Kalispell planners review housing options under Montana Land Use Planning Act; parking rule flagged as imminent state change

Kalispell planning staff led a work session May 13 to continue implementing the Montana Land Use Planning Act (SB 382) and to review the preliminary draft land use plan’s Chapter 4 on housing.

Donnie McVaugh, planner II, and other staff presented housing data and outlined the choices the city must make under MLUPA, including selecting at least five strategies from a state list of 14 housing approaches. McVaugh told the commission that Kalispell’s population is projected to grow by roughly 63% by 2045 (to over 45,000 residents) and that the city will need on the order of 8,800–10,000 new housing units to meet that growth, given current vacancy and price data in the staff presentation.

Staff review and community outreach: Planning staff summarized current housing stock (15,847 units citywide, about 60% single‑family) and recent approvals (staff said roughly 7,500 recently approved units, of which about 2,000 are built and 5,500 remain permitted but unbuilt). Staff described outreach to date (pop‑ups, in‑person boards, an online survey at engagekalispell.com) and said the commission’s feedback would inform which strategies to carry forward.

Staff then stepped through the 14 MLUPA strategies and summarized existing local conditions and preliminary community support levels collected during outreach. Key strategy discussions included:

- Acc…