The downtown core has one less pawn shop, at least for now.
With the owners of Linda's Pawn Shop taking over Northern Pawn, their former location on 101st street now stands vacant in the downtown core, raising hopes among those looking to revamp the downtown core that the city has turned the corner in its fight against a proliferation of pawn shops in the downtown core.
The downtown issue was back at council at Monday night's meeting in North Battleford, where councillors learned of the deal where Linda Bomok and Vic Whitfield, owners of Linda's Pawn Shop, purchased another existing pawn shop, Northern Pawn.
City building inspector Jerry Wintonyk informed council that Bomok and Whitfield would be operating at Northern Pawn's location at 1080 101st Street from now on, and would be closing Linda's Pawn Shop at 1122 101st Street.
The transaction came up during the routine approval of the license application for the purchase at council.
The changeover is already apparent on the street. The former Linda's Pawn Shop location now stands empty, with notices directing customers to go to the Northern Pawn location down the street.
The deal raised eyebrows at Monday's meeting given the city's efforts to crack down on the establishment of new pawn shops in the downtown core.
Zoning bylaw changes were brought in during the past decade to forbid the establishment of new pawn shops downtown as a "permitted use". That zoning has not prevented existing pawn shops from staying at their current locations as a "nonconforming use".
Not only are existing "nonconforming use" buildings (ie. pawn shops) able to continue at their current locations, but as council found out Monday, they are also able to transfer ownership. Wintonyk explained to council that Northern Pawn is allowed to do so under the Planning and Development Act.
The provisions of the Act state "the use of land or the use of a building is unaffected by a change or intended change of ownership, tenancy or occupancy of a building."
As for the now-vacant Linda's Pawn Shop location, the property could still end up being used as another pawn shop or second-hand store. According to the Act, there is a window of 12 months which allows another tenant to come in and use the location as a pawn shop.
The provincial Planning and Development Act states a "nonconforming use or the intensity of use may be continued if: (a) the use, either permitted or discretionary, conformed to the bylaw that was in effect at the time of development; and (b) the use has not been discontinued for a period of more than 12 months on that site."
Council would have no choice but to approve the business license in such a situation, explains city planner Tim LaFreniere, because the city is bound by the province's rules.
"If someone came forward and made application in the next 11 months, and comes to council for that location, we would be required to issue approval," said LaFreniere.
However, after the 12-month period of time is up, the only businesses that can occupy the premises are ones that comply with the zoning bylaw.
"What this could mean for the city is that there could be one fewer pawn shop downtown," said LaFreniere.
He explained the process of what would happen with the old Linda's Pawn Shop location going forward.
"We make a note on file when she's relocated," said LaFreniere "Following 12 months if the building is vacant for that 12 month period, or if it's reoccupied by a use other than a pawn shop for that 12 month period, then it can only be reoccupied by premises that meet the requirements of the zoning bylaw. So a pawn shop would not be permitted after that 12-month period."
"It's a requirement of the province and it provides a process of change, that ultimately is designed to get all properties in compliance with the zoning bylaw passed by council," said LaFreniere, who also notes that the rules in place have led to a slow but steady decline in the number of pawn shops setting up their operations downtown.
