Council grants two-year extension to Spring Creek Park Phase 1 preliminary plat

The Kalispell City Council voted to grant a two-year extension to the preliminary plat for Spring Creek Park Phase 1, allowing the developer additional time to proceed to engineering and construction without repeating the major preliminary plat process.

City staff said phase 1 of Spring Creek Park covers about 40.5 acres and includes 65 single-family lots and 95 townhome lots as part of a larger planned development that totals about 91 acres, including multifamily and commercial phases. The preliminary plat was originally approved March 7, 2022 and, under city subdivision regulations, was set to expire on March 7, 2025.

PJ Sorensen, assistant director of development services, told the council the developer requested a two-year extension under the subdivision code after delays in moving the project forward due to market conditions and cost changes; public works extended engineering design approval to December 2025. Sorensen recommended the extension, saying the city would not gain substantive planning or engineering changes by forcing a full re‑submittal and that a re-start would impose hardship and delay the developer’s construction schedule.

Bill Goldberg, the applicant, apologized for the administrative lapse in requesting the extension and said market conditions after 2022 delayed construction financing. “No excuses. We just… couldn’t financially pull the trigger,” Goldberg said, asking for council’s understanding so construction can proceed as planned.

Councilors said they supported the extension. The council approved Resolution No. 6244 to extend the preliminary plat for two years by roll-call vote (unanimous). Staff noted a separate engineering permit extension had already been granted and that the council’s action prevents the developer from needing to resubmit the full preliminary plat materials before beginning construction on phase 1.