Planning Board

City Planning Board Meeting Minutes
January 14th, 2019
Meeting started: 6pm
Attendance:
Board Members: Mark Andreasen, Kristin Smith, Gary Neff, Virginia Kocieda, Bobbi McCanse, Christian Montgomery
Public: see attached
Review & Approve Previous Meeting Minutes:
Gary Neff motioned to approve the minutes. Bobbi McCanse 2nd the motion, all approved.
Meeting Minutes:
(1) Ordinance Committee sent back comments from their review of the proposed Downtown Business District (DBD) zoning
(2) Kristin Smith shared and reviewed all comments to Planning Board
(3) Discussion on the Ordinance Committee addition of auto/trailer sales in DBD; ideas on limiting the addition:
a. Limit # of square footage per car
b. No vehicles should hinder pedestrian walkways
c. Limit # of car lot sales by types of cars sold
d. Will discuss more at next meeting
(4) General discussion topics:
a. Incentivizing business turnover in City of Libby
b. Available funding from City of Libby & tax increment financing
c. Businesses recognizing value of encouraging other businesses to take care of their property
(5) Addition of Grandfather Clause:
a. Questions on its physical placement within the DBD – where is the best place for it?
b. Board decided to leave the grandfather clause definition at the beginning; language will be edited to reference where the grandfather clause applies within the DBD.
(6) Discussion on definition of storage and having storage behind fences
a. Part of proposed DBD zoning
(7) Discussion on expanding DBD boundaries
a. An Ordinance Committee member suggested expanding the DBD boundaries
b. Implications on affordable housing
Public Comment:
(1) DC Orr made comments on:
a. MT Planning Board Handbooks
b. Criticizing work & authority of the Planning Board (Title 76)
c. Actions of Board meetings should be “legally sanctioned and ethical”
d. Questioning member appointments
e. Make Jennifer Nelson’s email open to public
f. Critiquing proposed DBD zoning impact on cost of business construction/renovations, driving people out of business
(2) Bruce Weatherby made comments on:
a. Sidewalk parking not a zoning issue
b. Economy driving sales and building use
c. Costs for owning building, taxes, insurance, basic utilities
d. Critiqued section on building materials; variance on using steel for his building
e. Lack of affordable housing in Libby
(3) Bill Stokesberry made comments on:
a. Questioning what the vision for DBD Libby is
b. What should be done with abandoned buildings in DBD
c. Need visual aids to help public understand the Planning Board’s vision
(4) Kathleen Sheffield from Kootenai Record made comments on:
a. Grandfather clause
b. Maintenance of Historical businesses
c. Questions who would enforce proposed zoning changes
(5) DC Orr made additional comments on:
a. Lack of professionalism in how the Planning Board conducts meetings
b. Aesthetics has nothing to do with the Planning Board
Scheduled next meeting for Monday, February 11th