HAVRE, Mont. (NMB) – After Havre’s City Council meeting Tuesday night, the Ordinance Committee met for their meeting.
They discussed the Vacant Property Registration Ordinance and made some changes and clarifications. The ordinance would require certain vacant properties to register with the City and pay a fee in an effort to reduce the number of vacant and dilapidated properties in Havre.
At least one member of the public voiced strong opposition to the ordinance in general, asking why the City needed to regulate properties in this way. She argued that the fee, which maxed out at $500, was not enough to deter people who are already paying taxes on these properties, that it is essentially unenforceable, and that it won’t solve the problem of blight in town.
Mayor Tim Solomon and Public Works Director Dave Peterson also expressed concern with the current wording of the ordinance, saying it needed to be more specific for it to be effective. There were questions over what constitutes a reasonable person, how are storage areas handled, and whether or not they need an additional revenue source.
No action was taken and the Committee plans on making more changes to the wording.
