support of expansion of the district.
Mark Lalum, general manager of Cenex Harvest States, stated his company relies on the tracks and
the grain elevator is the last one in Western Montana and pulls out 95% of the crop in the Flathead
Valley. He said the council needs to make a decision on the tracks before anything else.
Pam Mower, North West Drywall, noted they also use the tracks and the railroad is extremely
important to her business. She asked council to move one way or the other.
Pam Carbonari, representing the Kalispell Business Improvement District, 14 3rd Street East, read a
letter from the Business Improvement District Board in favor of expansion of the district.
Gary McHenry, 324 9th Avenue West, asked where the money would come from.
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October 17, 2011
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Kim Morisaki spoke again, noting that by moving existing businesses and the tracks to an industrial
park, the city can create opportunity for more businesses to use the railroad.
Karlene Kohr, 229 7th Street West, suggested prioritizing what will work and dropping what will not
work.
President Larson closed the public hearing.
(Letters received prior to and during the public hearing are attached hereto and made a part of the
official record)
UPDATESE/1. ORDINANCE 1702 — ZONINGIREADINGIT
(Tabled October
As part of a continuing effort to make the city's zoning regulations user-friendly and current with
changes in state law, the planning board has recommended a text amendment to update and revise
four sections of the Kalispell Zoning Ordinance. Ordinance 1702 was tabled at the October 3, 2011
meeting.
uesner moved to remove Ordinance 1702 from the table. The motion was seconded.
The motion carried unanimously upon vote with Gabriel and Mayor Fisher absent.
Sorensen gave an updated report and staff answered questions.
Several council members discussed expanding the boundary for the sandwich boards stating
businesses that are not located on Main Street should also be allowed to use them.
Public Comment
Pam Carbonari, representing the Kalispell Downtown Association and the Kalispell Business
Improvement District, asked the council to approve the amendments and invited members to a
meeting on Thursday to hear a report from Cygnet Strategies of Helena on other strategies to assist
and navigate pedestrians and vehicular traffic to and around Kalispell.
Council Discussion
Kluesner moved to amend the boundary line where sidewalk signs are allowed as follows:
bounded by 5th Street East on the south, 1st Alley East on the east, Center Street on the north
with the western boundary described as a line beginning at West Center Street and extending
south along 2nd Alley West to 2nd Street West and including the easterly 82 feet of Lots 7 & 8
of Block 48, Kalispell Original Townsite, then west along 2nd Street West to 3rd Avenue West,
then south on 3rd Avenue West to 3rd Street West, then east on 3rd Street West to 2nd Alley
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October 17, 2011
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West, then south on 2nd Alley West to 4th Street West, then east on 4th Street West to 2nd
Avenue West, then south on 2nd Avenue West to its intersection with 5th Street West. The
motion was seconded.
The amendment carried upon roll call vote with Atkinson, Hafferman, Kenyon, Kluesner,
Zauner, and President Larson voting in favor, Saverud abstaining, and Gabriel and Mayor
Fisher absent.
There was no further discussion.
The main motion, as amended, carried upon roll call vote with Atkinson, Hafferman, Kenyon,
Kluesner, Zauner, and President Larson voting in favor, Saverud abstaining, and Gabriel and
Mayor Fisher absent.
Atkinson requested that Diane Groves be allowed to keep her ducks until the animal ordinance is
reviewed and a work session on the issue scheduled. The other council members concurred.
The meeting was adjourned at 8:40 p.m.
Theresa White
City Clerk
Approved November 7, 2011
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October 17, 2011
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