Minutes - 2003/05/12 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Mounds View City Council May 12, 2003 Regular Meeting Page 10 Mayor Linke asked for Chief Sommer's opinion on pawnshops. Chief Sommer indicated that there is extra police work involved when the community has a pawnshop but said that the ordinance requires the automated pawn system which is a database that each person pawning an item is entered into to make investigation easier. Chin Veck representing the frame shop in Mounds View Square indicated that they are very upset that a pawnshop would be locating next to his store. He then said that he was told a nice jewelry store would be locating next to him and was never told it was a pawnshop. Richard Sonterre of 5060 Red Oak Drive indicated he had made a lot of comments at the Planning Commission meeting and had submitted a letter to Council. He then said that he feels the possibility of an overlay zoning district needs further consideration and noted that Robbinsdale recently created a successful overlay district. Mr. Sonterre indicated that he would prefer the overlay district to be north of State Highway 10 to keep pawnshops away from schools, malls, churches and residential areas. He then said that he does not know if there is enough land to accomplish the pawnshop in that geographic location but he would like to see them limited to that area. • Mr. Sonterre commented that the City has spent a lot of money on planning for updating the corridor and a set of criteria was set forward for guiding redevelopment. The number one thing was improving safety but the next most important was to create a center of the City that was a place for residents to gather and he does not feel that adding a pawnshop to Mounds View Square is appropriate. He then asked that Council determine a geographic location for the pawnshop that does not have a negative impact on the center of the City. Mayor Linke expressed concerns with overlay district and indicated there are strict requirements that must be made. He then asked Staff to review the incident in Hopkins where the city ran into trouble with trying to create an overlay district. Mr. Sonterre indicated that Maplewood has successfully executed an overlay district. Council Member Marty indicated that NW Youth and Family Services has expressed concern with having a pawnshop located next to Penny Pinchers as that is a business that works with children on the edge in an attempt to reform them and having that type of business could provide a negative impact for those kids. Council Member Gunn asked whether the owner of the frame shop had contacted Paster Enterprises concerning the pawnshop. Mr. Veck indicated he was out of town and received the news through a cell phone call. He then • said he has talked to Commissioner Zwirn and given him his opinion. He then said that they just took over the business March 5, 2003 and are struggling and the pawnshop is very bad news for them.