Local meeting primer: Three Rivers City Commission

The Three Rivers City Commission will meet this Tuesday, August 18 at 6 p.m. in city hall for a regular business meeting. Commissioners will consider a short agenda that includes a first reading of the International Property Maintenance Code and a $27,626 initial-term purchase to replace the city’s website. Commissioners will also hold a public hearing on an ordinance amendment that would alter mixed-use conditions in business districts and consider approving three city board applications.

New city website

Commissioners will be asked to consider an initial-term investment of $27,626 in CivicPlus Municipal Websites Central related services to replace the city’s website and improve its ability to “provide accessible, secure, and user-friendly information to residents, businesses, and visitors,” according to the agenda packet. 

The program would replace the city’s website and provide agenda and meeting management, historical meeting information, website accessibility, PDF document accessibility, and social media archiving. 

After the initial $27,626 investment, the agreement lists $24,653 in annual recurring services, with a 5% increase beginning in the second year. 

The packet does not state when the new website would launch or whether the existing site would experience downtime during the transition. The program would also allow amended sections of the municipal code to link back to the meeting where legislation was adopted, giving staff and residents “instant access to the agenda, minutes, audio, video, and vote tallies,” when applicable. 

The city has not publicly provided an update on its plans to explore livestreaming options, and the website change does not itself indicate that meetings will be livestreamed. Commissioners directed City Manager Joe Bippus to explore city-run meeting livestreams during their June 16 meeting but have received no public update from Bippus since.

International Property Maintenance Code

Commissioners will hold a first reading of an ordinance adopting the International Property Maintenance Code, which would establish minimum standards for the maintenance of existing residential and nonresidential properties. The code would provide the city with a comprehensive and standardized framework for addressing property maintenance concerns. It is also intended to assist with consistent code enforcement throughout the city. 

Commissioners will hold the first reading and introduction of the ordinance. No final adoption is scheduled Tuesday, and the ordinance would then proceed through the required adoption process before returning to the City Commission for further consideration.

Ordinance amendment public hearing

Prior to that, commissioners will hold a second public hearing on proposed changes to Sections 30-8, 30-27, and 30-29 of the Three Rivers City Code regarding conditions for mixed residential and nonresidential uses in the city’s business districts. The amendment would also update related definitions, including “lot” and “street frontage,” and helps clarify site plan review requirements for conditional-use applicants. 

The Planning Commission says the changes are intended to increase zoning flexibility for developers and allow for more housing options. Following the public hearing, commissioners will consider adopting the ordinance. 

Residents have spoken during public comment in recent months about delays and obstacles they say they have faced while pursuing development projects in the city. One recurring concern raised by speakers was inconsistent enforcement of city code.

Board applications

Commissioners will also consider three board appointments: David Alford to the Zoning Board of Appeals, Alexis Baker to the Planning Commission, and Grayson Dudd to the Park Board. 

During their July 21 meeting, commissioners stated that there were 27 vacancies on boards throughout the city.

Maxwell Knauer is a staff writer for Watershed Voice.