Missouri Valley council to revisit building codes, property sale
Don Harrold, Executive Editor
don.harrold@enterprisepub.com
A proposal to update Missouri Valley’s construction and property maintenance codes returns to the City Council on Tuesday, Oct. 20, two weeks after council members approved its first reading. The council will meet at 6 p.m. at the Rand Community Center.
Ordinance 626 would replace several code editions adopted by the city with newer standards covering buildings, homes, fire safety, mechanical systems, electrical work, plumbing and property maintenance. A second reading is scheduled for Tuesday’s meeting.
The proposal calls for adopting 2024 editions of seven codes and the 2023 National Electrical Code. Those would replace editions dating from 2014 through 2018, according to the ordinance included in the meeting packet.
The ordinance identifies its purpose as updating minimum standards for construction, alterations, repairs, use, occupancy and maintenance of buildings within the city. Existing local provisions governing permits, fees and enforcement would remain in effect where applicable and consistent with the ordinance and state law.
Council members approved the first reading Oct. 6, according to the meeting minutes. The proposal states that it would take effect after final passage, approval and publication.
The council also will revisit a proposed sale of city property at 2213 Highway 30. A resolution in Tuesday’s packet proposes setting a public hearing for 6 p.m. Nov. 3 at the Missouri Valley Public Library, 420 E. Huron St.
The proposed transaction would convey the property to Sisson Construction for $111,000. The resolution calls for the council to determine whether the property is needed for public use or should be sold.
The Oct. 6 minutes recorded council approval of a hearing date of Oct. 20. Tuesday’s agenda instead lists consideration of a resolution setting a hearing date, with the accompanying resolution specifying Nov. 3.
At the previous meeting, council members also considered a separate ordinance addressing bicycles and electric scooters. That proposal failed on its first reading, with Struble voting in favor and Tuttle, Keizer, Meadows and Gilpin opposed.
Discussion included questions about sidewalk widths and whether the proposed language would conflict with existing ordinances. The minutes state that further changes were needed, and the bicycle and scooter ordinance does not appear on Tuesday’s agenda.
Other scheduled business includes park, PeopleService and fire updates, along with discussion of the Rand Center and Chamber of Commerce Santa visit scheduled for Dec. 12. Council members also will consider a proposal from Secur-Serv for migration to Microsoft 365.
The council previously voted to move its Nov. 3 meeting to the public library because of the election. Tuesday’s meeting remains scheduled for the Rand Community Center.
