Zoning changes move forward, business license held back
Zach White
The City Council Ordinance Committee held a meeting last night to talk about two ordinances.
The first was to add casinos to the list of businesses allowed in “commercial-local” zoned areas, and it was approved unanimously. The first council reading will be at the Nov. 15 meeting.
The second ordinance was the establishment of a business license to be required by the city.
Discussion of the ordinance began with Dave Sheppard, fire chief, explaining his offer to have his department handle the inspections and information collected for the licenses.
“Since we do fire safety inspections for the city we already have a lot of information on file, ” Sheppard said. “Essentially, I offered it to keep the ball rolling on this. ”
After discussing who would handle the licenses, local business owner Tony Dolphay, of Havre Muffler and Brake, offered the concerns about the ordinance’s consequences he thought the committee had not considered.
Dolphay said that he was concerned about the benefits that exemptions, like home businesses or door-to-door salesman, would have over his business, like taxability.
He also said he is concerned about enforcement.
“It’s going to be difficult to enforce unless you knock on every door, ” Dolphay said.
Committee Chair Andrew Brekke said that is even more of a problem as things are.
“We have no way to enforce anything now, ” Brekke said. “We want to be able to say ‘let’s fix this’ and make it work. ”
Dolphay went on to say that a problem he has with the process, and one of the reasons the city received such little response to the existing voluntary business registry, is the amount of paperwork. He said it interferes with doing work for his business.
Councilwoman Pam Hillery said the city understood such concerns.
“We know how little this will be appreciated, ” Hillery said. “But we feel its important for the city. ”
With some previously unconsidered issues, the committee decided to hold off on this ordinance until concerns are better addressed.
Brekke said the license discussion may have to return to the Planning and Development Committee.
The City Council Ordinance Committee held a meeting last night to talk about two ordinances.
The first was to add casinos to the list of businesses allowed in “commercial-local” zoned areas, and it was approved unanimously. The first council reading will be at the Nov. 15 meeting.
The second ordinance was the establishment of a business license to be required by the city.
Discussion of the ordinance began with Dave Sheppard, fire chief, explaining his offer to have his department handle the inspections and information collected for the licenses.
“Since we do fire safety inspections for the city we already have a lot of information on file, ” Sheppard said. “Essentially, I offered it to keep the ball rolling on this. ”
After discussing who would handle the licenses, local business owner Tony Dolphay, of Havre Muffler and Brake, offered the concerns about the ordinance’s consequences he thought the committee had not considered.
Dolphay said that he was concerned about the benefits that exemptions, like home businesses or door-to-door salesman, would have over his business, like taxability.
He also said he is concerned about enforcement.
“It’s going to be difficult to enforce unless you knock on every door, ” Dolphay said.
Committee Chair Andrew Brekke said that is even more of a problem as things are.
“We have no way to enforce anything now, ” Brekke said. “We want to be able to say ‘let’s fix this’ and make it work. ”
Dolphay went on to say that a problem he has with the process, and one of the reasons the city received such little response to the existing voluntary business registry, is the amount of paperwork. He said it interferes with doing work for his business.
Councilwoman Pam Hillery said the city understood such concerns.
“We know how little this will be appreciated, ” Hillery said. “But we feel its important for the city. ”
With some previously unconsidered issues, the committee decided to hold off on this ordinance until concerns are better addressed.
Brekke said the license discussion may have to return to the Planning and Development Committee.
