Kalispell City Council work session focuses on panhandling ordinance

Mar. 13—Kalispell City Council is expected to debate a proposed ordinance aimed at further discouraging panhandling on public roadways and public parking lots at its Monday work session.

Council meets at 7 p.m. at City Hall, 201 First Ave. E. The meeting can also be attended via Zoom.

Councilor Chad Graham had requested the review of the city's existing panhandling regulations, saying at Council's March 1 meeting that panhandling had become so prevalent in Kalispell that it poses a safety hazard.

At that meeting the Council reviewed sample ordinances from other municipalities, including Springville, Utah, whose recently enacted law is the framework for the proposed Kalispell ordinance.

The ordinance as proposed would prohibit pedestrians, drivers or passengers from exchanging

money or property while a "motor vehicle is within a roadway or on publicly owned property used as an entrance or exit to a roadway."

The ordinance would allow such transactions if a vehicle was legally parked.

Violation of the ordinance would be punishable through the city's municipal code, which allows for a fine of up to $300.

Graham received broad support from his colleagues at the March 1 meeting, with several councilors sharing anecdotal accounts of panhandling in and around Kalispell.

Councilor Ryan Hunter questioned the necessity and timing of the push for the overhaul, saying that he hadn't seen data that supported claims that it had become an issue in the city.

He requested that City Manager Doug Russell compile traffic statistics to capture the scope and impact of panhandling. Russell said he would gather relevant data for the upcoming meeting.

In 2022, there were 33 police responses to panhandling, and two citations were issued, according to data from Police Chief Doug Overman.

CITY COUNCIL WILL ALSO BE discussing proposed rate adjustments for urban planning fees and increases to parks and recreation fees.

The city last updated its planning fees in 2015, according to a memo by Development Services Director Jarod Nygren. Nygren compiled the more recent fee schedules from comparable Montana cities for the council to discuss, but did not make any recommendations at this time.

The Parks and Recreation Department is proposing an increase to certain fees, which were last updated in 2020, according to a memo by department head Chad Fincher.

Fincher is not proposing an increase in pool access fees, which he said has been historically opposed by council to provide wide access to the community.

To run the pool at break-even cost, Fincher said the department would need to charge over $17 per entry, which he feels would be prohibitive.

In his memo, he does recommend increasing the fees associated with swim lessons, swim classes and private party rentals.

The department is also proposing 10% increases in special event and group reservation permit fees across the board.

Finally, the department is also proposing hikes to vending permit and special event permit fees, which were established in 2003.

Fincher's memo recommends that Council vote to increase the annual vending permit cost from $50 to $100, and increase the special event permit cost from $10 to $25.

Reporter Adrian Knowler can be reached at 758-4407 or aknowler@dailyinterlake.com.