Airbnbs considered at Havre City Council meeting

The topic of zoning and starting an Airbnb in Havre came up during Havre City Council’s meeting Monday.

Council member Lindsey Ratliff brought up during the public comment portion of the meeting a citizen’s questions about zoning areas to establish an Airbnb.

“They need to specify what their request is so it can go to the zoning board, or if they are trying to change ordinances, if that is what their request is,” Havre Mayor Tim Solomon said. “To me, personally, you’re not going to be able, probably, to change the ordinance in a Residential One (area).”

Ratliff said that the person, who lives in a zoning residential family, has requested information regarding the legality and paperwork for the options to changing or amending the zoning area to allow for Airbnb, which is an online marketplace which lets people rent out their properties or spare rooms to guests.

Solomon said that Havre allows Airbnb within the city, but only in specific zoning areas, such as residential general areas. He added that the resident, who was not present at the meeting, has already been advised of the problem. The citizen has also already submitted a petition, but the petition only had a signature and did not specify what they wanted to do about the zoning issue.

Council Chair Terry Lilletvedt said that something she found interesting regarding Airbnb was how many cities across the country are moving away from encouraging the business.

Council member Caleb Hutchins added that, from what he has seen with the business, it has two kinds of business models, one where people live on the property and rent out a spare room and one where vacant houses are rented out.

“I think a lot of the concern is that those ones take properties out of the rental market because they make more money doing the Airbnb thing,” he said. “… A lot of different communities trying to figure out how to handle it.”

Lilletvedt said that another concern she has heard regarding Airbnb is that the neighbors of the properties involved with Airbnb don’t feel comfortable with strangers regularly coming in and out from the property.

Solomon said that a petition which specifies the planned actions needs to be presented to Public Works where it can be placed on the agenda for the ordinance committee.

Hutchins said that the topic of Airbnb will probably be an ongoing conversation and possibly more people will be interested in the future about the Airbnb business model.

The council approved unanimously Triangle Communications’ request to amend the Havre East Communications Site Lease where Triangle has a mobile phone tower.

Solomon said that Triangle is interested in leasing some additional property for building a tower by the east water tower for AT&T or T-Mobile. He said that at this time they want to extend to the west, which doesn’t interfere with the city.

“It’s the tower there partial to the west,” he said.

Financial Director and City Clerk Doug Kaercher said that the current lease is that the city receives 20 percent of whatever Triangle receives for the sublease. The amendment would only increase the amount of land Triangle can sublease.

He added that AT&T or T-Mobile wants to attach to that area because Triangle has the original lease.

City Council also passed a resolution affirming active participation in the Bear Paw Economic Development Corp. district.

Solomon said that the city of Havre has been an active contributor to Bear Paw Economic Development, which is an economic developer that covers from Phillips to Chouteau and Liberty counties and includes Rocky Boy’s and Fort Belknap Indian reservations, for years.

He added the Bear Paw Economic Development Executive Director Paul Tuss earlier in the year had a presentation where he showed the city’s money gets a good return on investment.

Lilletvedt said that it costs some money but the city gets back almost $27 for every dollar invested.

“Bear Paw does wonderful work for us and we’re very appreciative of that partnership,” she said.

Solomon added that Bear Paw also does a variety of other work such as writing grants for communities.

The City Council set its next Ordinance Committee meeting for June 17, directly following the next city council meeting.