[{"_1":2,"_87":-5,"_88":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6386358,"mediaKeyId","2118168-4a0145abdbdd78a2fbef8b675dd1af94","parentId",2118168,"title","Kalispell to consider rewriting unsafe-structures enforcement to civil abatement; council to place code change on next agenda","audioSeconds",1376,"startMs",4103530,"endMs",5480000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2118168-4a0145abdbdd78a2fbef8b675dd1af94&start=4103&end=5480","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2118168-4a0145abdbdd78a2fbef8b675dd1af94/thumbnail_4103530.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6386358/Kalispell/Flathead-County/Montana/Kalispell-to-consider-rewriting-unsafe-structures-enforcement-to-civil-abatement-council-to-place-code-change-on-next-agenda","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6386358-5925f7b63e3797b4a66b91b0f26bee2d/orig.mp4?Expires=1770442861&Signature=F1WRGUqO0vj2dJZwoUOCOZ7q9YIfL2F4i2BoVDIZSHpiitUxBsB4zoObGdXhyUFmWoN8PxJvPM7B5sUCZD5Ubt8x6zr2vNZjZsUNPBk-VHPXQtNo3uD5xVNsElnRy2gIAGBVfOEIyxE2z92Uk7uZOKsdQmusPD-rZRqE0b6plorj8ZYKNn99FXzP9WS2Khk1akJElp~td4X1FPb1FZGSWjJTE-AVTAbS4VU6qrNIcm8qoZNe85MIZVfZ51i07R1znjW~3XuYI4VB-UDmyr332lQooL30iud05kl6jRPbPD1W1QlFsi8dlSLJU~75ETJIWWeyMMAbJLtu00svCUox~g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City of Kalispell, Montana","date","2025-01-13T00:00:00Z","article","City staff and the city attorney presented proposed municipal-code changes at the City of Kalispell work session on Jan. 13 to give the city more civil enforcement tools for unsafe and nuisance properties.

City Attorney (on record) explained the change would make abatement orders civil rather than criminal and allow courts to authorize abatement. \"If you look at 11-2, for first violation a civil penalty of not more than $300 shall be imposed. For each repeat violation a civil penalty not to exceed $500 shall be imposed,\" the attorney said during the discussion. Staff recommended adding a 10-day abatement window in ordinance language and said moving to civil enforcement creates alternative relief (abatement) the city can pursue through a judicial order.

The proposal grows from multiple neighborhood complaints about derelict properties, and staff emphasized that any enforcement program will be complaint-driven and requires follow-up resources. City Manager Chad Russell and other staff said the fire code pathway solves some of the enforcement limitations but does not eliminate the workload. \"All I'm saying is we don't have the resources to make this a full fledged program,\" Russell told council.

Council discussed prior practice (the city previously replaced sidewalk or street-side service lines when found during capital projects), and several councilors said they support moving the code change forward. Council also asked staff to gather comparative information from peer cities on code-enforcement staffing levels and to include a broader discussion of a dedicated code-enforcement position in budget workshops. The council directed staff to place a draft ordinance or resolution containing the civil-abatement approach on the next council agenda for formal consideration.

Public comment at the end of the meeting included resident Cassidy Kipp, who urged the council to take stronger action on an ongoing problem property known as the \"Outlaw.\" \"I feel like we've been batted around and I feel like Kalispell Fire Department and KPD have been really good and responsive with it, but I just don't know where to take my concerns,\" Kipp said. In response staff noted that recent state law changes (discussed by staff as part of bill package numbered \"382\") altered zoning and conditional-use-permit implications for multifamily development in business districts; staff said revoking a conditional-use permit would not necessarily prevent certain uses where state law already authorizes them.

The council agreed to move the proposed code-change item onto next Monday's agenda and to revisit the resource question during budget planning.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Kalispell 1/13/25 Kalispell City Council Work Session","oneSentenceSummary","City staff and the city attorney presented proposed municipal-code changes at the City of Kalispell work session on Jan. 13 to give the city more civil enforcement tools for unsafe and nuisance properties.","taxTitle","Kalispell, Flathead County, Montana","taxId",61441,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6386363,"Kalispell council directs staff to place lead service-line SRF financing on agenda after staff presentation",3944,55800,4000000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2118168-4a0145abdbdd78a2fbef8b675dd1af94&start=55&end=4000","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2118168-4a0145abdbdd78a2fbef8b675dd1af94/thumbnail_55800.jpg","/articles/6386363/Kalispell/Flathead-County/Montana/Kalispell-council-directs-staff-to-place-lead-service-line-SRF-financing-on-agenda-after-staff-presentation","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6386363-23bfb9e6d491b4c1e94837237391bb2d/orig.mp4?Expires=1770442861&Signature=dX6JuCyTxxmHmv072eKgyO7vgT5zGarUG7BucKPrFUiQ9QygfEl4Gc-2rgGISVnK3Xr23QuUIx2SLt0kkvTirQGAsouZkImS6vHD4Nr9dadbBGlbB1nv0ePO3G2fzjaE6QHoPteLIBnUKziFUxhlraVK1KqjG6nZpy1ob6o4kdEsmWPJtMiuAje6hl-1qv68FLzSMj1K4SMrzQKQMJYDlVrtK2ehIW39~eCtiUIQrkXnwWVHNxRSIq3iNYsqQtmwpEL7R8pu3jYkwfmqT5HHptvDJCpR1U39cinOaJv2m-XXpIsMBBulNZ5OfSeHD2G8SyhXxpryn7Ye~HtFQ5iA6g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Mayor Mary Johnson called the City of Kalispell\u0000s work session to order on Jan. 13 and opened discussion of the new federal Lead and Copper Rule Improvements (LCRI) and options to fund required service-line replacements.

Susie Turner, Kalispell\u0000s director of public works, said the EPA has adopted the LCRI and laid out an implementation schedule that requires utilities to complete inventories, validate records and begin a 10-year compliance period in the fall of 2027. \"With the new rule officially adopted, we now have better direction on its implementation schedule,\" Turner said.

The rule will require utilities to finish a service-line inventory, perform two-point validation checks, and start more frequent monitoring that in Kalispell\u0000s case will require sampling 60 sites every six months beginning in 2028. Turner warned that the rule lowers the action level to 10 parts per billion and that exceeding that level will force either corrosion-control treatment (orthophosphate injection) or replacement of all lead and galvanized-required-replacement lines within five years.

Turner walked council through Kalispell\u0000s current inventory counts: 27 known street-side lead service lines, eight building-side lead lines, eight full main-to-house lead runs, 57 galvanized required-replacement (GRR) building-side lines, and about 483 service lines still listed as \"unknown.\" She said the new rule requires a 2-point inspection validation and estimated the city will need roughly 180 potholes to complete validation by 2034; staff said they believe they can complete about 108 of those potholes in-house.

To pay for replacements, Turner presented two options: (1) use State Revolving Fund (SRF) financing and accept a loan estimated at $2,000,000 with approximately 60% forgiveness and the remaining 40% repaid at about 1.5% interest, or (2) keep the current city regulation that places maintenance responsibility on property owners and pursue a mix of customer-managed or city-administered replacement programs (deferred-payment plans, customer-managed construction, or leaving replacement to the property owner). \"The rule is very silent on who's responsible to pay for it,\" Turner said.

Councilors debated tradeoffs: some members, citing immediate protection of children and residents and the federal forgiveness, advocated option 1. Councilor Hunter said, \"I'm I'm I'm solidly on on option 1.\" Other members worried about precedent, interior plumbing remaining a source of exposure, and the staff workload of administering deferred-payment plans. Staff noted that if the city uses SRF funds it must replace service lines from the main to the house (including the portion inside the right-of-way) and that some property owners could still refuse access to private property; in those cases the city would document attempts and report to the state as required by the rule.

There was no final vote; city staff and multiple councilors agreed to put a draft resolution for the SRF financing path on the council agenda for the next regular meeting for formal consideration. City Manager Chad Russell summarized the next step: \"Well, it sounds like we have enough to put it on the agenda with, you know, that as the initial one up for vote, and council can make any discussion choices related to that.\"","Council heard a Public Works presentation on the EPA\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000Lead and Copper Rule Improvements, inventory counts, and two funding options; staff will bring a draft resolution for an SRF (State Revolving Fund) loan to next week\u0000s agenda for council action.","actionData","errors"]

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Kalispell to consider rewriting unsafe-structures enforcement to civil abatement; council to place code change on next agenda

Kalispell council directs staff to place lead service-line SRF financing on agenda after staff presentation