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City Council Minutes <br />July 16, 2012 <br />Page 5 <br />AMENDING CHAPTER 30, ARTICLE I, SECTION 30 -1, DEFINITIONS, AND <br />CHAPTER 30, ARTICLE VI, DIVISION 7, COMMERCIAL OR BUSINESS <br />DISTRICTS AND DIVISION 8 INDUSTRIAL AND BUSINESS PARK <br />DISTRICTS, OF THE ELK RIVER MINNESOTA CITY CODE ALL <br />PERTAINING TO COMMERCIAL RECREATION AND PHYSICAL <br />RECREATION AND TRAINING USES. MOTION CARRIED 5 -0. <br />7.6 Conditional Use Permit to Amend Elk Park Center Planned Unit Development to Allow <br />Pawn Shops as a Conditional Use, Case No. CU 12 -09 <br />Mr. Barnhart presented the staff report. <br />Mayor Dietz opened the public hearing. <br />Ryan Brown, applicant — Stated he sent an invitation to all the Councilmembers to visit his <br />stores in other cities. He stated he did not realize this item was on the agenda to be <br />considered for denial. Mr. Brown noted criminals will commit crime whether or not a pawn <br />shop is located in Elk River and the difference with having the pawn shop is it's easier for <br />police to recover items. <br />Attorney Beck outlined the action taken by the City Council at their June 18, 2012, meeting <br />of which Mr. Brown was in attendance. <br />Mike McDonough, 18966 Lowell Street — Stated he is opposed to a pawn shop in Elk <br />River due to the amount of work it will create for the police. <br />Mayor Dietz closed the public hearing. He further asked Police Captain Bob Kluntz to speak <br />to his knowledge of pawn shops. <br />Captain Kluntz stated the police do have concerns about a pawn shop in Elk River. He <br />stated pawn shops do increase workload but he can't estimate the time at this point. He <br />further highlighted some of the details of the type of work that would be performed by the <br />police. <br />Councilmember Westgaard stated he didn't have any issues with the pawn shop location and <br />felt they operate similar to a second hand store. <br />Councilmember Motin disagreed. He stated concerns with how development surrounding <br />this location will be impacted and how citizens will perceive the area differently. He noted he <br />drove to the applicant's store in Ramsey and further detailed the blight he saw in the area. <br />He stated he had no issues with the shop locating in another area of the city but didn't feel <br />this was the appropriate location for a pawn shop. <br />Councilmember Zerwas concurred. He further outlined why he believes a pawn shop is <br />different from a second hand shop. He stated a pawn shop is a business known to attract <br />criminals. He further discussed his experience with pawn shop issues when he worked for <br />Anoka County. He noted the extra work that would be needed by the police department to <br />track stolen goods through the various pawn shops. <br />Mayor Dietz stated that at the last Council meeting he indicated he was in support of the <br />conditional use permit. He stated many citizens have since approached him with reasons as <br />