City moves forward on business registry

The Havre City Council Monday night discussed a new idea to create a voluntary business registry to let the city track what businesses are operating to help it in planning and in making any zoning changes.

An idea to require businesses to purchase a business license from the city is "on the back burner," Planning and Development Committee Chair Janet Trethewey said.

"There was some discussion in the committee that this doesn't have the teeth of an ordinance, but maybe it's a little more palatable," she said. "So (we could take) baby steps to going toward getting a license and doing all that." In response to a question f rom c o unc i l member Bob Kaftan, she said the business ordinance is drafted and ready to go in case the city doesn't get the desired response and information about businesses operating here.

"Hopefully the businesses in the community are going to recognize the importance of having this done because if they don't they could get miszoned," she said.

While that wouldn't directly affect the business, i t could cause problems in the market value of the business and the ability of its owner to sell it, she said. The registry also will help the city of Havre grow and move forward in an orderly fashion, she said.

K a f t a n asked about the estimated cost of implementing the registry.

Trethewey replied that there should be no cost other than printing the forms and paying city employees to take and file the registries.

She said the committee would like to hear ideas on how to improve the form and have it approved by the council and ready to go by the end of the month.

The draft of the registry form includes the name of the business, its address and telephone number, description of its activities and any additional facilities or locations used by the business.

Mayor Tim Solomon suggested that a section in which the business could list special needs or requests such as curbing or handicapped parking be changed to include "zoning needs." "Because that's what you're looking for is for zoning and there are a lot of other things that might help key (their response)," he said.

Trethewey suggested that once the form is complete and approved it be placed on the city website to allow people to download it from there.

——— On the Net: City of Havre website: http://www.ci.havre.mt.us