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KALISPELL 56°F 13°C LIGHT RAIN RELATED STORIES: New Environmental Analysis Delays Kalispell Rail Park Development Federal officials require further assessment before construction can begin at 43acre rail site BY DILLON TABISH APR 23, 2016 NEWS & FEATURES The development of a large industrial rail park in Kalispell is temporarily delayed until a federal environmental analysis of the site can be completed, according to project leaders. The Flathead County Economic Development Authority had hoped to break ground on the Glacier Rail Massive Transportation Projects Moving Forward in Kalispell • For the Flathead Valley, A Big Year of Economic Development Awaits • Community Leaders Celebrate Federal Grant as Catalyst for Redevelopment Plans • The Amazing Issue VIEW STORIES SUSTAINABLE SUP IN FOCUS VIDEO SERIES EDITOR'S PICK MORE SHOW CAPTION ---PAGE BREAK--- Park off Whitefish Stage Road by March, riding the momentum of a $10 million federal transportation grant that is largely fueling the project and Kalispell’s core area revitalization plan. Yet after reviewing the rail park plans, federal officials informed FCEDA this spring that the site must follow standards within the National Environmental Policy Act, which requires an extensive environmental analysis before any development can occur using grant funding. Kim Morisaki, FCEDA’s project manager, said the assessment would likely take the entire summer to complete and push back any onsite development of infrastructure by five to six months. “I doubt we’ll start before August,” she said. According to Morisaki, federal officials told FCEDA that the site needed a more comprehensive environmental assessment due to the complexity of the plans, which involve constructing a 43acre industrial rail park with adjacent trail and road development throughout the city’s core area. All federally funded projects are required to follow the NEPA process, which includes up to three phases of analysis depending on the size and scope of the project. FCEDA and the City of Kalispell completed the first phase and submitted it with its federal grant application. “Based on early communications with NEPA, we were optimistic that the first phase would be sufficient,” Morisaki stated. “However, we were recently notified that the second phase is necessary. The second phase is an Environmental Assessment and though timeintensive, it is beneficial to the overall success of the project.” Flathead Beacon staff A Twitter list by @FlatheadBeacon Follow our journalists for breaking news & other reports 9h Pumping out copy like nobody’s business tonight for @TrainsMagazine including story on Checkout News Wire at trainsmag.com Google, Ford, Uber launch coalition to further selfdriving cars mobile.reuters.com/article/idU SKC… Justin Franz @jfranz88 Dillon Tabish @djtabish ---PAGE BREAK--- “This sets us back six months but in the long run, we’ve been working on this for five years; what’s another six months in the grand scheme of things,” Morisaki said. FCEDA continues to seek tenants for the future rail park. CHS Kalispell is moving forward with plans for a consolidated facility at the site, Morisaki said. FCEDA has agreed to build a new facility that CHS will lease in the rail park in exchange for three properties: the 3.81acre fertilizer plant and gas station on Third Avenue Northeast near Smiths; the 1.6acre grain elevator site on West Center Street; and the 41,000squarefoot gas station and office on West Idaho Street. FCEDA will clean up and sell the three properties after the acquisition, according to officials. FCEDA must also negotiate a rightofway purchase for a small piece of property where a new traffic signal will be installed on U.S. Highway 2. Although the initial construction of infrastructure at the site is delayed by roughly six months, the project remains on track for its general timeline, Morisaki said. Estimates are that construction of the actual park will begin in 2017 with CHS relocating to the site in 2018. The rail park is also a linchpin for the city’s core area revitalization plan, and by 2019, a trail system stretching two miles is expected to replace the railroad tracks through downtown. Last week the Kalispell City Council approved a new economic district in the area encompassing the rail park seeking to foster further redevelopment. The council created a Targeted Economic Development District that implements a tax increment finance district, which would help fund infrastructure and other improvements that seek to encourage further development. FCEDA recently debuted a new website devoted to information about the rail park and core area plan. Updated (April 25): This story was updated to clarify that FCEDA understood that there could be further environmental review through the NEPA process. ---PAGE BREAK--- Comments Community Login 1 Share ⤤ Sort by Newest Join the discussion… • Reply • Hawkeye25 • 2 days ago What a waste of taxpayer . You would of thought they would have thought of all these little studies & test that were going to pop up . It will turn into a EPA clean site that will also take a lot of time & cash. Also don't forget all the cash it is going to take to turn all that former RR property running thru Kalispell into quaint little shops with cobble stone walks , bike paths , benches , etc that no one will shop at cuz it will cost a small fortune to lease or buy one of these stores . But hey it's grant money so it's just like its you know freeeeee △ ▽ • Reply • yabbadabbado • 4 days ago The rail park just became a full blown urban redevelopment project. I would guess they will be into it for $50 million and loose $20 million, even if it's grant money. Just removing the tracks would have been enough. The businesses could find new homes with the rail park money instead on making infrastructure that will serve hardly anyone other than two train load buyers in Kalispell and repurpose acres of commercial real estate that needed no help from the nanny state. △ ▽ • Reply • Fast • 4 days ago Ya ὠ We need to get rid of the FAA✈ ( Federal Avation Administration ) Too!ὒ no pilot training need ( bunch of crap) no aircraft maintenance needὊ ( unless it's flying someone I love ) we also need to get "Riddled" of tortor ὣlaws at the "sometime this Amurika land of the free but slow "tinkers" I groweD mi kids upend to be just like me Ἳ △ ▽ Recommend Share › Share › Share › MORE FROM THE BEACON ---PAGE BREAK--- NEWS & FEATURES SPORTS OUTDOORS ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT OPINION PHOTOS EVENTS ABOUT US MARKETPLACE Advertise Subscribe Advertiser Tear Sheets Email & RSS Feeds Contact Us © 2016 Flathead Beacon, All Rights Reserved. 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