Council approves new drive-through coffee shop

Columbia Falls will soon have a new drive-through coffee shop as the city council unanimously approved a conditional use permit Monday for Three Byrd’s Properties to place one adjacent to O’Brien’s Liquor and Wine.

The City-County Planning Board voted to recommend the approval of the permit at their April 10 meeting.

The permit was approved with five conditions, including securing proper permits from MDOT for the change in use, securing a sign permit, a permit for the remodel of the building, paving the driveway in accordance with the city air quality ordinance and securing a permit for a new approach onto Second Avenue West, if needed. As planned now, access to the coffee shop would come from Highway 2.

Hours for the business, when opened, are expected to be 6 a.m. until 5 p.m.

In other action, the Council approved the new swim season rates for 2018, raising the majority of the rates $5 for season passes. The local family pass for four people will now cost $60 for the season with a $5 increase for each additional person. Out of town family passes will increase to $75. Single-use passes will remain $32 for locals and $40 for out of town users.

According to the report presented to the council, if used every day of the season, the new passes cost around 25 cents per day, per person.

The cost of individual swim lessons will also increase $5.

Russell Albin also came before the council to get approval for his Eagle Scout project, which will place a veterans memorial in Welcoming Park. The proposed memorial would include columns with the insignia of the five armed forces, along with two flagpoles.

It was also reported that four beavers had to be removed from River’s Edge Park by Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks.