Building & ZoningCity of Kalispell
Post Office Box 1997 • Kalispell, Montana 59903-1997 • Telephone (406) 758-7700 • FAX (406) 758-7758
TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council
FROM: PJ Sorensen, Zoning Administrator
Chris Kukulski, City Manager
MEETING DATE: March 11, 2000 (Priority Session)
RE: Business Licenses
One of the most difficult problems faced with enforcement of city codes relating to
buildings and building safety is the lack of an efficient, practical method of tracking businesses as
they come into town or move around within the city. Building, fire, and zoning issues all need to
be addressed when a business moves into a new location. For example, a change of use could
require fire safety measures, ADA compliance, or additional parking. When there is new
construction, the issues can be looked at through the building permit process. However, at the
present time, many businesses begin operating without having any of those issues addressed
because they move into presently existing buildings.
The resulting problem is two -fold. First, the public safety and welfare can be placed at
risk when a new use does not comply with codes. Second, once a use is in place, it becomes
more difficult to encourage compliance than if the issue is addressed prior to the commencement
of operations.
Business licenses give us the opportunity to look at a new use and ensure compliance with
codes at a point when the business is more amenable to taking such action. Minimal fees will
likely need to be included in order to cover the costs of administering the program. I have
attached (1) a memo I received from the Fire Marshal; (2) a draft business license application; and
(3) for purposes of comparison and discussion, the form used by Whitefish.
Respectfully submitted,
PJ Sorensen
Zoning Administrator
Chris Kukulski
City Manager
Report compiled March 3, 2000
CITY OF KALISPELL
OFFICE OF THE FIRE MARSHAL
P.O. BOX 1997
K4LISPELL, MONTANA 59903-1997
(406) 758-7763
February 15, 2000
TO: P.J. Sorenson, Zoning Admi 'strator
FROM: R. Seddon
SUBJECT: Business License
In reply to your question about business license in the City of Kalispell, some of the
reasons are as follows;
I. To have an idea of how many businesses there are in the city, to know the
locations of the businesses, what type of business is in the building, when a
business changes location, or when the occupancy of a building changes.
2. To try and regulate the business that comes to town for only a short period of
time. (i.e. inspecting or installation of alarm systems and sprinkler systems,
selling sun glasses on the corner of Main and Idaho)
The Kalispell fire department has had a difficult time trying to keep track of the
businesses in the City. As a final result the Department went to the system of inspecting
buildings and not the business because of the changes that were occurring. In some cases
the businesses were changing two to three times in a year and it was impossible to keep
track of each one. By going to the building system it is easier, but we still have the
problem on not knowing where the buildings are located. It seems that the department
finds four to ten businesses each year that were never there before, but again might be
gone by the next year, with the building closed and locked.
of Kalispell
Post Office Box 1997 • Kalispell, Montana 59903-1997 • Telephone (406) 758-7700 • FAX (406) 758-7758
CITY OF KALISPELL
BUSINESS. LICENSE APPLICATION
I, (we), the undersigned, hereby make application to conduct business within the City of Kalispell:
Name of Business:
Location of Business:
Legal Description: Lot , Block , Subdivision
Please describe the type of business:
Please describe any proposed construction/remodeling, including any signs:
Gross Square Footage of Business:
Zone:
* * * * Please attach a parking plan, including a scaled diagram, for purposes of determining
compliance with parking requirements
Type of State License, if any:
Name of Contact Person:
Mailing Address:
Phone Number:
The applicant agrees that a business license issued pursuant to this application is subject to all the
terms and conditions of the Code of the City of Kalispell, Montana, and the ordinances and
resolutions pertaining thereto, and the applicant hereby agrees to be bound by said terms and
conditions, and this license is non -transferable, except that the applicant may apply to have the
license transferred to a different business site upon paying the necessary transfer fee. Applicant
further certifies that the information given by the applicant is correct to the best of his/her
knowledge.
Signature
Title
City Office Use Only
License Number:
Fee:
Filing Date:
Receipt No.:
(Department comments/conditions may be attached)
Building Official:
Fire Marshal:
Public Works:
Zoning Administrator:
Approved _/Denied Date:
If denied, the reason for denial is:
Date:
Date:
Date:
Date:
Date
ZA
G S T Y O F W H S T E F S S H
of Whitefish
B U S S N E S S L S C E N S E A P P L S C A T S O N
of
P.O. BOX 158
WHITEFISH, MONTANA 59937
I, (we), the undersigned, hereby make application to conduct business within the
City of Whitefish:
Name of Business:
Location of Business: Zone
Legal Description: Lot Block Subdivision
Type of Business: Retail Sales Wholesale Service Professional
Home Occupation Transient Other (describe)
Mailing Name of Business:
Mailing Address: Phone:
. City, State & Zip:
This Business Is: Sole Proprietor Partnership Corporation
Principal Owners/Officers of Business
Manager of Business:
Type of State License, if any: License #
Gross Square Footage of Business: License Fee: S
(See reverse side for definition of square footage and fee schedule. All
applications, when filed, shall be accompanied with the necessary fees).
The applicant agrees that a business license issued pursuant to this application
is subject to all the terms and conditions of the Whitefish Municipal Code, and
the ordinances and resolutions pertaining thereto, and the applicant hereby
agrees to be bound by said .terms and conditions, and this license is
nontransferable, except that the applicant may apply to have the license
transferred to a different business site upon paying the necessary transfer fee.
Applicant further certifies that the information given by the applicant is
correct to the best of his/her knowledge.
Signature
Title
Date
BUSINESS LICENSE FEE SCHEDULE*'
Categories by Gross Business Square Footage**
I
II
III
IV
Business Type 0-499
500-1,999
2,000-9,999
Over 10,000
General & Professional S30/yr.
S50/yr.
S70/yr.
$100/yr.
Home Occupation 15/yr.
15/yr.
15/yr.
15/yr.
Special Category:
-Circus/Tent Show/Fair 50/wk.
50/wk.
50/wk.
50/wk.
-Transient Merchant 20/wk.
20/wk.
20/wk.
20/wk.
Additional Fees
When Applicable:
Transfers $20
$20
$20
$20
Processing Fee: Denial 20
20
20
20
Late Fee: Renewal 20
20
20
20
*New licenses issued after July 1
shall be assessed
atJ one-half
the regular
rate.
**Gross business square footage means the sum
of all floor space in square
footage, including sales area,
office, maintenance, inventory
and all other
space used in the operation of the
business in
the City, whether
enclosed in a
structure or not, except employee
and customer
parking.
City Office Use Only:
Filing Date: Amount Paid: Rect. #
Department comments when applicable:
Building Inspector:
Chief of Police:
Fire Marshal:
Zoning Administrator:
Disposition:
Approved
License Denied:
Appeal Filed:
Date
License No:
Date:
Date:
Date:
Date:
Denied Date:
City Administrator
Reason
Council Action
Date:
Ordinance A-420 11-1-82
Amd : Ord. 89-9 10-2-89
Arrv� • roc a _'21 R_1 Z_Q1
RESOLUTION NO. 93-2
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY OF WHITEFISH, MONTANA, AMENDING RESOLUTION
NO. 92-42 PROVIDING FOR A BUSINESS LICENSE FEE SCHEDULE AS
PRESCRIBED BY THE WHITEFISH MUNICIPAL CODE.
WHEREAS, the Whitefish City Council has adopted Ordinance No.
A-420 which provides for the licensing of businesses; and
WHEREAS, said Ordinance further provides for the
establishment, by resolution, of license fees for various
classifications in connection with said ordinance;
NOW; THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Whitefish City Council,
that said fee schedule be as follows:
Category By *Gross Business Square Footage
(Square Footage)
Over
Base Fee 0-499 500-1,999 2,000-9,000 10,000
General & Professional $30/yr. $50/yr. $70/yr. $100/yr.
Home Occupation
Special Category:
15/yr. 15/yr.
**Circus/tent show/fair 50/wk. 75/wk. -
15 /yr . 15/yr.
100/wk. 150/wk.
**Transient merchants, peddlers, and vendors not permanently
residing within the jurisdictional area of the City nor having a
permanent on -going business establishment within the jurisdictional
area of the City, selling manufactured products. The license fee
shall be $750.00 per quarter.
**Transient merchants, peddlers, and vendors, the proprietor of
which permanently resides within Flathead County, Montana, or who
has a permanent on -going business establishment withoW the
jurisdictional area of the City, selling natural products, with
labor and transportation as the only value-added element; such as
shrubs, Christmas trees, fish or seafood, seasonal fruits and
vegetables, or other categories of services or retail sales which
in the opinion of the City Administrator fall within this intended
special category. The license fee shall be $30.00 per year.
1