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Habitat for Humanity presents redesigned Railroad Street plan: six homes and public park; council asked to approve redesign
Summary
Habitat for Humanity of the Flathead Valley and partners told the council they redesigned a planned seven-home project to six homes and a public park after a survey showed a neighbor owned the originally intended park parcel. The nonprofit asked the council to approve the redesign so zoning, platting and permitting can proceed.
Representatives from Habitat for Humanity of the Flathead Valley and the Northwest Montana Community Land Trust updated the Columbia Falls City Council on a revised design for the Railroad Street housing project and asked the council to approve the redesign so the group can begin land-use applications and staging for summer construction.
The presenter said the project team originally planned seven single-family homes and a park, but a recent survey identified a parcel intended for the park that is privately owned by adjacent neighbors; those neighbors do not want to sell or donate the land. Habitat and the land trust worked with engineers to redesign the site so it now proposes six single-family homes and a public park that would be owned by the city of Columbia Falls. The presenter said lot sizes remain relatively large and the park space is reasonable in the new layout.
Habitat told the council it will pursue grant funding for playground equipment and will conduct the nonprofit’s usual applicant screening process for homebuyers, serving households in the 30%–80% area median income band with a 30-year mortgage administered through the Montana Board of Housing. The presenter asked for council approval of the redesign so the group can file zoning, road, plat and building policy amendments and apply for building permits; staff estimated five to six months of lead time for approvals and said construction could begin mid-summer.
Councilors asked about coordination with the Columbia Falls Baseball Association and school regarding field use and moving a backstop; the presenter said Sean (city staff) had coordinated with the association and the backstop could be moved after the season. The council did not take formal action during this presentation; the presenter said the item was placed on the agenda for information and approval to proceed with applications.
Habitat said it aims to complete three of the six homes by this time next year, with the remaining three completed in 2026. The presenter noted increased volunteer capacity and a preproduction unit that has sped construction; Habitat now completes houses roughly every four months.
