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Council approves first reading to raise building-moving thresholds, remove cash-bond requirement
Summary
The council passed first reading of Ordinance 25-0301 to change the city code on building-moving permits (chapter 46): it raised size thresholds (height to 15 feet after amendment), and removed the cash-bond requirement in favor of insurance or a surety bond; the council discussed permitting frequency and state-highway exceptions.
The City Council on March 24 approved first reading of Ordinance 25-0301, amending Chapter 46 of the city code to change when a building-moving permit is required and how financial guarantees are posted.
Ken (Public Works) described the draft ordinance and the changes it would make. He said the ordinance as printed used a 13-foot loaded height threshold but staff recommended raising the threshold to 15 feet to avoid requiring permits for many commonly moved sheds and small buildings. "This will protect overhang utilities, signs, so forth from any damages," Ken said, and noted staff recommendation to allow insurance or a surety bond in lieu of the existing $500 cash bond held by finance.
Councilman Ward moved an amendment to change the printed 13-foot height threshold to 15 feet; Councilman Nordstrom seconded the amendment. The amendment passed by voice vote. Council members discussed how the change would reduce permitting for small sheds moved within town and noted that state highways remain outside the city permitting requirement for through-movement. Ken told the council the city issued about 10 moving permits last year and that prior policy changes (raising a prior square-foot threshold) had already reduced permit counts.
After the amendment, the council approved first reading of the ordinance on a roll-call vote. The ordinance as amended exempts buildings that do not exceed the new thresholds (loaded width up to 12 feet, loaded height up to 15 feet) from the city moving-permit requirement; projects exceeding those dimensions will require route approval, police escort and financial guarantee via insurance or surety bond rather than cash retainage.
Ending: The ordinance passed first reading; staff said the second reading will reflect the amendment to the height threshold and that routine permitting policy language will be adjusted to match the ordinance.
