Planning commission backs Northwest View preliminary plat, removes shared‑driveway requirement

The Kalispell Planning Commission voted Nov. 12 to recommend approval of the Northwest View preliminary plat and the townhome conditional use permit, but amended the staff conditions to remove a shared‑driveway requirement for certain townhome lots.

City planners described Northwest View as a roughly 42.58‑acre subdivision along Stillwater Road that would create 149 lots — 111 single‑family detached homes and 38 attached townhome units — in the R‑3 zoning district. Staff told commissioners the townhome component requires a conditional use permit under R‑3 rules. The staff report estimated a required parkland dedication of 0.03 acres per dwelling (4.47 acres for 149 units) and said the preliminary plat identifies about 1.95 acres of parkland, with additional dedication or on‑site recreational improvements required later.

At a public hearing the developer’s representative, Eric Mulcayi of Sand Surveying, said the project team seeks flexibility on condition 29, which would require townhome groupings to share a 24‑foot driveway. Mulcayi said several townhome parent lots are wider than typical and that some townhome lots have alley access; allowing individual driveways in those locations would help accommodate topography and avoid a “snout house” streetscape, he told the commission.

Commissioners discussed the merits of shared driveways and staff said shared access is a typical technique to preserve streetscape character but that the size of the parent lots and alley access could justify exceptions. Commissioner motioned to strike condition 29; the commission approved removal of that condition by roll call (Joshua Borgart yes; Rory Young aye; Pip Burke aye; Doug Kaufman yes; Kate Walker recused). After the amendment, the commission voted to approve the preliminary plat and the conditional use permit and forwarded both to the City Council for final review and public hearing on Dec. 1.

Staff noted required infrastructure improvements, including a 16‑inch water main extension along Stillwater Road to complete a loop and provide fire flow capacity, and that final engineering will confirm fire hydrant and fire flow requirements. The report also said the subdivision’s northern boundary abuts an LHC gravel operation, and that a berm now providing visual and noise buffering is tied to the gravel operation and will be removed as part of future reclamation; notes about that temporary berm will be included on the final plat.

The commission’s approval includes the conditions and engineering requirements outlined in the staff report, subject to final plat and building permit reviews. The council will consider the recommendations at its Dec. 1 meeting.