Treperinas asks for zoning change for new food bank location

Editor's note: This version adds comment from the director of District 4 Human Resources Development Council.

After their monthly meeting Monday Havre City Council held a hearing on a request by Havre resident Jim Treperinas to change the zoning designation of a city block on Fifth Avenue between 14th and 16th streets to allow for a new location for the Havre Food Bank.

Havre Public Works Director Dave Peterson said the Zoning Board of Adjustments have looked at the issue and provided their recommendations to the council, which will hear arguments for and against, and vote on the matter at next month’s meeting.

Treperinas said he and his son George had talked to folks at District 4 Human Resources Development Council who said they’ve been having trouble maintaining the current location of the food bank, at 453 Seventh Ave. North in North Havre, and he offered to let them use one of his properties.

Jim Treperinas said the location in question is closer to the center of Havre, more accessible and will provide more space for the operation, and he’d like to help the community by doing this.

HRDC Executive Director Carilla French, who was not available for comment this morning, said this afternoon that while her organization is looking into a new location for the food bank, and Treperinas did make a kind offer they are interested in looking at, they did not choose any particular property he offered, nor did they agree to the offer in general.

She said HRDC's current location is cramped and hard to access for food deliveries so they are looking for something new, but concrete plans are still a ways away.

During Monday's meeting, Havre resident and former city council member Bob Kaul, along with others, spoke in favor of the proposed project, saying it’s a good move for the city and the people who live there.

Council members asked questions about the location and whether it is practical and Treperinas said he actually offered HRDC their pick of multiple locations, and they settled on the one in question.

Perry Atchison also spoke in favor of the project. He said last year he went around collecting food for the food bank from people, 15 of whom thanked him for doing it, because they couldn’t bring the donations to the food bank themselves due to its location, so there is clearly interest in a more centralized location.

No one at the hearing spoke out against the effort, but members of the council did raise some concerns including the opinions of the other property owners on the block.

Treperinas said he wasn’t able to get in touch with every property owner in the area, but none of the ones he contacted expressed any misgivings about the change.

Havre Mayor Doug Kaercher said notice of the hearing has been announced to the public and those with concerns had the opportunity to come.

Council Member Andrew Brekke said he received a couple phone calls from property owners who didn’t exactly voice opposition to the change, but did ask about how much the zoning change would open up the are to new buildings.

Brekke said the zoning change would apply to the whole block. Under this change, someone could build something like a restaurant, tire shop or other business in the area.

He said the council has to take into account not just Treperinas’s intentions, but what it could open the area up to when considering the decision.

Peterson also brought up that the food bank could ask for a conditional use exemption to create an up-to 1,500 square foot facility, but Treperinas said HRDC is looking for something considerably bigger.

The council also asked if HRDC had the funding to make the new location and George Treperinas said they are working on it, but can’t make an official commitment until they get the money.

Jim Treperinas said HRDC’s board voted to support using the property but Kaercher asked the him if he could get documentation that HRDC supports their rezoning efforts, and Treperinas said he would try to get something in writing.

During the council meeting that preceded the hearing Kaercher announced that newly electede city council person Kimberly Bolta told him that she had moved out of her ward and would not be sworn in as she was no longer eligible.

Brekke said the council should declare a vacancy and begin advertising for the position as early as possible to make sure all wards have proper representation on the board.

The council also voted unanimously to authorize the submission of a Community Development Block Grant application on behalf of the Boys & Girls Club of the Hi-Line.

Boys & Girls Club Executive Director Tim Brurud said the club has been looking for funds to upgrade the heating system, something they tried to cover with COVID-19 relief funds, but they found they couldn’t spend the money by the deadline.

Brurud said the project would require between $250,000 and $300,000.

The council approved the resolution unanimously.

The council also unanimously approved the appointment of Brian Parker as a Havre police officer.

Havre Police Chief Gabe Matosich, said Parker started with the department last year as a probationary officer, and has since proved himself to be professional and hard working.

He said Parker has 16 years of experience under his belt as an officer in Worcester, Massachusetts.