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Item No: 9B & 9C Meeting Date: May 12, 2003 Type of Business: PH & CB City of Mounds View Staff Report To: Mounds View City Council From: James Ericson, Interim City Administrator Item Title/Subject: Consideration of Ordinances 711 and 712 Related to Licensing and Zoning of Pawnshops in Mounds View; Special Planning Case No. SP-114-03 History: The City Council adopted an Interim ordinance on February 27, 2003, which directed the Planning Commission to review the licensing and zoning implications and to recommend applicable provisions. The Planning Commission has discussed this issue at their March 5th, March 19th, April 2nd, April 16th and May 7th meetings. The Commission reviewed State statues, ordinances from adjoining communities and ordinances from communities where pawnshops currently operate. The Commission also heard testimony from representatives of the Mounds View Police Department who did research on their own, discussing the potential impacts of a pawnshop with other police departments. After significant discussion and input from interested parties including residents and tenants from Moundsview Square, the Commission adopted a resolution forwarding the two ordinances on to the City Council for their consideration. The Planning Commission’s resolution along with the two ordinances are attached for your review. Discussion: Two ordinances are being considered this evening. Ordinance 711 is the ordinance which amends the Zoning Code to identify the particular zoning district in which a pawnshop could locate. Ordinance 712 is the ordinance which amends the City’s business license regulations, creating the licensing framework within which a potential pawnshop would need to operate. While this report addresses both ordinances, the public hearing applies only to Ordinance 711 regarding the amendment to the Zoning Code. There has been significant feedback from members of the community already regarding this subject so the Council may want to allow for public comment during the discussion relating to the licensing provisions as well. Before delving into the two ordinances, it must be pointed out that the City does not currently have any regulations relating to Pawnshops. Without such regulations, there is a risk of a Pawnshop opening in the City anywhere without any controls whatsoever. By creating the licensing provisions the City is taking the necessary steps to protect the health, safety and welfare of the community. The City cannot simply say no to a Pawnshop without exposing the City to expensive legal challenges. The City can, however, adopt very strict licensing provisions and adopt a fee structure that is sufficient to cover the added expense to the City’s police department.