Your Weekly Flathead Valley Land Use Planning Brief

Here’s your weekly primer for land use across the Flathead Valley.

The Kalispell City Housing Study Advisory Committee meets Monday to interview finalists and select the consultant who will lead the city’s housing study.

Two quick asks before you keep reading:

Livable Flathead is one of three local nonprofits in General Sheet Metal’s Community Giving Campaign, and voting opens September 1. You can vote once every 24 hours through September 30 at generalsheetmetalmt.com/charitable-giving. Bookmark this page and vote daily to help us win the top donation!

Columbia Falls has an opening on its Planning Commission, the board that helps guide land use and development in the city. If you live in Columbia Falls and want a seat at the table, email a letter of interest and a short background to sobczakc@cityofcolumbiafalls.com before September 9. Details here.

Keep reading below for a recap of what happened last week and to find out what’s happening this week.

THIS WEEK’S TOP STORY

Flathead County’s $209M budget means slight decrease in taxes for some

A budget approved by Flathead County commissioners on Thursday is set to decrease county tax bills for many property owners.

The budget calls for $153.58 million in total revenue for fiscal year 2027 and lists $209.91 million in expenditures. While it appears the budget overspends by about $56 million, officials said these numbers don’t tell the entire story.

The county deposited $95 million last fiscal year from selling voter-approved bonds in April. About $47.5 million of the proceeds will be spent this fiscal year to construct the new Flathead County Public Safety Facility in South Kalispell. Construction of a new 110,000-square-foot county jail at 225 Snowline Lane is underway as the result of the $95 million bond approved by voters last November.

The upcoming fiscal year budget of $209.91 million is an increase over the last fiscal year’s budget of $142.1 million.

The tax levy is set to generate approximately $64 million in property tax revenue, an increase of roughly $10.4 million over the last fiscal year. New property entering the tax base contributed $917,855 of this increase, and another $1.39 million is attributable to inflation.

Commissioners also levied an additional 5.47 mills for the first time in five years, which generates about $3.65 million of the increase. Another $4.42 million comes from voter-approved mill levy changes, including the jail bond that passed last November.

Costs for capital improvement projects are approximately $67.9 million, an increase of $46.85 million over last year’s spending, according to figures provided by the county. Large projects budgeted this year include building the public safety facility and reconstructing the 118-year-old covered grandstands at the county fairgrounds. The county has also invested in road and bridge maintenance, solid waste management, public health, libraries, planning, elections and emergency services.

A note on the year-over-year jump: most of it is the jail. The county’s adopted capital plan puts the new detention center at about $50 million of this year’s $67.9 million in capital projects. Back that out, and the rest of the county’s capital spending is roughly $18 million, a few million below the roughly $21 million it spent on capital last year. The overall budget runs the other way: even with the $50 million in jail construction set aside, expenditures come to about $160 million, up roughly $18 million, or 12%, over last year’s $142.1 million. So once the jail is out of the picture, operating spending is up while the rest of the capital program is down slightly.

The longer arc is worth noting too. The county’s annual capital plan has grown from about $14 million in fiscal year 2021 to roughly $21 million last year, and the new jail pushes this year’s total to about $68 million. Even without the jail, the county is budgeting more for roads, bridges, solid waste, and other county infrastructure than it did five years ago, the kind of pressure a growing population puts on shared infrastructure. We can expect that this figure will continue to grow, and it’s why we do the work that we do at Livable Flathead to make sure that local governments in the Flathead can keep up with their infrastructure maintenance needs within their tax bases.

IN THE NEWS

Lakeside water and sewer board approves water rights workaround for luxury development

Short term rental growth in Whitefish reflects visitation demands

[Columbia Falls] Most homeowners will see city tax decrease

Columbia Falls Community Market Races to Raise $1.1 Million to Buy its Land

Administration looks to rescind Roadless Rule

Gianforte’s Energy Task Force Calls for PSC Reform

Jerome Broussard donates $7 million to FVCC’s Trades Institute

Flathead air quality monitoring site closures ordered by EPA, DEQ

Deer Creek Fire Near Flathead and Lincoln County Border Grows to 963 Acres

THIS WEEK IN MEETINGS

Week of August 31, 2026

COLUMBIA FALLS

No council or planning commission meetings are scheduled in Columbia Falls this week. With Labor Day on September 7, their first September meeting falls on Tuesday, September 8.

KALISPELL

• Kalispell City Housing Study Advisory Committee, regular meeting, Monday, August 31, 2026 at 12:30 p.m., Kalispell City Hall, First Floor Conference Room (201 1st Ave E, Kalispell).

  • Interviews for housing study consultants, and selection of a consultant.

    • The committee is choosing the consultant who will lead Kalispell’s citywide housing study, the work the council budgeted for when it stood the committee up earlier this year.

• Kalispell Town Hall with the mayor and city manager, Monday, August 31, 2026 at 7:00 p.m., Council Chambers, Kalispell City Hall (201 1st Ave E, Kalispell).

  • An informal, in-person conversation with the mayor and city manager about the issues residents care about. It is not a regularly scheduled meeting, will not be recorded or streamed, and no decisions will be made.

WHITEFISH

No council or planning commission meetings are scheduled in Whitefish this week. With Labor Day on September 7, their first September meeting falls on Tuesday, September 8.

LAST WEEK’S RECAP

Week of August 24-30, 2026

COLUMBIA FALLS

There were no relevant meetings in Columbia Falls last week.

KALISPELL

Kalispell City Council work session, Monday, August 24, 2026 at 7:00 p.m., Kalispell City Hall (201 1st Ave E, Kalispell).

• The council discussed renting out city-owned downtown parking lots for special events and allowing residential block parties with temporary street closures. No formal vote is taken at a work session, but councilors leaned toward allowing both, with a permit process, liability insurance, and security deposits to cover any damage and keep the city whole. They differed over how high deposits should run, weighing protection for taxpayers against not pricing out nonprofits and community groups, and staff will bring back a draft policy. (meeting video)

WHITEFISH

Whitefish Community Housing Committee, Monday, August 24, 2026 at 2:00 p.m., Whitefish City Hall (418 E Second St, Whitefish), City Council Conference Room.

• The committee met to outline the grant application process for the future Community Housing Grant Panel, part of the city’s work to set criteria and stand up a review panel for its resort-tax community housing funds. There is no meeting video available.

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Your Weekly Flathead Valley Land Use Planning Brief

Here’s your weekly primer for land use across the Flathead Valley.

The Kalispell City Council holds a work session Monday night to discuss renting out city-owned downtown parking lots for events and allowing residential block parties, the only council meeting on the valley’s calendar this week.

Keep reading below for a recap of what happened last week and to find out what’s happening this week.

THIS WEEK’S TOP STORY

Whitefish Planning Commission Amends Growth Policy to Limit 60-foot Buildings in Downtown

The Whitefish planning commission on Thursday night amended the city’s state-mandated 20-year planning document adopted by city council earlier this year by adding language to address impending legislation that will allow for the development of 60-foot buildings in the city’s downtown.

To address the building height concerns, city staff and consulting firm czb, LLC proposed defining specific “view corridors” visible from downtown, most notably Big Mountain, and classifying them as a vital “scenic resource” in Vision Whitefish 2045 — the city’s growth policy crafted under 2023 legislation, the Montana Land Use Planning Act (MLUPA).

Additionally, city staff and consultants suggested establishing an “Old Town Scenic Heritage Shopping District” encompassing the blocks generally bounded by the railroad to the north, 4th Street to the south, and the alleys immediately east and west of Central Avenue. The purpose of this district would be to align permitted uses, development standards, building heights, setbacks and design expectations with the area’s established development pattern and visual character.

While the growth policy adjustments were ultimately endorsed by the planning commission, it was done so reluctantly, as commissioners were split over how much of downtown should be protected and whether the scenic resource approach was even feasible, especially with a litigious challenge likely on the horizon. Concerns over impending lawsuits, however, were outweighed by the city council’s desire to take on the fight.

“I think we’re setting ourselves up for potential litigation for not following the 60-foot allowance,” Commissioner Marti Brandt said. “In previous amendments or pieces of the growth policy, I’ve consistently voted to take out verbiage that I felt would open us up for a lawsuit that we would most likely lose. I think that is not a great use of the city’s money. At the same time, I do recognize that this is a very important priority for city council.”

Shelter WF Executive Director Keegan Siebenaler warned commissioners that while the growth policy isn’t a regulatory document, the zoning code must align with the policy document, meaning Thursday night’s choices still have legal weight.

“In 50 pages, the word ‘threat’ appears once, saying that this document evaluates the conditions and potential threats to these resources, but no threat of building height or development is ever named or described,” Siebenaler said. “The assessment inventories what is pleasant about downtown and then stops, so the report as written doesn’t at all justify the current remedy.”

Jon Heberling, a board member with Citizens for a Better Flathead, also doubted the effectiveness and legal muster of relying on the city’s proposed scenic resource plan, saying protecting the downtown through specific building and development standards is a better form of regulation.

“In the legal briefs, the back of the memo we call it, it says that the city may regulate form, but may not regulate height,” Heberling told commissioners. “The statute is very clear on height, and the city can’t regulate that. They can’t change it from 60 to 45. That’s why I’m not too optimistic about the city plan trying to do just that.”

After a failed motion to recommend the consultant’s expanded map, which included protecting Baker Avenue, Spokane Avenue and Central Avenue through a new zoning district, the commission considered the city’s recommendation to only carve out protection for Central Avenue. After that motion failed, commissioners ultimately approved a map that would protect both Central and Spokane Avenues, before approving all scenic resource amendments in the land use chapter of the growth policy. The amendments now head to the City Council for a final decision next month.

IN THE NEWS

Council grants Habitat Flathead grant for two more townhomes on Whitefish Avenue

Whitefish Council Approves Water Master Plan Despite Dewatering Concerns

Haskill Basin Watershed Council Advocates for Stricter Protections in Whitefish City Water Plan

Flathead County District Court Rules in Favor of State in Lakeside Groundwater Permit Case

Whitefish City Council Approves Final Budget with Additional Mills

Kalispell City Council Strikes License Plate Camera Funding After Pushback

State Approves 20,600-acre Easement in Northwest Montana

[Columbia Falls] Mountain Climber a lifeline for elderly, disabled

Increased Wildfire Activity Degrades Northwest Montana Air Quality

Learn how to cope with smoke at event in Columbia Falls

THIS WEEK IN MEETINGS

Week of August 24, 2026

COLUMBIA FALLS

• There are no meetings in Columbia Falls scheduled this week.

KALISPELL

• Kalispell City Council work session, Monday, August 24, 2026 at 7:00 p.m., Kalispell City Hall (201 1st Ave E, Kalispell).

  • Discussion: renting out city-owned downtown parking lots for special events, and allowing residential block parties with temporary street closures.

    • The city has no guidelines for using or renting its downtown parking lots for events and does not currently allow street closures for block parties. Staff is asking the council whether to create a permitting process, with liability insurance, for both. No vote is taken at a work session.

WHITEFISH

• Whitefish Community Housing Committee, Monday, August 24, 2026 at 2:00 p.m., Whitefish City Hall (418 E Second St, Whitefish), City Council Conference Room.

  • Outlining the grant application process for the future Community Housing Grant Panel.

LAST WEEK’S RECAP

Week of August 17-23, 2026

COLUMBIA FALLS

Columbia Falls City Council regular meeting, Monday, August 17, 2026 at 7:00 p.m. (Finance Committee at 6:30 p.m.), Columbia Falls City Hall (130 6th St W, Columbia Falls). (meeting video)

• The council seated new member Staci Bloomberg, who was sworn in at the start of the meeting.

• The council continued its FY2027 budget hearing and set final budget adoption for its first meeting in September. Staff walked through the new state property tax changes, noting that primary residences and long-term rentals keep the lower residential rate while second homes and short-term rentals are taxed at 1.9%.

• The council approved three levy and assessment resolutions so the figures could be certified to the county: Resolution 1973 (street lighting district, held at the same rate as prior years), Resolution 1974 (redefining the street maintenance district’s area and method of assessment, continuing the 5% annual step), and Resolution 1975 setting the city property tax levy at 140.64 mills, which includes the resort tax offset, fire relief mills, and the permissive medical levy. All three passed unanimously by roll call.

KALISPELL

Kalispell City Council regular meeting, Monday, August 17, 2026 at 7:00 p.m., Kalispell City Hall (201 1st Ave E, Kalispell). (meeting video)

• The council adopted its roughly $180 million Fiscal Year 2027 budget and set the mill levy at 153.23 mills, holding three mills in reserve and setting aside $500,000 for future capital projects. Staff said the result lowers city residential property taxes by about 7 to 14% depending on property value.

• During the appropriations vote, the council approved an amendment from Councilor Sam Nunnally to strike a $70,000 License Plate Recognition (LPR) camera from the police department’s parking-enforcement budget after about 40 residents turned out to protest it. Only Councilors Dustin Leftridge and Kari Gabriel voted against removing it. Downtown parking enforcement returns to a single full-time officer, and councilors said they could revisit the issue through a budget amendment later in the year.

• On its second reading, the council gave final approval to Habitat for Humanity’s 95-lot Birchwood planned unit development off Northland Drive; Councilor Gabriel voted no, citing the single access point into the Northland subdivision.

WHITEFISH

Whitefish City Council work session, Monday, August 17, 2026 at 5:30 p.m., Whitefish City Hall (418 E Second St, Whitefish).

• Councilors heard the Mountain Climber annual update and discussed forming a Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) to coordinate transportation planning. No formal votes were taken (work session).

Whitefish City Council regular meeting, Monday, August 17, 2026 at 7:10 p.m., Whitefish City Hall (418 E Second St, Whitefish). (meeting video)

• The council approved its final roughly $66 million FY2027 budget, capturing 10 additional mills after a 3-3 deadlock broken by Mayor John Muhlfeld. An earlier motion for the same budget with only five additional mills failed on the same lines. Staff had warned the city’s roughly 27 carryover mills could be stripped in the 2027 legislative session.

• The council adopted both the 2026 Whitefish Water Master Plan and the 2026 Wastewater and Stormwater Master Plan on unanimous votes, over dewatering concerns raised for the Second and Third Creek tributaries in Haskill Basin. Councilors directed staff to keep evaluating a remote telemetry system to monitor flows at the creek diversions.

• The council adopted the FY2027 to FY2031 Capital Improvement Program.

• The council unanimously approved a $250,000 resort-tax grant to Habitat for Humanity of Flathead Valley to buy a second Whitefish Avenue lot (1974 and 1982 Whitefish Avenue) for two more three-bedroom townhomes, bringing the Whitefish Avenue project to four homes.

Whitefish Planning Commission work session (5:00 p.m.) and regular meeting (6:00 p.m.), Thursday, August 20, 2026, Whitefish City Hall (418 E Second St, Whitefish).

• The commission advanced the city-initiated amendments to Vision Whitefish 2045 (CPTA 26-01), approving a scenic-resource map that protects both Central and Spokane avenues from the state’s coming 60-foot building allowance. The amendments head to the City Council next month. (This is the week’s top story, above.) (meeting video)

Additional Resources from Livable Flathead

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Your Weekly Flathead Valley Land Use Planning Brief

Here’s your weekly primer for land use across the Flathead Valley.

All three city councils take up their final Fiscal Year 2027 budgets Monday night.

Keep reading below for a recap of what happened last week and to find out what’s happening this week.

THIS WEEK’S TOP STORY

Twin Acres, Willow Glen residents create Flathead Valley’s fifth resident-owned community

Residents of two local manufactured home parks have purchased the land beneath their homes to create the fifth resident-owned community (ROC) in the Flathead Valley.

Now Twin Willows, Inc., this 55-home community is officially resident-owned, providing greater long-term stability and preserving an important source of naturally occurring affordable housing in the Flathead Valley.

“Twin Willows is a powerful example of what can happen when manufactured homeowners are given the opportunity, tools and financing to purchase the land beneath their homes,” said Danielle Bundrock, cooperative housing director of NeighborWorks Montana. “These 55 households are not simply buying property, they are creating long-term stability, preserving affordable homes and building a community they will govern together.”

The community includes a wide range of residents and households. Of Twin Willows’ residents, 72% are low income, 6% are veterans, and 14% are living with a disability.

IN THE NEWS

Developer Withdraws 97-slip Bigfork Bay Marina Application with Plans for Resubmittal

County green lights illuminated kayak tours near Bigfork despite opposition

Texas Developer Pulls Kalispell Center Mall TIF Fund Application

[Whitefish] Proposed second fire station to go to voters

[Whitefish] Options for protecting Haskill Basin water supply discussed

[Columbia Falls] Fourth Avenue should be paved before school starts

Groundwater mucking up U.S. 93 west of Whitefish construction

[Whitefish] Guest opinion: Expanded public transit an investment for wildfire protection plan

THIS WEEK IN MEETINGS

Week of August 17, 2026

COLUMBIA FALLS

• Columbia Falls City Council regular meeting, Monday, August 17, 2026 at 7:00 p.m. (Finance Committee at 6:30 p.m.), Columbia Falls City Hall (130 6th St W, Columbia Falls).

  • Continued FY2027 budget hearing and special assessments.

    • The council will hear objections to the Street Lighting District assessment ($30,049, no change) and the Street Maintenance District assessment ($382,016, a 5% increase), plus a permissive medical levy. Final budget adoption follows receipt of the certified taxable values.

    • Resolution 1975 to adopt mill levies on real and personal property within the city of Columbia Falls, totaling 140.64 mills.

      • Representing a decrease of $5.93 on a home valued at $100,000, $17.79 on a home valued at $300,000, and $92.81 on a home valued at $600,000

  • New business: council appointment.

    • Appointment of a new council member (Staci Bloomberg) to the open seat.

KALISPELL

• Kalispell City Council regular meeting, Monday, August 17, 2026 at 7:00 p.m., Kalispell City Hall (201 1st Ave E, Kalispell).

  • Adoption of the Fiscal Year 2027 budget.

    • The council is set to adopt a roughly $179 million budget, along with the property tax mill levy and multiple special-district assessments. This follows the final budget work session in July and the arrival of certified taxable values earlier this month.

      • Representing a decrease of $13.39 on a home valued at $100,000, $40.19 on a home valued at $300,000, and $167.75 on a home valued at $600,000

WHITEFISH

• Whitefish City Council work session, Monday, August 17, 2026 at 5:30 p.m., Whitefish City Hall (418 E Second St, Whitefish).

  • Mountain Climber annual update (5:30 p.m.).

  • Discussion on forming a Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) to coordinate transportation planning (6:15 p.m.).

• Whitefish City Council regular meeting, Monday, August 17, 2026 at 7:10 p.m., Whitefish City Hall (418 E Second St, Whitefish).

  • Public hearing on the final roughly $66 million FY2027 budget, tax levy, and assessments.

  • Resolutions adopting the 2026 Whitefish Water Master Plan and the 2026 Wastewater and Stormwater Master Plan.

• Whitefish Planning Commission work session (5:00 p.m.) and regular meeting (6:00 p.m.), Thursday, August 20, 2026, Whitefish City Hall (418 E Second St, Whitefish).

  • Public hearing: CPTA 26-01, city-initiated amendments to the Vision Whitefish 2045 Community Plan.

    • The amendments add a downtown scenic resource survey and character standards (including a step toward a future Central Avenue “Old Town” district), revise the place types map to match existing zoning, and add a plan implementation chapter. The work session is a staff and consultant overview of the same items.

LAST WEEK’S RECAP

Week of August 10-16, 2026

COLUMBIA FALLS

Columbia Falls Planning Commission regular meeting, Thursday, August 13, 2026, Columbia Falls City Hall (130 6th St W, Columbia Falls).

• No agenda was posted and no meeting materials appeared afterward, indicating the meeting was not held.

KALISPELL

Kalispell City Council work session, Monday, August 10, 2026 at 7:00 p.m., Kalispell City Hall (201 1st Ave E, Kalispell). (meeting video)

• The council reviewed two items, with no formal vote taken (work session). On a draft naming policy for city-owned parks, facilities, and public assets, prompted by the 2025 request to rename the Kidsports facility in recognition of Dan Johns, councilors were generally supportive and directed staff to bring the policy back for formal consideration. On the Westside Parking Management Zone near Flathead High School, staff presented an update on permits and enforcement history and the council discussed how enforcement should work going forward.

WHITEFISH

No Whitefish City Council or Planning Commission meetings were held last week.

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Your Weekly Flathead Valley Land Use Planning Brief

THIS WEEK’S TOP STORY

Flathead County Sees Highest In-migration Rates as Housing Prices Continue to Outpace Wage Gains

In Flathead County where the construction industry remains strong, job gains are flat and in-migration is the highest statewide, Kalispell homeowners are spending significantly more of their income on housing than the statewide median, according to the latest affordability metrics compiled by economists.

University of Montana’s Bureau of Business and Economic Research (BBER) Director Jeff Michael last week told a Kalispell Hilton Garden Inn and Suites audience at the mid-year economic update that Kalispell’s median household income to housing affordability ratio places the threshold at 67%. By comparison, the nationwide threshold is 43%.

“[We’re] looking at income related to what it takes to buy the median price home for the median household with a 10% down payment,” Michael said. “Thirty percent of your income is generally considered a threshold for a definition of affordability, and from 2009 till 2019 … median households all across the country nationally met this affordability threshold of 30%.”

But as a shortage of housing inventory combined with steady in-migration and the Flathead Valley’s high demand for real estate, that affordability threshold has since shot up dramatically as home prices outpace wage gains.

“We’ve had the most acute affordability problems out here in the western part of Montana where we’ve seen the biggest increase in costs relative to local income,” Michael said.

IN THE NEWS

Kalispell City Council Approves First Pay Raise in 30 Years

Families move into new Habitat for Humanity townhomes; applications being taken for others

Guest opinion: Not solved yet - What the data says about Whitefish rentals

Whitefish City Council to Consider Picking Up Carryover Mills in Final FY27 Budget

Developer withdraws $16.9 million funding request for Kalispell Center Mall redevelopment project

Whitefish Council Directs City Staff to Continue Work With Iron Horse for Second Fire Station North of Viaduct

Flathead County Library Launches Capital Campaign Feasibility Study

Bigfork Fire Department breaks ground on new station

Medicaid Work Rule Leaves Homeless Montanans in the Cold

Flathead County to Lift Evacuation Order for Displaced Residents in Good Creek and Alder Creek

THIS WEEK IN MEETINGS

Week of August 10, 2026

COLUMBIA FALLS

• Columbia Falls Planning Commission regular meeting, Thursday, August 13, 2026 at 6:00 p.m., Columbia Falls City Hall (130 6th St W, Columbia Falls).

  • The agenda has not been posted yet. It will be posted here.

KALISPELL

• Kalispell City Council work session, Monday, August 10, 2026 at 7:00 p.m., Kalispell City Hall (201 1st Ave E, Kalispell).

  • Naming policy for city-owned parks, facilities, and public assets.

    •  The council will review a draft policy for naming and renaming city assets, prompted by a 2025 request to rename the Kidsports facility in recognition of Dan Johns. The draft prioritizes geographic and historical names, sets criteria for recognizing individuals and organizations, provides for public input, and requires final council approval.

  • Westside Parking Management Zone update.

    • The council will discuss the parking zone near Flathead High School, created by Ordinance 1759 in 2015 to manage curbside parking where demand outstrips available space. Residents receive two free permits and can buy guest passes, while students and staff must purchase permits. Staff are asking for direction; no fiscal impact is anticipated.

WHITEFISH

• No Whitefish City Council or Planning Commission meetings are scheduled this week.

LAST WEEK’S RECAP

Week of August 4-9, 2026

COLUMBIA FALLS

Columbia Falls City Council regular meeting, Monday, August 3, 2026 at 7 p.m. (Finance Committee at 6:30 p.m.), Columbia Falls City Hall (130 6th St W, Columbia Falls). (meeting video)

• The council heard an update on the Mountain Climber public transit service from Executive Director Elizabeth Wood. The service runs in Columbia Falls five days a week with one driver and provided 3,868 rides in the city last year, part of about 61,000 across the three cities. Columbia Falls contributes $5,200 a year, Kalispell $15,000, and Whitefish about $8,600. Wood said a commuter route connecting the three cities remains a priority but isn't feasible now, mostly due to funding, with the county commissioners looking for more buy-in from the cities. No vote was taken.

• The council continued its preliminary FY 2026-2027 budget hearing after the state's certified taxable values arrived earlier that day. The discussion was informational, with no final vote; the city manager said final adoption is set for the first council meeting in September. Staff recommended no change to the Street Lighting District assessment and keeping the previously programmed 5% increase for the Street Maintenance District, both to be set by resolution at the end of the budget season. Staff also reported that Columbia Falls' wastewater treatment project retained 75% of its requested funding in the U.S. House's agricultural appropriations bill, the only Flathead County project to advance, and now awaits the Senate.

KALISPELL

Kalispell City Council regular meeting, Monday, August 3, 2026 at 7 p.m., Kalispell City Hall (201 1st Ave E, Kalispell). (meeting video)

• The council approved the annexation, initial zoning (Resolution 6337) and Planned Unit Development (Ordinance 1954, first reading) for Habitat for Humanity’s Birchwood project, a 95-home mixed-income, ownership-only development on a 21-acre parcel between Northland Drive and the U.S. Highway 93 Alternative. Several residents supported the housing but raised concerns about traffic and limited sidewalks; city staff said the plan is “well over the required access” for fire and EMS.

• The council approved the mayor and council salary resolution (Resolution 6339), the first adjustment since 1997, amended to phase the increase over two fiscal years with a 3% annual cap tied to the Consumer Price Index. Amendments from Councilors Sid Daoud and Sam Nunnally to sidestep the increase both failed.

WHITEFISH

Whitefish City Council work session and regular meeting, Monday, August 3, 2026, Whitefish City Hall (418 E Second St, Whitefish). (meeting video)

• The council gave staff direction to keep pursuing a second city fire station north of the Baker Avenue viaduct, continuing its July work session. Members supported developing an agreement with the Iron Horse HOA and golf club, which would donate the land and help raise money for the building, hiring nine new firefighters to hold a seven-person daily minimum across both stations, and covering the roughly $1.5 to $1.65 million a year in operating costs through a future voted levy, likely folded into a broader emergency-services levy. No formal vote was taken. Councilors Steve Qunell and Ben Davis pressed on the cost and on getting Flathead County, whose residents the station would also serve, to help pay for it; staff said the earliest a levy could reach voters is fall 2027.

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Flathead Valley Land Use Planning Brief

Here’s your weekly primer for land use across the Flathead Valley.

The Kalispell City Council votes Monday night on annexation and zoning for Habitat for Humanity’s Birchwood subdivision, 95 homes in north Kalispell.

Keep reading below for a recap of what happened last week and to find out what’s happening this week.

THIS WEEK’S TOP STORY

Kalispell forum fleshes out the economics behind data centers

Only 10% of the capital used to construct a 500-megawatt data center in rural Montana would go toward local companies, according to a scenario modeled by the University of Montana’s Bureau of Business and Economic Research.

Most of the $20 billion required to jumpstart the campus would go toward buying computers, which are often imported from abroad. The true influx of cash to local communities would arrive after the campus started paying taxes.

Cooling systems for the massive computer banks can consume relatively large amounts of water. Backup generators and other equipment used in daily operations are often loud, raising anxieties about the potential for noise pollution in nearby communities. 

The Broadview data center alone would more than double the daily energy supply needs of NorthWestern Energy, according to complaint filed with the Montana Public Service Commission in November 2025. The nine groups behind the complaint argued that existing utility customers would likely foot the bill for transmission and generation upgrades made to meet the electrical needs of large data centers. 

The data center boom hasn’t hit Northwest Montana in the same way it has the rest of the state, and Community Relations Manager for Flathead Electric Cooperative Katie Pfennigs said the Flathead Valley isn’t likely to host a campus anytime soon.

“Here locally, really we haven’t seen a lot of these large new loads come onto our system, I think for a number of reasons,” she said in a June episode of Discover Kalispell’s podcast “Venture Boldly.” “Property costs are very high here in the Flathead, we all know that, and, at this point, the transmission system coming into our valley is getting more and more constrained, and so to think about bringing on a very, very large new load is probably just not feasible at this time.”

IN THE NEWS

Regional Wildfire Resource Strain a Concern Heading into Peak Wildfire Season in Montana

Flathead County’s Short-term Rentals Generated $207 Million in Revenue Last Year

Foundation takes over lease at Bigfork’s Sliter Park

Kalispell City Council considers doubling salaries after decades without a raise

Columbia Falls City Council Selects Candidate to Fill Councilor Vacancy

[Columbia Falls] City resort tax collection slightly less than last year

[Columbia Falls] Bloomberg chosen to fill open council seat

Whitefish City Council looks at ways to trim draft budget

[Whitefish] Council OKs new, decreased impact fees

Whitefish explores options for a second fire station

Forever chemicals in Whitefish water supply below level that requires treatment, city officials say

Intersection improvements signaled

Inaugural Big Mountain resort tax funds distributed

Glacier Park Airport Returns to Full Operations Following Runway Rehabilitation

‘We Just See More and More People’: Flathead Food Banks Say Demand Steady as SNAP Benefits Taper and Prices Rise

North Valley Food Bank sees growing need

Evacuations ordered for residents near Skillet Fire

THIS WEEK IN MEETINGS

Week of August 3, 2026

COLUMBIA FALLS

• Columbia Falls City Council regular meeting, Monday, August 3, 2026 at 7 p.m. (Finance Committee at 6:30 p.m.), Columbia Falls City Hall (130 6th St W, Columbia Falls).

  • Presentation on the Mountain Climber public transportation service by Executive Director Elizabeth Wood.

    • The Mountain Climber is the county’s public transit service, connecting Columbia Falls, Kalispell, and Whitefish. Wood has been asking the valley’s cities for more support as ridership pushes past capacity. The service provided nearly 61,000 rides last fiscal year, and Columbia Falls, Kalispell, and Whitefish each contribute $15,000 a year.

  • Public hearings: presentation of the preliminary FY 2026-2027 budget (continued until final adoption after the certified taxable valuation arrives in August); final adoption of the FY 2026-2027 Street Lighting District and Street Maintenance District assessments; and a proposed permissive medical levy.

KALISPELL

• Kalispell City Council regular meeting, Monday, August 3, 2026 at 7 p.m., Kalispell City Hall (201 1st Ave E, Kalispell).

  • Birchwood Development: Resolution 6337 (annexation and initial zoning) and Ordinance 1954, first reading (planned unit development).

    • This is Habitat for Humanity’s Birchwood project. Habitat owns the site and will build 32 of the cottage-style homes itself; the rest will be built by Iron Star Construction, Westcraft Homes, and Kalispell Student Built Homes. Prices are set from $350,000 to $800,000 to support a mixed-income neighborhood, with the homes restricted to long-term ownership and managed by a homeowners association. The Planning Commission backed the proposal last month.

  • Resolution 6339, mayor and council salary adjustment: the mayor’s pay would rise from about $9,000 to $18,664 and councilors’ from about $5,000 to $10,369, the first change since 1997, with future adjustments tied to the Consumer Price Index.

WHITEFISH

• Whitefish City Council work session, Monday, August 3, 2026 at 5:30 p.m., Whitefish City Hall (418 E Second St, Whitefish).

  • FY 2027 budget updates, including the certified taxable value (released by the state today) and changes since the preliminary budget. Staff have flagged that trimming total property tax revenue to a 9.93% increase would mean cutting an estimated $632,346, roughly 5.592 mills.

• Whitefish City Council regular meeting, Monday, August 3, 2026 at 7:10 p.m., Whitefish City Hall (418 E Second St, Whitefish).

  • A resolution establishing annual goals for the city.

LAST WEEK’S RECAP

Week of July 27 - August 2, 2026

COLUMBIA FALLS

• Columbia Falls City Council special session, Monday, July 27, 2026, Columbia Falls City Hall (130 6th St W, Columbia Falls). (meeting video)

  • The council interviewed the four finalists for its vacant seat and appointed Staci Bloomberg to fill it.

KALISPELL

• Kalispell City Council work session, Monday, July 27, 2026 at 7 p.m., Kalispell City Hall (201 1st Ave E, Kalispell). (meeting video)

  • The council reviewed the 90% draft Parks and Recreation Master Plan, which leads with "maintain what we have" and lays out master plans for Woodland and Lawrence parks, an aquatics facility, and Parkline Trail redevelopment.

  • Councilors praised the vision but said it lacks an actionable capital plan, and asked staff for a prioritized project list with timelines and costs, like the city's water and sewer plans, along with whether a parks bond should go to voters. No vote is taken at a work session.

WHITEFISH

• No Whitefish City Council or planning commission meetings were held last week.

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Your Weekly Flathead Valley Land Use Planning Brief

Here’s your weekly primer for land use across the Flathead Valley.

The Columbia Falls City Council will interview four finalists on Monday to fill the seat left vacant by Christopher Semok’s resignation, with an appointment due by Aug. 3.

Keep reading below for a recap of what happened last week and to find out what’s happening this week.

THIS WEEK’S TOP STORY

Experts Say Flathead Valley is Settling into a ‘Balanced and Healthy’ Real Estate Market

A word of caution before you read this one. “Balanced and healthy” is the realtors’ verdict, and if you’re actually trying to buy a home here, it may not match what you’re living. A market can be balanced for sellers and busy for agents while the median price sits at $640,000 and almost nothing is listed under $400,000. That may not be “healthy” for the teachers, tradespeople, and service workers our towns depend on. Read their case below and judge for yourself.

Despite high mortgage rates and expensive home prices, the Flathead Valley’s real estate market is stronger than last year as the volume of inventory rises and homes spend fewer days on the market.

“Negotiations are holding consistently and sellers don’t have to drop their prices much — it’s still a balanced and healthy market,” said Aaron Noel, a realtor with Brody Broker in Kalispell. “Because there is more inventory, it puts sellers in a position that if they want to make sure it sells, they might have to do something to stand out.”

With 210 closed sales this June compared to 175 during the same month in 2025, the housing market is strong across the Flathead Valley compared to a year ago with significantly fewer days on the market, according to Montana MLS data.

At a median sales price of $640,000 in Flathead County, Noel said the low volume of inventory under $400,000 is keeping many prospective homebuyers from entering the market.

New developments are also helping boost the Flathead Valley’s inventory. Last year in Kalispell, building permits were issued for 114 single-family units and townhomes and 406 multi-family units, totaling 520 permits, according to the 2025 Construction, Subdivision and Annexation report compiled by city officials.

So, do you agree? If you or your neighbors are hunting for a home you can actually afford, does “balanced and healthy” describe the market you’re seeing? Reply and tell me. What the data won’t show is whether the people who keep this valley running can still find a place to live in it.

IN THE NEWS

Habitat Flathead breaks ground for two townhomes with more on horizon

Creston School Enrolling Students for Seventh and Eighth Grades

New parks master plan focuses on upkeep of existing amenities in Kalispell

New study finds short-term rentals contribute $755M to Montana economy

Montana is at a crossroads between preserving agriculture and managing growth

Samaritan House Temporarily Pauses Emergency Shelter Intakes

Columbia Falls City Council Narrows Large Candidate Pool to Fill Councilor Vacancy

Columbia Falls City Council OKs pay hikes for city staff, management

Kalispell Adopts Updated Plans for City Water, Wastewater, and Stormwater Facilities

Whitefish City Council Hears Funding Pitch for Second Fire Station North of Viaduct

Whitefish grapples with E-bike regulations

Planning Commission approves final variance requests

City of Whitefish Releases Draft of 2026 Community Wildfire Protection Plan

City pool needs new liner and other big ticket city budget items

In long term, city considering moving library out of city hall

Glacier Park International Airport runway rehabilitation reaches third milestone

West of Whitefish U.S. 93 work continues with Spencer Hill, Lion Mountain entry impacts

Glacier Park Logan Pass shuttle system off to a good start, superintendent says

THIS WEEK IN MEETINGS

Week of July 27, 2026

COLUMBIA FALLS

• Columbia Falls City Council special session, Monday, July 27, 2026 at 7 p.m., Columbia Falls City Hall (130 6th St W, Columbia Falls).

  • Interviews with the four finalists for the vacant council seat: Staci Bloomberg, Roger Hopkins, Elizabeth McBride, and Kaitlyn Seemiller.

    • Each applicant gets a roughly 15-minute interview, followed by council discussion. The council must name a replacement by its Aug. 3 regular meeting.

KALISPELL

• Kalispell City Council work session, Monday, July 27, 2026 at 7 p.m., Kalispell City Hall (201 1st Ave E, Kalispell).

  • Parks and Recreation Master Plan 90% progress update.

    • Work session item, discussion only. No votes are taken at work sessions.

WHITEFISH

No Whitefish City Council or planning commission meetings are scheduled this week. No planning commission meetings are scheduled in Columbia Falls or Kalispell this week.

LAST WEEK’S RECAP

Week of July 20-26, 2026

COLUMBIA FALLS

• Columbia Falls City Council regular meeting, Monday, July 20, 2026 at 7 p.m. (Finance Committee at 6:30 p.m.), Columbia Falls City Hall (130 6th St W, Columbia Falls). (meeting video)

  • Narrowed the field of 12 applicants for the vacant council seat down to four finalists — Staci Bloomberg, Roger Hopkins, Elizabeth McBride, and Kaitlyn Seemiller — advancing them to interviews at the July 27 special session. An appointment is due by Aug. 3.

  • Also on the agenda: Resolution 1972 (comprehensive city fee schedule), the FY27 Capital Improvement Plan and Urban Renewal District Plan, the continued FY2027 preliminary budget hearing with special-assessment adoptions, and a council letter to the Montana DEQ on the CFAC Superfund site.

KALISPELL

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

  • Unanimously adopted three facility plans — Resolutions 6333, 6334, and 6335 — for the city water system, wastewater collection system, and advanced wastewater treatment plant, and integrated all three plus the 2025 stormwater facility plan (Resolution 6336) into the city’s MLUPA-compliant land use plan. The plans group more than $300 million in capital projects over the next 20 years and identify needs without committing funding.

  • Ordinance 1952 (downtown parking updates, including the “rolling rule” for two-hour zones) was up for second reading. It passed unanimously.

  • Community report from the Mountain Climber transit service.

WHITEFISH

• Whitefish City Council work session, Monday, July 20, 2026 at 5:15 p.m., Whitefish City Hall (418 E Second St, Whitefish). (no meeting video available)

  • Heard a first proposal from city staff, the Iron Horse Golf Club, and the Iron Horse HOA to build a second city-owned fire station north of the Baker Avenue viaduct, funded through a land donation, an HOA-led capital campaign, and city funding for staffing. No vote was taken; the council will continue the discussion at its Aug. 3 regular meeting.

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

  • Ordinance reducing the city’s water and wastewater impact fees. Passed unanimously.

  • Release of a deed restriction on a Trailview Way home and a letter to the County Commissioners on the Whitefish Fire Service Area assessment. Both passed unanimously.

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Your Weekly Flathead Valley Land Use Planning Brief

THIS WEEK’S TOP STORY

Here’s your weekly primer for land use across the Flathead Valley.

Bigfork residents are grappling with fast-moving development and no local government of their own, raising the question of whether the unincorporated community should incorporate to gain more control over land use decisions made at the county level.

Keep reading below for a recap of what happened last week and to find out what’s happening this week.

THIS WEEK’S TOP STORY

As Development Threatens Bigfork’s Character, Residents Grapple with Lack of Local Control

As an unincorporated community straddling two counties with no municipal government, Bigfork is heavily reliant on volunteers who dedicate their time to ensure events like the Festival of the Arts and the Christmas parade happen. Projects like repairing the Bigfork Bridge and opening the newest branch of the Flathead County Library were expedited because of the residents’ passion and support.

But while most locals agree the community is high functioning without a city council or its own roads or police departments, some have grown concerned that consequential decisions are breezing through Flathead County boards.

In the community of roughly 5,500 people covering 37 square miles northeast of Flathead Lake, where the median housing price hovers around $800,000, some locals feel underrepresented at the county level.

Bigfork Chamber of Commerce President Rebekah King said that although wait times for Flathead County Sheriff’s Office response times can be slow and Bigfork’s county roads aren’t prioritized, most of the people who live there are primarily concerned about land use.

IN THE NEWS

Kalispell Planning Commission backs Habitat Flathead’s mixed-income housing development

Whitefish considers reducing development for some impact fees

[Whitefish] City Council preview for July 20, 2026

Flathead County workshops lakeshore regs

Kalispell is Montana’s fastest-growing city, census estimates show

Kalispell Council to consider long-range facility plan updates for water, wastewater systems

Kalispell council eyes higher tax levy to address growing infrastructure needs

Kalispell City Council set for final review of proposed $189 million budget

Bio Station Finds Forever Chemicals and Pharmaceuticals in Flathead Lake Watershed

Boaters Describe Best-Case Scenario to Swan River in a Potential Post-Bigfork Dam Future

Whitefish Lake still free from AIS

[Columbia Falls] The question of self-governing powers will go to a vote

Columbia Falls City Council has opening after Semok’s resignation

[Columbia Falls] City Council OKs pay hikes for city staff, management

Woodland Avenue intersection to close for roundabout construction

Glacier airport runway project nears halfway mark, remains on schedule

Flathead County library tries out new 24-hour checkout system in Evergreen

THIS WEEK IN MEETINGS

Week of July 20, 2026

COLUMBIA FALLS

• Columbia Falls City Council regular meeting, Monday, July 20, 2026 at 7 p.m. (Finance Committee at 6:30 p.m.), Council Chambers, Columbia Falls City Hall (130 6th St W, Columbia Falls).

  • Review of letters of interest to fill the council seat left vacant by Christopher Semok’s resignation.

    • Letters were due July 20; an appointment is expected by the Aug. 3 meeting.

  • Resolution No. 1972, establishing a comprehensive city fee schedule, including city planning fees.

  •  Approval of the FY27 Capital Improvement Plan and Urban Renewal District Plan.

  • Continued public hearing on the preliminary FY2027 budget, along with proposed special-assessment adoptions for the Street Lighting District ($30,049, no change) and the Street Maintenance District ($382,016, a 5% increase), and a permissive medical levy.

  • A letter from the mayor and council to the Montana Department of Environmental Quality concerning CFAC, the former Columbia Falls Aluminum Co. Superfund site.

KALISPELL

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

  • Resolutions 6333, 6334, and 6335: adoption of the updated Water System, Wastewater Collection System, and Advanced Wastewater Treatment Plant facility plans.

    • The three plans group more than $300 million in capital projects over the next 20 years into near-, mid-, and long-term categories, with the near-term horizon assuming a city population of 51,000 by 2044. The council held a work session in June and a July public hearing that drew no public comment.

  • Resolution 6336: incorporating the 2025 Stormwater Facility Plan into the Kalispell Land Use Plan.

  • Ordinance 1952, second reading: downtown parking updates, including a “rolling rule” requiring vehicles in two-hour zones to move at least 600 feet once their time limit is up and removing a 30-minute spot south of the public safety building.

  • Community report from the Mountain Climber transit service (Director Elizabeth Wood).

WHITEFISH

• Whitefish City Council work session, Monday, July 20, 2026 at 5:15 p.m., Whitefish City Hall (418 E Second St, Whitefish).

  • Discussion of a potential second city-owned fire station north of the Baker Avenue viaduct, with the Iron Horse HOA.

  • The annual mayor and city council goal-setting session follows at 6:15 p.m.

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

  • Ordinance reducing the city’s water and wastewater impact fees.

    • Based on a TischlerBise study, a development requiring a three-quarter-inch meter would see the water impact fee cut by $843 and the wastewater impact fee cut by $2,682.

  • GMJ, LLC five-lot minor preliminary plat at 100 and 102 Murray Avenue.

    • The plat includes three single-family lots and two duplex lots and requests three subdivision variances (a T-turnaround in place of a cul-de-sac, a shared-access design, and a private driveway serving up to seven dwellings).

  • Consideration of releasing the deed restriction on a Trailview Way home, and a letter to the County Commissioners regarding the Whitefish Fire Service Area assessment.

    No planning commission meetings are scheduled in Columbia Falls, Kalispell, or Whitefish this week.

LAST WEEK’S RECAP

Week of July 13-19, 2026

COLUMBIA FALLS

• Columbia Falls City Council preliminary budget workshop, Monday, July 13, 2026 at 6 p.m., Columbia Falls City Hall (130 6th St W, Columbia Falls). (meeting video)

  • Continued the preliminary FY2027 budget process (General Fund and Resort Tax priorities, General Fund details, and the Capital Improvement Plan and Urban Renewal District workshop). Budget workshops are discussion only, with a final budget adopted after the city receives its certified taxable valuation in August.

KALISPELL

• Kalispell City Council work session, Monday, July 13, 2026 at 7 p.m., Kalispell City Hall (201 1st Ave E, Kalispell). (meeting video)

  • Reviewed the proposed $189 million FY2027 budget ahead of adoption. Discussion only, no formal vote. Council directed roughly $6.8 million from the public safety levy toward new Fire equipment and vehicles and toward continued funding for the 11 police officers and 12 firefighters hired in FY2025. Final budget adoption is set for Aug. 17.

• Kalispell Planning Commission regular meeting, Tuesday, July 14, 2026 at 6 p.m., Kalispell City Hall (201 1st Ave E, Kalispell). (meeting video)

  • KPUD-26-01 & KA-26-02 Birchwood: recommended approval of Habitat for Humanity of Flathead Valley’s request to annex about 21.32 acres, apply R-3 (Residential) zoning, and approve a Planned Unit Development overlay for a 95-home neighborhood of detached homes, cottages, and townhomes east of the U.S. Highway 93 Alternate (the Kalispell Bypass). The commission heard both neighbor concerns about traffic and support from builders and affordable-housing advocates.

    • The request now goes to the City Council for a decision on annexation and zoning.

WHITEFISH

• Whitefish Planning Commission regular meeting, Thursday, July 16, 2026 at 6 p.m., Whitefish City Council Chambers, Whitefish City Hall (418 E Second St, Whitefish). (meeting video)

  • Two variance requests were considered by the Planning Commission.

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Your Weekly Flathead Valley Land Use Planning Brief

Here’s your weekly primer for land use across the Flathead Valley.

The Kalispell Planning Commission is holding a public hearing Tuesday on Habitat for Humanity of Flathead Valley’s request to annex and zone about 21 acres along the Kalispell Bypass for a 95-home development of detached single-family homes, cottages, and townhomes.

Keep reading below for a recap of what happened last week and to find out what’s happening this week.

THIS WEEK’S TOP STORY

Columbia Falls Aluminum Co. Agrees to $57.6 Million Cleanup Plan at Superfund Site

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on Tuesday announced that Columbia Falls Aluminum Co., LLC (CFAC) officially agreed to the roughly $57.6 million price tag attached to the Superfund cleanup plan at its former site north of the Flathead River.

In the consent decree finalized with the responsible parties — Glencore and the Atlantic Richfield Co. (ARCO), a subsidiary of the oil and gas behemoth BP America — CFAC agreed to pay past response costs and implement the multi-million-dollar cleanup actions at the site.

The announcement of the consent decree “marks a major step forward in the Superfund cleanup process at the site, ushering in the next stages of implementation and environmental protection,” the agency said in its Tuesday press release about the agreement. It also marks the start of a month-long public comment process for the consent decree, which can be viewed here. The public comment period will end Aug. 6.

Contention during the remediation investigation process also arose when Glencore sold roughly 2,000 acres of the former CFAC property to local developer Mick Ruis for residential and commercial use. Glencore retained ownership of a 211-acre parcel containing the highest concentration of contaminants, including the landfill where the underground slurry wall is to be built.

Last month, the Columbia Falls city council approved Ruis’ 421-unit residential development proposal for about 80-acres along Aluminum Drive. The largest subdivision ever approved by the city drew a myriad of complaints from the community and some councilors, namely the health and safety concerns associated with developing on land adjacent to an active Superfund site. Several residents called on councilors to at least delay a decision on the development until remediation was complete, but the city ultimately followed the direction of the EPA, which cleared the parcel in its Record of Decision.

IN THE NEWS

• Airport ordinance tabled by Flathead County Planning Board for further public input

• Columbia Falls to Seek Voter-Approval on Form of Government Adjustment This November

• Columbia Falls Looking to Fill City Council Vacancy Following Resignation

• Missoula County Adopts Temporary Moratorium on Data Centers

• City of Kalispell Introduces New Parking Rules

• Neighbors offer feedback on future Kalispell fire station

• Flathead Electric Cooperative tackling major infrastructure projects

• Crews complete first phase of Glacier airport runway project

• [Flathead Valley] Road striping on tap

• After flooding, Glacier getting back to normal, Highline, Ptarmigan Tunnel trails open

• ‘Invested in Whitefish’: Longtime Whitefish Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Retires

• Longtime Columbia Falls city clerk retires

• Flathead Rivers Alliance Continues Public Outreach and Conservation for Future Generations

THIS WEEK IN MEETINGS

Week of July 13, 2026

COLUMBIA FALLS

• Columbia Falls City Council preliminary budget workshop, Monday, July 13, 2026 at 6 p.m., Council Chambers, Columbia Falls City Hall (130 6th St W, Columbia Falls).

  • General Fund and Resort Tax Expenditure Budget Priorities

  • General Fund Expenditure Budget Details

  • Capital Improvement Plan and Urban Renewal District Board Workshop

    • The workshop continues the preliminary fiscal year 2027 budget process that opened with the July 6 public hearing. The council adopts a final budget after the city receives its certified taxable valuation in August.

KALISPELL

• Kalispell City Council work session, Monday, July 13, 2026 at 7 p.m., Kalispell City Hall (201 1st Ave E, Kalispell).

  • FY 2027 Preliminary Budget Discussion

• Kalispell Planning Commission regular meeting, Tuesday, July 14, 2026 at 6 p.m., Kalispell City Hall (201 1st Ave E, Kalispell).

  • KPUD-26-01 & KA-26-02 Birchwood. Public hearing on a request by Habitat for Humanity of Flathead Valley for annexation, initial zoning of R-3 (Residential), and approval of a Planned Unit Development overlay for approximately 21.32 acres east of U.S. Highway 93 Alternate (the Kalispell Bypass) and south of Four Mile Drive.

    • The proposal includes 95 homes: detached single-family homes, cottages, and townhomes. The land was previously owned by the Montana Department of Transportation and is designated Urban Residential on the city’s PLAN-IT 2045 land use map.

    • The application is being reviewed under the Montana Land Use Planning Act (MLUPA). If these requests are approved, subdivision review, engineering plans, public infrastructure improvements, and final plat approval follow through separate review processes.

    • The Planning Commission held a work session on the proposal June 9.

WHITEFISH

• Whitefish Planning Commission regular meeting, Thursday, July 16, 2026 at 6 p.m., Whitefish City Council Chambers, Whitefish City Hall (418 E Second St, Whitefish).

  • WZV 26-11. A request by Mike Lockwood for a variance to a side yard setback requirement for a home to be constructed at 109 Miles Avenue. The property is zoned WB-3, General Business District.

  • WZV 26-10. A request by John Brueggeman for a variance to extend an existing non-conforming second story deck into the required side yard setback and the setback from the Lakeshore Protection Zone at 840 Birch Point Drive. The property is zoned WR-2 (Two-family Residential).

LAST WEEK’S RECAP

Week of July 6-12, 2026

COLUMBIA FALLS

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

  •  Opened the public hearing on the preliminary fiscal year 2027 budget. The hearing continues at subsequent meetings, including Monday’s budget workshop, until the council adopts a final budget after receiving the certified taxable valuation in August.

  •  Unanimously finalized the Local Government Study Commission’s recommendation to change the city’s plan of government, placing a question on the Nov. 3 ballot asking voters whether the city should move from general-governing powers to self-governing powers.

  • The city is accepting letters of interest through July 20 to fill the council seat left vacant by Christopher Semok’s resignation, with an appointment expected by the Aug. 3 meeting.

KALISPELL

• Kalispell City Council regular meeting, Monday, July 6, 2026 at 7 p.m., Kalispell City Hall (201 1st Ave E, Kalispell). (meeting video)

  • Held the public hearing on adoption of the updated 2026 Water System, Wastewater Collection System, and Advanced Wastewater Treatment Plant (AWWTP) Facility Plans, which together identify more than $300 million in capital projects over the next 20 years.

  • Appointments to the new Housing Study Advisory Committee were on the agenda.

    • Erica Wirtala, the public affairs director for the Northwest Montana Association of REALTORS

    • Dina Rose, a retiree with a PhD in sociology and experience creating studies around homelessness and crime

    • Mike Smith, market president at Glacier Bank

    • Cassidy Kipp, executive director at Samaritan House

    • Jill Davis, a property manager with housing instability experience

    • Sean Patrick O’Neill, resource manager at the Flathead Warming Center

    • Kim Morisaki, executive director of the Northwest Montana Community Land Trust

  • Approved a package of downtown parking changes: fines in two-hour zones rise from $10 to $20 for a first offense, $40 for a second, and $60 for a third within a year; safety-related fines go from $10 to $50; the boot fine goes from $35 to $100; a new $30 monthly permit covers all city lots; and a new “rolling rule” requires vehicles to move at least 600 feet from their previous spot to avoid a citation in two-hour spaces. Councilors postponed converting the Valley Bank Lot to public two-hour parking after public comment from Glacier Bank.

WHITEFISH

• Whitefish City Council work session, Monday, July 6, 2026 at 6:00 p.m., Whitefish City Hall (418 E Second St, Whitefish).

  • Heard the Whitefish Lake Institute’s aquatic invasive species report and other water quality project updates. Discussion only, no formal vote (work session).

• Whitefish City Council regular meeting, Monday, July 6, 2026 at 7:10 p.m., Whitefish City Hall (418 E Second St, Whitefish).

  • CANCELLED due to lack of a quorum

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