Bob CollinsSt. Louis Park has prevailed in its fight against pawn shops in its city.
Today, the Minnesota Supreme Court upheld the city’s ordinance against pawn shops near residential areas, and a restriction against more than two pawn shops in the city. A moratorium on pawn shops in the city prevented Pawn America — a national chain based in Burnsville — from putting a shop on Excelsior Boulevard, after residents in the area objected.
Pawn America said it was specifically being targeted by the city’s zoning rule.
“The City does not deny that Pawn America’s plan to open a pawnshop prompted the adoption of the interim ordinance. But awareness of one particular application does not, in itself, make the City‟s actions arbitrary or unreasonable,” the Supreme Court said in its ruling today.
“Although the Pawn America application undoubtedly prompted the City’s concern about pawnshops and the City took steps to preserve the status quo, the record indicates that the City adopted the interim moratorium ordinance not merely because of Pawn America, but to protect the City’s planning process with respect to pawnshops in the City in general, and to examine the impact of pawnshops on the health, safety, and welfare of its citizens,” it said.
