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HomeMy WebLinkAboutAmending Chapter 4 - to revise provisions for the licensing of precious metals dealers and secondhand storesORDINANCE No. s~a~ ss Passed by the Common Council of the City of South Bend, Indiana April 28, 19 99 Attest: Attest: City Clerk President of Common Council Presented by me to the Mayor of the City of South Bend, Indiana April 30, 19 99 City Clerk Approved and signed by me Ap r i 1 3 0 19 9 9 Mayor ~C?~w~ ORDINANCE NO . ~ QQ 2 _ ~ ` AN ORDINANCE OF THE COMMON COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SOUTH BEND, INDIANA, AMENDING CHAPTER 4 OF THE SOUTH BEND MUNICIPAL CODE TO REVISE PROVISIONS FOR THE LICENSING OF PRECIOUS METALS DEALERS AND SECONDHAND STORES - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - STATEMENT OF PURPOSE AND INTENT - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - The purpose of this ordinance is to amend Chapter 4 of the South Bend Municipal Code to revise provisions for the licensing of metals dealers and secondhand stores. The Common Council of the City of South Bend determines that such businesses serve an important purpose within the community, and that careful regulation businesses is necessary to ensure the quality of such businesses and to protect public safety and general welfare. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COMMON COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SOUTH BEND, INDIANA AS FOLLOWS: SECTION I. Chapter 4, Article 4, Section 4-44, of the South Bend Municipal Code shall be, and hereby is, amended to read as follows: Sec. 4-44. Precious metals dealers. (a) Definitions. (1) Dealer means any person who holds himself out to the public as a purchaser of precious metals, or who in doing business engages in purchasing, trading, or offering by consignment silver, gold or precious metals. (2) Precious metals means any article made in whole or in part of gold, silver or platinum, but not including any coin, any gold or silver ingot or any gold or silver bar. (3) Wholesale precious metals means articles made in whole or in part of silver, gold or platinum that have not been previously used, traded or sold by a retailer and that are being purchased by a dealer from a manufacturer or from a wholesaler or distributor of newly manufactured precious metals. (b) License and place of operation: (1) No dealer shall operate in the City except from a permanent shop or place of business.' No dealer shall operate upon public property or from a vehicle, flea market, hotel room, or similar location. (2) No dealer shall operate in the City who does not possess a valid precious metals dealer license. (3) The application for a precious metals dealer license shall be made to the Office of the Controller, and shall set forth: (a) The name under which the business is to be conducted; (b) The name, address and telephone number of the applicant; (c) The location(s) where the applicant intends to do business; and (d) The type of goods, wares or merchandise the applicant intends to sell. (4) The application shall then be referred to the Police Department for review and recommendation. The Police Department shall conduct an investigation of each applicant and make a recommendation to the Controller as to whether the application should be granted. In making its recommendation, the Police Department shall consider the criminal history of the applicant, if any, and the likelihood that granting the application will endanger the health, safety or welfare of the public. A report of the investigation and a copy of the traffic and police record of the applicant, if any, and the recommendation of the Police Department, shall be attached to the application for the consideration of the Controller. (5) The Controller shall consider the recommendation of the Police Department, and all information provided with or in support of the application in determining whether the application should be granted. (6) The applicant for a precious metals dealer license shall pay an annual fee of two hundred ($200.00) to the 2 Controller, upon issuance of the license. (c) Report to police and records required; contents. (1) Every dealer shall maintain and provide to the Police Department a precious metal report within twenty-four (24) hours from time of purchase of any precious metal items. The reporter must contain the seller's name, address, social security number, the price paid for each item, the purchase date and time, a description of each article purchased, including identifying marks and the manufacturer (where known), and the seller's driver's license number or the number of any other identification issued by a governmental authority bearing the seller's photograph, and the account number from one additional piece of recognized identification. The form shall also bear a clear, inked impression of the seller's right thumb print and the same transaction number as recorded in the dealer's record book as required by paragraph (2) below. (2) The dealer shall also record the seller's physical description and a description of the property purchased, as required in this section, and shall retain the ~}c import and information for three years from the date of the last purchase recorded therein. (~~) Any records required to be kept or maintained under this section shall be available at all times for inspection by 3 the Police Chief or person duly authorized by him to inspect the records. (fro) The Police Department shall not reveal the identity of a seller supplied under this section, except to other law enforcement agencies and prosecuting officials or pursuant to a valid court order, or in the course of any criminal investigation. (d) Precious metal purchases from minors prohibited. No dealer shall purchase precious metals from a person under eighteen (18) years of age. (e) Precious metals to be held for _fou_rtee_n_ da~~ Qr thirty days before resale. All precious metals purchased by a dealer must be held for thirty (30) days within the City in the dealer's possession, before being resold, exchanged, melted or altered in any manner. However, ;f the dealer maintains the _report and infnrmatinn rPqu;rP~ by ~b ion (~) in a computer program ~oT11pa ; bl ~~~i th a program maintained by h ~o ~ h B nd pol ; t~partment,~ or ;n a program pre-aapproved by the South Bend Police ~pecif~r the amount of time the precious m l m~ t b h ld. If the items purchased are held or stored at a location other than the dealer's premises licensed under this section, the location of these goods and the holder's identification must be filed with the Police Chief within twenty-four (24) hours from the time of purchase. All goods required to be held under this section shall be available at all times for inspection by the Police Chief or a person duly authorized by the Police Chief to inspect the goods. (f) Coin purchase. Any purchase of coins made up in part of gold or silver where the total purchase exceeds fifty dollars ($50.00) shall comply with subsection (c)(2)}. (g) Exemptions. The provisions of this section shall not apply to wholesale precious metal purchases or to transactions between dealers of precious metals where the selling dealer has already complied with the terms of this section, including subsection (e) . 4 (h) Penalty. Any violation of the provisions of this section shall be deemed an offense and, upon conviction, the offender shall be fined not less than two hundred dollars ($200.00) nor more than two thousand five hundred dollars ($2,500.00). Each violation shall constitute a separate offense and be punishable as such. SECTION II. Chapter 4, Article 4, Section 4-53, of the South Bend Municipal Code shall be, and hereby is, amended to read as follows: Sec. 4-53. Secondhand stores. (a) Definition. Any person who keeps or maintains a business for the purchase or sale of secondhand clothing, secondhand furniture or secondhand goods, wares or merchandise of any kind, shall be considered as operating a secondhand store. However, this definition does not include businesses exclusively engaged in the sale of used automobiles. (b) License required. No person shall engage in the business of a secondhand store without first obtaining a license as required by this section. (c) Application. Any person desiring to operate a secondhand store shall file an application stating the following with the City Controller. (1) Name, address and telephone number of the applicant. (2) Name, address and telephone number of the secondhand store. (3) Types of materials to be sold. The application shall be referred to the Police Department for review and recommendation and to the City Controller. The Police Department shall conduct an investigation of each applicant and make a recommendation to the Controller as to whether the application should be granted. In making its recommendation, the Police Department shall consider the criminal history of the applicant, if any, and the likelihood that granting the application will endanger the health, safety or welfare of the public. A report of the investigation and a copy of the traffic and police record of the applicant, if any, and 5 the recommendation of the Police Department, shall be attached to the application for the consideration of the Controller. The Controller shall consider the recommendation of the Police Department, and all information provided with or in support of the application in determining whether the application should be granted. (d) License fee. The applicant for a secondhand store license shall pay an annual fee of one hundred dollars ($100.00) to the Controller, upon approval of the Board and Police Department and issuance of the license. (e) Records required; contents. Each secondhand store dealer shall ~p maintain at the place of business a bound book with consecutively numbered pages, in which __ ____ the dealer shall enter or cause to be entered, in writing using permanent ink, the following information: (1) A description of each secondhand item bought or received by iron the dealer. (2) The date and time when it was received. (3) Any prominent or descriptive marks that may be on such property. (4) The name, date of birth, address and social security number of the person from whom it was purchased or received. (f) Inspection of books and property. Every secondhand store dealer shall, during the hours of ordinary business, allow any member of the South Bend Police Department to inspect the licensed premises and the contents thereof and shall, upon request, exhibit for inspection the books or information required to be kept under ~~ subsection (e). In addition, every secondhand dealer shall present s~-tci ~h books or information to the Police € Dinar m n for inspection and copying .~~'__ :-__'_ upon request. (g) Items to be held for foL_rteen 1~4)~ys or thirty (30) days prior to resale. All items purchased or received by the 6 secondhand store dealer, with the exception of clothing, shall be held for fourteen __(14) days or thirty (30) days prior to resale or other disposal by the dealer. However, if he d a r mair,t-a;nom the information required by subsection (~) in a ~o~p ~ r program comx~atible with a program maintained by the 4nii1-h RA„~ pol ; ce Department or pre-a~2proved by h South Bend pnl;~-P D nartment~ and sends repor s of each day' ansactions a~~quired by subsection (e) after the close of each business dam, the dealer shall only be required to hold the items for four n (14) d3~r~prior to resale or di spo a 'T'h ~ n issued under this section shall s~P~-lfy h moan of im h items are o b h ld. (h) Purchase from minors prohibited. No secondhand store dealer shall receive or purchase any property whatever from a person under the age of eighteen (18) years. (I) Exemptions. Any not-for-profit or charitable organization doing business as a not-for-profit corporation under the laws of Indiana shall be exempt from the licensing provisions of this chapter. This section shall not apply to businesses which sell used merchandise on a consignment basis exclusively. (j) Display out of doors prohibited. No person required to obtain a license under this section shall cause or permit clothing, furniture, goods, wares or merchandise of any kind, Px~pnt for boats, trailers or vehicles, to be displayed for sale out of doors or outside the building at the premises where such items are sold, unless that person first obtains a permit for outdoor d;Gnlay and mays an outdoor permit fee of fifty dollars (~~n nnl o i ~r of South Bend The fol_1_owi ng_ reg ~i r m nts ,,,,,mot 1-,P met to obtain and retai n an outdoor di spl_a~r Hermit 7 (k) Penalty. Any person who violates a provision of this section shall be fined not less than two hundred dollars ($200.00) or more than two thousand five hundred dollars ($2,500.00). Each violation shall constitute a separate offense and be punishable as such. SECTION III: Chapter 4, Article 4, Section 4-64 of the South Bend Municipal Code shall be, and hereby is, amended to read as follows: Section 4-64. Chart of licensing fees. Regulated Activity Code Section Fee SECTION IV: The fifty dollar ($50.00) fee addressed in ~ 4- 53 and ~ 4-64 shall be reviewed in December of 1999 by the Common Council regarding its reasonableness to services provided by the City Administration. 8 ~ TTON V: This ordinance shall be in full force and effect from and after its passage by the Common Council, approval by the Mayor, and publication as required by law. 1st READItr'G ~-12-~~ PUBLIC HEARING ~-I-1-~-'~g 3rd READING ~{-Z(~.qe, NOT APPROVED REFERRED ~~¢.-d Member of the Common Council 9 ,~~-~,,, tt.- .. L~ ~~4r hY FOB 'M. ... E fj'JY .. ~~~ ~ ~ 1959 g C9Tr'DL~Ii1,D.~ d~D,t°~. PASSED ~.t$-9~ q s 0.a++~~-~l COMMITTEE REPORT TO THE COMMON COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SOUTH BEND: Your Committee of the Whole, to whom was referred: 33-99 PUBLIC HEARING OF A BILL OF THE COMMON COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SOUTH BEND, INDIANA, AMENDING CHAPTER 4 OF THE SOUTH BEND MUNICIPAL CODE TO REVISE PROVISIONS FOR THE LICENSING OF PRECIOUS METALS DEALERS AND SECONDHAND STORES Respectfully report that they have examined the matter and that in their opinion, this bill is being recommended to the full Council with a favorable recommendation, amended as follows: Re-number Section IV to V. New Section IV: Section IV The fifty dollar ($50.00) fee addressed in § 4-53 and § 4-64 shall be reviewed in December of 1999 by the Common Council regarding its reasonableness to services provided by the City Administration. Charlotte Pfeifer Chairman 1400 COUNTY-CITY BUILDING SOUTH BEND, INDIANA 46601-1830 CITY OF SOUTH BEND STEPHEN,J. LUECKE~ MAYOR DEPARTMENT OF LAW ,JOHN E. BRODEN CITY ATTORNEY April 5, 1999 Mr. Sean Coleman President, South Bend Common Council Fourth Floor, County-City Building South Bend, Indiana 46601 RE: A Proposed Ordinance of the Common Council Amending Chapter 4 of the Municipal Code to Revise Provisions for Licensing Precious Metals Dealers and Second Hand Stores Dear Mr. Coleman: As counsel for the Department of Code Enforcement and the Neighborhood Task Force, I am enclosing a proposed ordinance to revise the licensing provisions for precious metals dealers and second hand stores. PHONE 219/235-9241 Fax 219/235-9892 TDD 219/235-5567 ALADEAN M. DEROSE CHIEF ASSISTANT CITY ATTORNEY The proposed ordinance is meant to allow for outdoor display of items at second hand stores, while preserving neighborhood integrity. It is also to allow for a shortened holding period by both types of businesses if they use a computer program compatible with the program used by the South Bend Police Department to monitor items received by the businesses. Finally, the bill is intended to allow for the sale of items by precious metals dealers without requiring that the purchasers be photographed and identified. THOMAS L. BODNAR BRIAN W. STEINKE MICHELLE L. ENGEL ,JEFFREY M. JANKOWSKI ROBERT C. ROSENFELD ANN-CAROL NASH This bill is the product of numerous meetings with owners of both types of businesses, representatives of the Police Department, Legal Department and Department of Code Enforcement, and some Common Council members. I respectfully request your favorable consideration of this proposed ordinance. If you have any questions in this regard, please do not hesitate to contact me. Sincerely, /i~~ Ann-Carol Nash Assistant City Attorney cc: John E. Broden Loretta Duda Kathleen Cekanski-Fenand Kathleen J. Dempsey Lt. Robert Hammer Jeremy Barclay Enclosure licenselsecond~amend99.ltr