Community Development

The Community and Economic Development Department works with non-profit and for-profit developers and financial institutions to create affordable housing, economic development and job creation within the City of Kalispell. Some of the financial development tools the Department is able to access for public/private sector development are:

  • Economic Development Grants for the creation of well-paid jobs.
  • Federal and State grant funding sources for public facilities and affordable housing projects.
  • Special Improvement Districts
  • Tax Increment Financing (TIF) generated through fiveUrban Renewal Districts, providing: City-made low-interest loans and/or grants for on-site infrastructure needs, landscaping, parking, and decorative street lighting; and public construction of off-site infrastructure needs when it benefits the community at large.
  • Brownfields Resources
  • Revolving Loan Funds for small business needs. 

Request for Public Comment

The City of Kalispell is proposing the Glacier Rail Park and Kalispell Trail Project. The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) is providing partial funding for construction of the Project through a grant under the Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) program. In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and FRA’s NEPA procedures, the City and FRA have prepared a Supplemental Environmental Assessment (SEA) to evaluate potential impacts of proposed changes to the Project, specifically the trail portion, on the human and natural environment since the original EA was approved by FRA in 2017.

The SEA is being made available for a 30-day public review and comment period that will begin October 21, 2019 and end November 19, 2019 at 5:00 p.m. The SEA is available online on the City’s website at https://www.kalispell.com/164/Community-Development and FRA’s website at https://www.fra.dot.gov/Page/P1038. The SEA is also available for viewing in hardcopy at Kalispell City Hall, 201 First Avenue East, Kalispell, Montana 59901 (request at Water Department Desk) or ImagineIF Libraries Kalispell, 247 First Avenue East, Kalispell, Montana 59901 (request at Reference Department).

Interested persons may submit comments on the SEA to the City of Kalispell via U.S. Mail to Katharine King, City of Kalispell Community and Economic Development Department, 201 First Avenue East, Kalispell, Montana 59901 or via e-mail to kking@kalispell.com. Please call (406) 758-7713 for information or assistance.

FRA and the City will consider comments received during the public comment period before FRA makes a final NEPA decision.


Supplemental Environmental Assessment

  1. 2019 Supplemental Environmental Assessment for the Glacier Rail Park/Kalispell Core Area Development and Trail Project
  2. 2017 Environmental Assessment for the Glacier Rail Park / Kalispell Core Area Development and Trail Project
  3. Fall 2019 Core & Rail Redevelopment Project Newsletter

Kalispell Trail 

  1. Kalispell Trail & Complete Street 30% Design Submittal Draft
  2. 2019 City of Kalispell Trail & Complete Streets Concept Design Report
  3. 2018 Preliminary Kalispell Trail Designs & Renderings

Retail Business Opportunities and Absorption Analysis

  1. Retail Business Opportunities and Absorption Analysis for Kalispell

City Business License

The city of Kalispell does not have a city business license program. You will need to follow all zoning requirements and state statutes and requirements.