The West St. Paul City Council at its last meeting approved city regulations dealing with pawnbrokers and precious metal dealers. It also reviewed new rules governing tattoo shops.
A moratorium banning new pawnshops had been in place since last year. But at the meeting, the moratorium was repealed and new regulations governing not just pawnshops but also precious metal dealers were put into place.
Stolen property is regularly recovered from the city's lone pawnshop, West St. Paul police say. Regulations were expanded to also include precious metal dealers, because they also have the potential to be places where stolen goods end up.
The new rules require that precious metal dealers be licensed by the city, and if pawnbrokers also deal in precious metals, they need an additional license. Extensive recordkeeping will be required, such as recording the full name, address and photo of sellers in a computer system and reporting it electronically on a daily basis.
Transaction fees also will be required. Pawned items must be retained for 60 days before they can be sold, and precious metal items must be retained for 14 days, except coins purchased for their precious metal value. The rules also regulate hours of operation and the number of licenses available for pawnshop and precious metal dealer licenses.
"This does not stop burglary and theft. This helps us recover stolen property and prosecute offenders," said Mayor John Zanmiller.
Another zoning code amendment that passed at the meeting sets limitations on where a pawnshop or tattoo parlor could be located. It also redefined some terms, such as what constitutes a tattoo, body-piercing and body art in light of new state regulations.
Discussion of a new body art ordinance was continued for another month because some City Council members expressed concerns that prohibiting body art, which includes tattooing and body piercing, from being done in the home was too restrictive.
