Your Weekly Flathead Valley Land Use Planning Brief

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Here is your Monday Flathead Valley land use primer email. Whitefish will adopt its land use plan and future land use map TONIGHT (we hope). Kalispell’s City Council held a work session to review new zoning and subdivision regulations last week, and they’ll have a first reading on both tonight. Columbia Falls’ City Council will take a first look at the city’s Future Land Use Map and recommendations from the city’s land use consultants tonight.

In the news:

A recent speed study for U.S. Highway 2 through Columbia Falls to Columbia Heights actually calls for increasing the speed limit in some sections, rather than lowering it as city leaders had hoped.

…But city council leaders strongly opposed raising the speed limit in the urban zone of the highway. Police Chief Chad Stephens noted the crash rates cited by the study did not include Columbia Falls City Police reports for the same time period, as there were 157 accidents reported in the urban area from 2022-2024 and police annually give out 900 to 1,000 tickets to motorists in that section alone.

Councilmembers were also worried that the urban section had a lot of pedestrian traffic and increasing the speed limit, in their view, would only make it more dangerous.

DEQ to Hold Public Hearing on Phase Two of Lakeside Sewer District Expansion Plan

Foys to Blacktail Conservation Project Protects 1,131-acre Parcel Next to Herron Park

Developers Plan Renovations for Three Low-Income Housing Units

Kalispell Council to vote on zoning and subdivision reforms aimed at boosting housing density

Flathead County extends Lakeside marina permit amid opposition

Planning Commission advances South Kalispell commercial development along U.S. 93

With public hearings being phased out, Kalispell City Council looks for new ways to inform residents of subdivision proposals

Survey for Whitefish Community Wildfire Protection Plan [survey link]

State suggests raising speed limit on Highway 2 through city

City looks to tighten short-term rental regs, but will not require owner occupancy

Columbia Falls

Click here to view the draft Future Land Use Map

Click here to view the draft Recommendations

Upcoming:

• Columbia Falls City Council meeting, Monday, April 20, 2026 at 7 p.m., Columbia Falls City Hall (130 6th St W, Columbia Falls).

  • Cushing Terrell Presentation - Future Land Use Map & Recommendations

Last Week:

• The Columbia Falls Planning Commission was scheduled to hold a special meeting to review an annexation, zoning, and subdivision application for the Teakettle Heights Subdivision, but this was cancelled due to a staffing issue. It has not yet been rescheduled.

Kalispell

Upcoming:

• Kalispell City Council meeting, Monday, April 20, 2026 at 7 p.m., Kalispell City Hall (201 1st Ave E, Kalispell).

  • Zoning and Subdivision Ordinance Updates

    • First reading of ordinances that were reviewed in last week’s work session.

    • Bringing ordinances into compliance with state law (Montana Land Use Planning Act) and incorporating zoning changes that were identified in the new Land Use Plan.

Last Week:

• The Kalispell City Council held a work session to review zoning and subdivision changes to comply with state law/Montana Land Use Planning Act. They will have a first reading on these changes tonight.

  • View the meeting and hear the discussion by clicking here.

• The Kalispell Planning Commission held a public hearing to allow for the rehabilitation of 116 affordable homes. There were no public comments.

Whitefish

Upcoming:

• Whitefish City Council meeting, Monday, April 20, 2026 at 7:10 p.m., Whitefish City Hall (418 E Second St, Whitefish).

  • The city council is expected to formally adopt the city’s Vision 2045 Land Use Plan. Public comment was closed at the council’s last meeting, two weeks ago.