Kalispell looks northward for more annexation

City eyes 240 acres near Church Drive

By HEIDI GAISER

Daily Inter Lake

Citing continued growth and development pressure, the city of Kalispell plans to expand its annexation boundaries through a growth-policy amendment that will be considered Tuesday by the Kalispell Planning Board.

The city proposes to amend the growth policy future land-use map to expand the annexation boundary by about 240 acres at the northwest and northeast corners of the intersection of Church Drive and U.S. 93 North.

The property would be designated as roughly 16 acres of neighborhood commercial use, 14 acres of high-density residential, 70 acres of urban mixed use and 140 acres of suburban residential.

The amendment would also extend the highway corridor buffer to the northern boundary of the proposed annexation.

A planning staff report points out that Kalispell is experiencing rapid growth, with significant pressure to extend development along the U.S. 93 North corridor. Amending the annexation boundary would give the city more control over the area’s development.

The city of Kalispell will be able to provide city services to the property, whose owners have expressed interest in being within city limits.

In other business, the board will hold a public hearing on a request from Meridian Group Associates for a growth-policy amendment and zone change on 5.79 acres from urban residential to urban mixed use to allow for the expansion of the UPS facilities at 1151 N. Meridian Road.

The meeting will be held at 6 p.m. Tuesday at Kalispell City Hall, 201 First Ave. East.

Reporter Heidi Gaiser may be reached at 758-4438 or hgaiser@dailyinterlake.com.