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Mounds View Planning Commission March 5, 2003 Regular Meeting Page 3 ________________________________________________________________________ thoughts on the pawnshop ordinance and said that Staff hoped to have a draft ordinance before the Commission to review at the next meeting. Chair Stevenson asked if a six-month moratorium was approved. Director Ericson indicated that it was an 8 or 9 month moratorium or until such time as the ordinance is completed. Commissioner Miller asked what related establishments would be. Director Ericson indicated that check-cashing facilities are a similar type of operation and the City should discuss adding them to the ordinance. Director Ericson indicated that many communities have a setback requirement to say how far apart the usages have to be and whether a separation from churches, schools and day care facilities is required. Director Ericson indicated there has been no official application to locate the pawnshop but the potential business owner is interested in working with the City during the process of amending the Code. Chair Stevenson asked what the time frame was. Director Ericson indicated the Commission could take as many meetings as necessary to discuss and review the information before making a recommendation to Council. Commissioner Johnson asked what the large numbers listed in some of the sample ordinances were for. Director Ericson indicated that the numbers were annual license fees and they are that large because the City has a lot of responsibility and additional work when a pawnshop locates in town and the fees go toward offsetting those costs. Commissioner Miller asked what safeguards are there that the items are not stolen. Director Ericson indicated there are safeguards when merchandise is pawned. He then said that most communities require substantial identification of the person doing the pawning such as a photograph and/or a thumbprint. The pawnshop also cannot accept goods from persons under 18 and there is often a 30-day waiting period after the item is pawned to allow for the items to be entered into the computerized system and checked against reports of stolen goods. He further commented that the computerized system of entering pawned items makes police work much easier as they simply need to check the computer rather than call numerous pawnshops. Commissioner Hegland asked what the cost for membership would be.