Planning costs adding up for Columbia Falls

Setting up its own planning office could cost the city of Columbia Falls 4 1/2 times the revenue it received through the Tri-City Planning Office last year, council members learned Monday night.

Those fees generated through the office shared among Columbia Falls, Whitefish and Kalispell would make up only a portion of revenue needed in the coming year, but with Tri-City closing June 30, the council may have to find the money somewhere in its budget.

City Manager Bill Shaw projected a budget of $54,700 for a new planning office dedicated solely to Columbia Falls.

Under the expiring arrangement, one planner in the Tri-City pool was dedicated to handling the city's issues as needed. Fees generated through that office sent about $12,000 to city coffers last year, Shaw told the council.

But he said salaries for the city's own planning office would come to $30,700 - for a planning clerk, a deputy clerk and Shaw's own time as planning manager. In addition, the city could expect to spend $20,000 for the services of a professional planner on a contract basis, and another $4,000 in office supplies.

In an early look at where that money might come from, Shaw came up with $22,644 from taxes, $18,075 from county and other governmental funds, $6,000 from charges for services, and $8,000 from the general fund.

It adds up, but more than $13,800 of the intergovernmental money is one-time-only. It comes from each city taking its share of assets or cash from Tri-City's dissolution, and will be available to Columbia Falls only this coming year.

After that, Shaw said, the council will have to consider revamping its fee structure for permits, plat reviews and other planning services.

For the next six months to a year, however, Shaw said the city will live with its current fee structure.

In the future, changes could come from a different split in building permit fees. All building permit money must currently be used only for staff training and development and to perform inspections.

A different split, however, could designate some of the building permit fee for other uses that could be tapped by the planning office.

Work on the city's preliminary budget for 2005-06 is under way now, with Shaw's comments on dollar amounts and which projects to pursue expected at the council's June 6 meeting.

By the first meeting of July, he said, he will have a list of projects and how much can be spent.

Reporter Nancy Kimball may be reached at 758-4483 or by e-mail at nkimball@dailyinterlake.com