Fees set for Libby chicken permits, business licenses

By JOHN BLODGETT

The Western News

The Libby City Council on Sept. 17 unanimously passed Resolution No. 1930, setting fees for three items the City of Libby administers.

A permit to keep chickens within city limits costs $30, a new business license costs $90 and a renewal business license costs $60.

It is the first time the city has set a fee for the chicken permit, for the ordinance allowing the keeping of chickens within city limits was only passed on Aug. 6.

Resolution No. 1930 stems from Ordinance 1929, which proposes amendments to Libby municipal code covering business licenses and regulations and had its first reading the same night the resolution was passed.

One of the proposed amendments to Chapter 5.04 is to remove fees from the existing code and instead adopt and amend fees by resolution, a less expensive and less time-consuming process.

Council members approved the first reading of the ordinance with a 6-0 vote. The second reading will likely occur at the Oct. 1 City Council meeting.

If the second reading is approved, the ordinance will go into effect 30 days after.

The first reading of ordinances 1927 and 1928 also occurred Sept. 17.

Ordinance 1927 seeks to amend Chapter 8.08.010, “Accumulation of Trash and Junk Prohibited,” to conform with state law and county ordinances. It proposes adding language stating that permanently registered vehicles can be considered junk vehicles if they meet the criteria set forth in the code.

Ordinance 1928 seeks to amend Chapter 9.52.010, “Public Areas after Hours,” both to “account for fluctuating daylight hours throughout the year” and to add a violation for the act of loitering the code prohibits. Whereas current code prohibits loitering between 9 p.m. and sunrise the following day, the ordinance seeks to change that to “from sunset to sunrise.”

In addition, whereas current code does not make loitering a municipal infraction, the ordinance proposes doing so, subject to a fine of not more than $300 for a first infraction and not more than $500 for a second infraction.

Council members also unanimously approved the first readings of those ordinances, the second readings of which will also likely happen Oct. 1.