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HomeMy WebLinkAbout03-19-2003 PROCEEDINGS OF THE MOUNDS VIEW PLANNING COMMISSION CITY OF MOUNDS VIEW RAMSEY COUNTY, MINNESOTA Regular Meeting March 19, 2003 Mounds View City Hall 2401 Highway 10, Mounds View, MN 55112 ______________________________________________________________________________ 1. Call to Order The meeting was called to order by Chair Stevenson at 7:00 p.m., March 19, 2003. ______________________________________________________________________________ 2. Roll Call Members Present: Commissioners Stevenson, Hegland, Song, Zwirn, Miller, and Johnson Members Absent: Scotch (excused) Also Present: Community Development Director Ericson ________________________________________________________________________ Index to Minutes Page Discussion of Text Amendment to Code for Pawnshops 2 ______________________________________________________________________________ 3. Approve Minutes None. ______________________________________________________________________________ 4. Citizens Requests and Comments on Items Not on the Agenda Neal Zinser addressed the Commission and explained that an error on the City’s part has led to a stop work order being placed on the home he is building. He further indicated that the home is constructed of concrete and all but a small portion of the concrete walls have been erected and it would be cost prohibitive to move the home back out of the setback at this point in the project. Mr. Zinser asked the Commission to consider the extenuating circumstances and grant a variance when heard at the next meeting. Mounds View Planning Commission March 19, 2003 Regular Meeting Page 2 ________________________________________________________________________ Commissioner Zwirn asked how this happened. Mr. Zinser indicated that the building official had signed off on the plans and granted the building permit but Staff had later learned of an additional setback requirement that newly constructed homes not be any farther forward than the forward most home on the block and that is the setback requirement they are in violation of. ______________________________________________________________________________ 5. Discussion pertaining to a Code Amendment to regulate the location and licensure of Pawn Shops in Mounds View. Community Development Director Ericson asked the Commission to discuss and provide direction to Staff as to whether they felt it necessary to include language governing precious metal dealers with this amendment. Mr. Przetycki indicated he holds a precious metal dealer’s license in Hennepin County and it is simply a $50.00 fee he pays each year to receive a certificate he hangs on the wall of his business. He then indicated he intends to file an application with Ramsey County and the fee is $175.00 for the license. He further commented that he did not think it would be a bad thing to include the requirement for a precious metal dealer’s license. Chair Stevenson indicated he would like to have someone check with Ramsey County to see what the benefit of the licensing fee is. Commissioner Miller asked whether there should be any requirements for furs. Mr. Przetycki indicated he would be applying for a pawnshop license as well as a second hand dealer’s license and furs should be covered with one of those two licenses. He further commented that he did not intend to take in many, if any, fur pieces. Commissioner Zwirn commented that this license is much like the federal fire arms licensure in that it is a way to have the business registered as a way of tracking if there is a crime committed. Chair Stevenson asked if pawnshops take in guns. Mr. Przetycki indicated that some pawnshops do take in guns but others do not and he does not plan to do so as it is not something he knows about. Commissioner Zwirn asked if Mr. Przetycki would be taking in boats trailers or cars. Mr. Przetycki indicated he would need a vehicle dealer’s license to take in cars, boats and trailers. He then said that he could only take in what can be properly stored on his site. Commissioner Zwirn specifically asked if Mr. Przetycki intended to take in large items such as vehicles that he intended to store outside in the parking area. Mounds View Planning Commission March 19, 2003 Regular Meeting Page 3 ________________________________________________________________________ Mr. Przetycki indicated that he did not have, and would not have, a fenced storage area so he would be prevented from taking in the larger vehicles but said he intends to take in the occasional snowmobile or ATV that can, and will, be stored within his storage or retail space. Commissioner Hegland asked for an estimate of the number of transactions Mr. Przetycki expects per month. Mr. Przetycki indicated the number would be dependent upon the establishment of the business but said he expects to have 400 to 600 transactions per month within a year of opening. Commissioner Miller asked who determines the interest rate charged to the seller of the items. Mr. Przetycki indicated it is not really an interest rate but a storage and holding fee of 25% per month. Commissioner Zwirn asked whether Mr. Przetycki intended to handle high-end jewelry as he is a jeweler. Mr. Przetycki indicated he does expect to handle high-end jewelry and said he intends to run his pawnshop like a clean, well-run jewelry operation with glass cases. He then said he thinks his operation will be 75% jewelry. Commissioner Song asked whether Mr. Przetycki would be doing certification of precious stones. Mr. Przetycki indicated he would do appraisals on jewelry for customers but the normal procedure is that items sell as is and he will only be offering the nicest items possible for sale at his operation. He further commented that he would be verifying the diamond sizes and quality to ensure that there is no fake jewelry being sold at real jewelry prices as he is a very reputable jeweler and businessman and intends to run a reputable operation. Commissioner Song asked whether Mr. Przetycki would be taking in antique coins. Mr. Przetycki indicated he could take in older currency and trade it for new currency. Commissioner Miller indicated the Roseville sample ordinance was very detailed and asked whether it was necessary to have the Mounds View ordinance as detailed. Director Ericson indicated it was up to the Planning Commission to determine the extent of the detail to be recommended for approval. He then indicated he would contact Ramsey County for further information on the precious metal dealer’s license. Mounds View Planning Commission March 19, 2003 Regular Meeting Page 4 ________________________________________________________________________ Commissioner Zwirn indicated that Maplewood has had numerous issues with break-ins at their pawnshops especially with the high-end jewelry and asked Staff to contact them for information on their ordinance requirements. Chair Stevenson asked Staff to determine what Section 301.03 in the Roseville ordinance refers to as it may have further useful information on the precious metal dealer’s license. Commissioner Hegland asked how Staff arrived at the recommendations for fees. Director Ericson indicated he looked at other City requirements and considered the work that would be required by City Staff in tracking the activity of the pawnshop. Commissioner Hegland asked if Staff contacted other cities for actual costs and whether those costs are covered by the fees charged. Director Ericson indicated he did not ask but said that it is his estimation that the fees will more than compensate for the time involved. He then indicated that Staff would put together an ordinance for review at the next meeting. Chair Stevenson asked why Mounds View Square is a B4 property and the area across the street is not. Director Ericson indicated it is based on the size of the development and the limited parking across the street warrants the B2 designation to limit the uses to keep parking in check. ______________________________________________________________________________ 6. Next Planning Commission Meeting: April 2, 2003 ______________________________________________________________________________ 7. Adjournment to Agenda Session There being no further business before the Planning Commission, Chair Stevenson adjourned the meeting at 7:40 p.m. (The meeting immediately adjourned to the Agenda Session) Respectfully submitted, Jim Ericson Community Development Director Transcribed by: Joan Lenzmeier TimeSaver Off Site Secretarial, Inc.