HAVRE, Mont. (NMB) – The Havre City Council convened on Monday evening for their regular monthly meeting and approved several ordinance changes on first reading.
Two of the ordinances passed without opposition, while the third was approved in a 5-2 vote.
The first ordinance deals with automobile parking and loading space requirements. It states that in any residential or commercial-office zoning district, no motor vehicles exceeding 3/4 ton can be parked in any required front yard.
In any residential or commercial office district, no mobile home, travel trailer, tent trailer, trailer, camper, boat or boat trailer scan be parked in any front yard. Vehicles or equipment which exceeds eight feet in height above the ground cannot be parked in a side yard, and vehicles or equipment cannot be parked in any side yard adjacent to a street.
The second ordinance is regarding trailer parking. It states that trailers cannot be parked on any public street, avenue, boulevard, avenue, or other right of way for more than 72 hours in any consecutive seven day period. Alderman Derek Eldridge worried how this could impact contractors that work out of trailers, and Public Works Director Dave Peterson said those people can apply for special permits.
Violation of this ordinance, if enacted, could include fines. After multiple offenses of the trailer parking ordinance, the vehicle may be subject to removal and impoundment.
The third ordinance was opposed by Aldermen Derek Eldridge and Josh Miller. It is about setback requirements and trailer parking. It prohibits the parking of trailers and recreational vehicles must be parked in a rear yard unless it is inaccessible. If that is the case, the vehicle may be parked in a front or side yard as long as it is on a surface prepared with asphalt, concrete, gravel or pavers.
The ordinance also states these vehicles must meet setback requirements, meaning they must be five feet from any door, window, or other opening of a dwelling or accessory building that provides ventilation or access to the structure. The ordinance also says open storage and off-street parking of RVs in any yard shall be at least three feet from a side or rear property line and eight feet from the back of a sidewalk. If no sidewalks exists, “all measurements will be made from the front and side of such a vehicle adjacent to street property lines.”
Lastly, the ordinance prohibits people from using campers or RVs stored on residential property from being used for living or sleeping purposes for more than five consecutive days.
Alderman Andrew Brekke argued that this is a safety issue, and they don’t want to encourage people to live out of campers for extended periods.
“I feel like we encourage people to get it off the street. And like Derek (Eldridge) said, if we have family visiting and things like that, I think that may concern quite a few people,” said Miller. “So I feel like maybe it’s a bit of an overreach, to an extent. That’s just my thoughts on that part of it. Especially, enforcement-wise too, there’s issues all over town, you see with getting trailers off the street in some areas. So people who are trying to do the right thing and actually get it off the street, I feel like we should really focus on that first.”
Alderwoman Lindsey Ratliff was skeptical about the proposal at a meeting last year, but on Monday, she voted in favor of it.
“I don’t foresee the city going and checking every single camper that they find and investigating how many days they’ve been there … It seems like more of a prevention thing. If it becomes an issue, then you have the ordinance to back it up if somebody’s been living in a camper for a month … But if someone comes and visits town for seven days, unless a neighbor has an issue … it doesn’t seem like it would be that big of a deal unless it becomes an issue for the neighbors,” said Ratliff.
“(Enforcement) of all of these are complaint-driven, typically,” said Brekke. “We do have code enforcement, animal control handles that. So if they notice something that’s in their mind at least, that’s been there for more than a period of time, they may write that citation. Trailers on-street, for example, is an issue. Especially for certain streets, because of width restrictions are patrolled more often. These would be more of a complaint.”
When it comes to setback requirements, Ratliff said she was in favor of them in part because RV fire last winter spread to a house that was very close by, and the distance between the house and RV would have been in violation of this ordinance.
These ordinance proposals were last discussed in a public meeting back in December when the Ordinance Committee last convened.
Ordinance changes must be approved twice before being enacted, and take effect 30 days after the final vote. These changes are expected to be voted on again by the Council at their July 5th meeting.
The three ordinances can be viewed below:
Ord 923 Automobile Parking and Loading Space
Ord 924 Trailer Street Parking Sect 13
Ord 925 Trailer Street Parking Sect 14
Seven of eight City Councilors were in attendance, with Alderwoman Sarah McKinney not present.
Public Comment
The meeting grew tense at times when it moved to public comment on non-agenda items.
Area resident Cody Miles requested an explanation about the 25 cent rate increase at the fill station. The cost for 100 gallons of water is now $1, as compared to 75 cents.
“With us agriculture people, that’s a huge cost increase to us, which is a big part to our community,” said Miles.
Mayor Doug Kaercher and Public Works Director Dave Peterson defended the rate increase, saying they charge similar rates compared to other municipalities in the region, adding that people hooked up to city water actually pay more than those that use the fill station.
“All we’re trying to do is bring the bulk water into line with what city residents are paying, because they are supplementing you, as the agriculture, to give that water. So $10 per 1,000 gallons isn’t that unreasonable for the water when everybody here is paying $12 or more,” said Kaercher, who added the fill station is a “courtesy” the city provides to local residents.
Miles took exception to the service being called a courtesy, saying that people in the area would be furious if the stations were to shut down.
Eventually, City Clerk Liz McIntosh stepped in and defended the city raising rates.
“I’ve hauled water for 45 years from that fill station. And it’s a great service to people like me who live out of town. My whole house and everything is on city water. It’s good water. Not well water. I cannot tell you – my father-in-law’s house was on the well and it was rusted and non-treated and you couldn’t drink it – So we feel, I haul water a way farther distance than you do. I pay for the truck, we pay for the fuel to get to it, and I thank the city every day when I turn my faucet on.”
“Well I’m glad,” responded Miles. “Because there’s people that I’ve talked to that have a problem with this (increase). That’s all I’m trying to say. I’m not the only one here speaking tonight. That’s what I’m trying to say. I know there’s not a lot of people behind me, but I’m just saying it’s an issue. And I’m not saying ‘everybody get wound up. I just asked Doug if he could reconsider.”
Dave Brewer, a Democrat running for Senate District 14, also spoke at the meeting. He asked when the public will hear an update on the city looking to move to a form of government led by a City Manager. Kaercher said that they will have several experts speaking on the issue at town halls in the coming months, and they hope to put the issue to the Council in August, so that the question can be on the November ballot.
Former Mayor Bob Rice provided public comment as well.
Rice went on a seven minute profanity-laced tirade, blaming a handful of politicians and the local media for him not being on the Mayoral ballot in 2021, in which Kaercher ran unopposed.
Rice also attacked the Public Works Department for what he says was a slow response to fixing the lid on his dumpster and complained that when he was Mayor, the City Council voted not to increase the Mayoral salary.
Rice, who was wearing a hoodie and shorts, ended the rant by chastising Alderman Derek Eldridge for wearing a baseball cap.
Other action taken:
- Tabling of the deer management action plan, as it needs to be revised after consultation with FWP. It is expected to be voted on on July 5th and will go to the Fish and Wildlife Committee for approval
- Approval of ratification of the collective bargaining agreement with the city and local firefighters union
- Approval of a Treasure State Endowment Program Drawdown of $15,000 for the Preliminary Engineering Report to Great West Engineering
- Approval of the Mayoral Appointment of Fran Morsette to the Havre-Hill County Library Board
- Approval of May Claims and Manual Warrants
