There is something that I’ve been hearing people say recently. You’ve probably heard it too: “One day, Whitefish and Kalispell will both sprawl so much that they will become one city.” It’s a fear many have had for a long time. But it doesn’t have to be that way.
First, there are public lands and rich agricultural zones between Whitefish and Kalispell. If we work to preserve them, then subdivision sprawl can’t carve into that space. This is why we must work to protect our public lands from privatization and support family farms, dairies, and ag businesses to stay in operation with fair access to the market.
Second, we need state leaders who are brave enough to say “zoning.” Growth is accelerating, but we are in control of how and where we grow. I believe that we should be talking about urban growth, in city limits and on public systems. We all know that it isn’t sustainable to keep plugging wells and septic systems into the aquifer – that leaves us with incentivizing responsible growth within city limits.
By incentivizing growth in Kalispell, we can build a stronger city. Growth within city limits centralizes services and provides our best chance of keeping the Flathead affordable. Growing higher and denser keeps construction costs going down. In town, families also have more access to affordable ways to walk, ride, and live in town.
Third, this is the time for Kalispell, Whitefish, and Columbia Falls to be working together to manage growth. All three cities are finalizing our transportation plans right now. By coordinating these plans, we can keep Whitefish from sprawling too far south of Highway 40, support the growth of workforce housing in north Kalispell, and preserve the forestland in between.
There are good plans for how we can strengthen our community with smart growth and proactive investment. But when we let these plans sit on the shelf and don’t speak up to our public officials, good plans get ignored as politicians claim that no one wants them.
If we don’t want Whitefish and Kalispell to become one town, now is the time to demand it. There are ways to manage our growth and build a stronger Flathead, but setting that trajectory starts now. Take time to read the plans, demand that your elected officials read them, and make sure good plans don’t get ignored.
Kyle Waterman
Kalispell city councilor