Plans stirring again at Spring Prairie Center

A developer is taking steps once again to complete the Spring Prairie Center shopping complex on Kalispell’s north side.

Goldberg Properties Inc. of Denver has requested preliminary plat approval for the third phase of Spring Prairie Center. The request will be considered by the Kalispell Planning Board at 7 p.m. Tuesday at Kalispell City Hall.

Manager Mark Goldberg said the request is “more procedural than anything else.” The 22-acre site is north of Lowe’s and west of U.S. 93.

Four anchor businesses tentatively are planned for the site, although Goldberg declined to announce who those tenants will be. “We’re working on some businesses,” he said.

There are 10 building sites available that previously had preliminary plat approval, Kalispell Planning Director Tom Jentz said. That approval expired in 2009. Obtaining a new approval would allow the developer to market the project once again, Jentz said.

The third phase consists of land north of Lowe’s in a corner bounded by U.S. 93 to the east and West Reserve Drive to the north. The Spring Prairie project also includes Costco. That project was started in 2003, Jentz said.

Goldberg already has done some work on the site of the third phase, including installation of water and sewer mains. Additional work to be done includes installation of sidewalks and storm drains and continuation of a trail along U.S. 93.

Kohl’s had planned to build a retail store north of Lowe’s and site preparation work was done, but the company scrapped plans in March 2009 to focus on more promising markets as the economy nationwide was hit hard by the recession.

The Kohl’s corporation had been circumspect about the Kalispell project all along. Negotiations for the Kalispell store began in 2005, and even in 2008 when it appeared all systems were go for the Kalispell project, a company spokeswoman denied any plans to open a Kalispell store. Kohl’s is one of the nation’s biggest retailers.

PetSmart was one of the other anchor stores proposed before the initial proposal by Goldberg was shelved in 2009.

The preliminary plat approval for the newest phase of Spring Prairie will be good for three years, with the possibility of a one-year extension.

Other items on the Planning Board’s agenda include:

• A request by Digital Skylines Inc. for a conditional-use permit to install a cellular tower for Verizon Wireless at 139 Kelly Road.

• A proposal to amend the Kalispell Growth Policy by approving an annexation map and policy.

A work session will follow the meeting. The work session will focus on an update of the city’s subdivision regulations, which haven’t been updated since 1993.

These are “the regulations of how you develop land,” Jentz said. “We’ve gone through the boom and the bust. It’s a good time to review what worked and didn’t work. When the economy turns, we want to be ready.”

At the Jan. 3 City Council meeting, council member Jeff Zauner said he would like irrigation sleeves to be installed under sidewalks. This would provide easy access for irrigators.

City Manager Jane Howington said this could be required under the city’s subdivision regulations. This is just one example of something that could be changed in the updated regulations.

Reporter Caleb Soptelean may be reached at 758-4483 or by e-mail at csoptelean@dailyinterlake.com.