Your Weekly Flathead Valley Land Use Planning Brief

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We are getting close to new, officially adopted Land Use Plans in Columbia Falls, Kalispell, and Whitefish. All of the action is in Whitefish this week.

We recently published a new report looking at growth in the Flathead Valley and what that might mean for the future. Click here to check it out.

This is your Monday primer about the Land Use Plan updates in Columbia Falls, Kalispell, and Whitefish. Read below for information on upcoming meetings and to find out what happened last week.

In the news:

Montana Supreme Court Upholds Slate of 2023 Housing Laws

Columbia Falls City Council Gets First Look at Short-term Rental Policy Framework

Flathead County Commissioners Adopt New Septic Regulations

CFAC Damage Assessment Plan finalized; could test for 'forever chemicals'

Kalispell Public Schools pursues acquiring homes near Flathead High School

Low public turnout for hearing on Kalispell’s new land use plan

Whitefish could match Bozeman‑level growth by 2045, new study calculates

[Whitefish] City Council preview for March 23, 2026

Draft land use plan focuses future Columbia Falls growth west and south of the city

Columbia Falls

Upcoming:

• Nothing this week.

• See the calendar below for additional relevant meeting dates.

Last Week:

• Nothing last week.

Kalispell

Upcoming:

• Nothing this week

Last Week:

• The Kalispell City Council held a public hearing on its draft Land Use Plan. This meeting was quite brief, with only a few members of the public providing testimony. The City Council did not discuss or act upon any items.

  • They will discuss and take action on the new Land Use Plan on Monday, April 6, 2026.

Whitefish

Upcoming:

• Whitefish City Council Work Session and Special Meeting, Monday, March 23, 2026 at 5:30 p.m., Whitefish City Hall (418 E 2nd St, Whitefish).

  • The work session, beginning at 5:30 p.m. will be the council’s first look at new zoning and subdivision regulations. These have not yet been reviewed by the Planning Commission, so this is the public’s first look as well.

  • The special meeting, beginning at 7:10 p.m. is the continuation of the public hearing on the city’s draft Land Use Plan.

    • Although this could be finalized tonight, we expect this public hearing to roll over to a third meeting on April 6.

    • The Whitefish Chamber of Commerce submitted a letter pushing back against decisions made by the Whitefish Planning Commission to remove references to mixed use and neighborhood commercial from the plan. Read it below.